Volume 30 28
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Dory Tuvim has invented the Dory Container Traveler (DCT) to revolutionize how farmers transport grain from fields in shipping containers. The DCT consists of a frame that attaches to shipping containers, lifting them onto wheels so they can be towed by tractors from fields. Each container holds up to 1,100 bushels of grain. Tuvim hopes farmers will use the containers and DCT to transport crops like chickpeas, wheat, barley and malt barley directly from fields to markets. Doepker Industries engineered a prototype DCT, addressing challenges like developing wheels that can handle heavy loads while protecting fields. Tuvim plans to make the DCT available for farmers to
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Volume 30 28
- 1. 28 ? FARM SHOW ? vol. 30, no. 1 ? www.farmshow.com ? editor@farmshow.com ? 1-800-834-9665 Invention Brings Shipping Containers To Farm Fields By Dawn Throener, Associate Editor DoryTuvim is out to revolutionize how farm- ers transfer grain from the field to the end user. He wants them to move shipping con- tainers full of grain instead of transferring grain from combine to wagon to bin to truck, etc. But before Tuvim, president of a company that manufactures shipping containers, could start making his vision come true, he needed to answer the question, ¡°How can I add wheels to a shipping container so it can be towed by a tractor?¡± His answer is the Dory Container Traveler (DCT). It consists of a pair of horseshoe- shaped frame members attached to a sub- frame on wheels. A tractor with a DCT attached backs up to surround the container on three sides. The DCT¡¯s four hydraulically-controlled corner latches are set in position to lift the container at its four corner posts 18 in. off the ground within 20 sec. ¡°We¡¯ve tested it with a 250 hp tractor at 20 mph and a load of 70,000 lbs.,¡± says Tuvim. Each shipping container holds about 50,000 lbs. or 800 to 1,100 bu. of grain, de- pending on the product. Tuvim wants to use the containers and DCT on chickpeas, wheat barley and malt barley. ¡°The advantage is that the container has a product in it that is identified by a serial num- ber which is on the container,¡± he says. ¡°The world market now demands identified prod- uct from the source. ¡°Another thing is that it¡¯ll eliminate all the handling from a bin to the elevator going from grain cart to a truck, from the truck to the harbor and so on and so forth,¡± Tuvim says. After getting a patent and creating a model, he went to Doepker Industries of Anaheim, Sask. which engineered the prototype. Randy Doepker, company vice president, says the biggest challenge was coming up with the right wheels. ¡°We had to find some- thing that would handle the load yet with enough floatation to minimize impact on the fields.¡± Tuvim plans to make the DCT available to farmers or groups of farmers to lease or buy. Lionel Doepker, chief customer officer with Deopker says it¡¯s designed, tested and ready for market and will sell for between $75,000 and $90,000 (Can.). Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, MCS Containers, 10025 Sherbrooke East, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H1B 1B3 (ph 800 646-2346 or 514 645-2346; fax 514 645- 6970; dory.tuvim@mcscontainers.com; www.mcscontainers.com) or Doepker Indus- tries, P.O. Box 10, Anaheim, Saskatchewan, Canada S0K 0G0 (ph 306 598-2171; fax 306 598-2028; www.doepker.com). ¡°Color¡± Adds Variety, Profit To Popcorn Business Popcorn producers Blair and Livia Townsend, who farm near Walsingham, Ontario, have started a profitable new side- line selling ¡°colored¡± popcorn. ¡°There are very few producers in the U.S. or Canada selling colored varieties,¡± Blair says. ¡°People like the novelty of the colored corn and will pay more for it. Some of our varieties are Strawberry Red, Shamu Blue, Purple Passion, Peaches and Cream, and Tra- ditional Yellow. ¡°They do have a different taste that¡¯s very pleasing to the palate,¡± adds Livia. ¡°They pop up very white with a colored, dark center - except for the Traditional Yellow, which has yellow popped kernels, and the Peaches and Cream, which has both yellow and white popped kernels.¡± The Townsends started out as tobacco farmers and began developing popping corn as an alternative crop 20 years ago. They grow and market up to 50 acres of popping corn and sell their product under the label, ¡°Uncle Bob¡¯s Popping Corn.¡± According to Livia, the family¡¯s popcorn business is increasing yearly by 20 to 30 per- cent. They sell retail and wholesale, with a number of U.S. companies purchasing from them and then selling under their own brand name. ¡°Afew large players dominate the popcorn industry but we have steadily expanded our market until we now sell to more than 500 stores,¡± Blair says. Colored varieties are harder to grow than traditional ones, according to the couple. They are also more finicky to handle, requir- ing more cleaning and polishing. The Townsends¡¯ colored popping corn is available direct from Ontario Popping Corn Co., and retails for about twice the price of regular popcorn. Another very successful popping corn product is something the Townsends call ¡°Pop-a-cob.¡± It consists of an entire cob of popcorn, packaged in a poly bag, with a pa- per bag and microwave instructions for pop- ping the corn right on the cob. Pop-a-cob is available in both colored and traditional va- rieties. ¡°That¡¯s been a huge seller for us,¡± Livia says. ¡°It¡¯s been on the market for about the last four years. It retails for $1.50 to $2 per cob.¡± Contact: FARM SHOWFollowup, Ontario Popping Corn Co., Blair and LiviaTownsend, RR1, Walsingham, Ont., Canada N0E 1X0 (ph 519 586-3723; fax 519 586-2913; ontpop@kwic.com; www. ontariopopping corn.com). ¡°Bagged¡± Firewood Makes Handling Easy ¡°It eliminates one step in handling firewood and leaves you with a stable, secure, move- able quantity of wood to sell,¡± says Janet Janssen, Apache Forest Products, Inc., Mil- let, Alberta, about the company¡¯s new fire- wood ¡°bag¡±. The firewood bag is actually a plastic mesh tube equipped with a drawstring at the top and bottom. It¡¯s designed to hang inside a metal support frame for filling.The frame sets up on a pallet, and the bag hangs from steel loops along the top edges of the frame. Once the bag is filled, the top drawstring is drawn and tied and the frame hinges open on one side to be removed, leaving a plastic mesh ¡°bag¡± filled with firewood resting on a pallet. The bag and pallet can then be moved and stacked using a forklift.Air flows through the plastic mesh, so firewood stored this way will continue to dry. The bagging system holds about 1/4 cord of wood. ¡°It reduces handling time and leaves you with a stable, secure, moveable quantity of wood to sell.¡± The bags sell for $8 plus S&H per bag but are available for less with a quantity purchase. The metal frame used with the bags sells for $460 plus S&H. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup,Apache Forest Products, Inc., 7015 Sparrow Drive, Leduc, Alberta, Canada T9E 7L1 (ph 866 986-0067; janet@apacheforest.com; www.apacheforest.com). Firewood bag is a plastic mesh tube equipped with drawstrings at the top and bottom. It¡¯s designed to hang inside a metal support frame for filling. Once bag is filled, top draw- string is drawn and tied and the frame hinges open on one side to be removed. ¡°Colored¡± popcorn is a profitable new sideline business for Blair and Livia Townsend, who farm near Walsingham, Ontario. Dory Container Traveler will revolutionize how farmers transfer grain from the field to the end user, says inventor Dory Tuvim. The idea is to move shipping containers full of grain, instead of transfering grain from combine to wagon to bin to truck, etc. Dory Container Traveler consists of a pair of horseshoe-shaped frame members at- tached to a subframe on wheels. It hauls containers that hold up to 1,100 bu. of grain.