February Farm Mishaps: What’s Under the Bin Floor

February Farm Mishaps: What’s Under the Bin Floor

Each year we invite you to follow along as your popcorn grows from seed to harvest. This year, we’re pulling back the curtain to share the funny — and not-so-funny — mishaps that make farming extra challenging. We hope you can laugh with us (so we don’t cry) and gain a greater appreciation for what it takes to grow your popcorn. 

February’s farm focus takes us somewhere most people never see — under the bin floor.


 

The Hidden Work Behind Food-Grade Popcorn

A few years ago, we realized we needed more bin space to store our popcorn safely. That meant replacing the old bin floors Nate’s grandpa had installed nearly 40 years earlier.

Those floors were held up by cinder blocks, and underneath was something no one really wants to think about: decades of old grain, bugs, and dust that hadn’t seen daylight in years. Not exactly what you want beneath food-grade popcorn.

So we got to work.

We tore out every old panel, hauled out each block by hand, and vacuumed the bins clean before installing new metal supports and flooring. It was hard, dirty, exhausting work — but absolutely necessary to make sure your popcorn is stored safely and responsibly. 

Sometimes farming isn’t about planting or harvesting at all.

Sometimes it’s about fixing the parts no one ever sees — so everything else can work.


 

Why Bin Floors Matter More Than You Think

Food-grade popcorn isn’t like feed corn. It has to be stored in carefully managed conditions so it stays safe, clean, and pops beautifully.

That’s why our bins today are equipped with monitoring systems that track moisture and temperature at the touch of a button. Fans automatically run when needed to keep popcorn in its sweet spot of 13–14% moisture — because:

  • Too wet → it can mold

  • Too dry → it won’t pop well

Keeping popcorn in that narrow window is what gives you fluffy, full-sized kernels instead of half-popped disappointment. 


Farming Isn’t Always Pretty — But It Is Precise

From the outside, grain bins just look like big metal cylinders sitting on a farm. But inside, there’s a lot of science happening.

Between airflow, moisture management, temperature control, and now clean modern flooring, every piece of the system works together to protect the crop we worked all year to grow.

And yes — sometimes that means crawling into dusty spaces, ripping out 40-year-old structures, and rebuilding from the ground up so your popcorn stays safe, fresh, and pop-perfect.

 


Farm Funny (because we like corny jokes)

Why did the farmer install Wi-Fi in the grain bin?

So the popcorn could have a strong connection before it popped. 🌽😄 


 

Thanks for Following Along

February may be cold and quiet on the outside, but behind the scenes, it’s all about preparing for the months ahead — making sure the systems are clean, the bins are ready, and the popcorn you love is protected all year long.

Thanks for being part of our farm story.

Every bag you buy supports the work that happens even when no one’s watching.


👉 Have a question about how popcorn is grown or stored?

Drop it in the comments — we’d love to pull back the curtain even more.

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