Ways to Use Shipping Containers for Your Farm, Ranch, or Vineyard

Shipping containers have grown in popularity for homes, but they can be a great option for many farm and agricultural processes and can be great for storage. They offer sturdy, economical, and portable storage and are the perfect solution for those looking for harvest overflow storage. The containers are also great for decluttering and cleaning out their barns.

Modified containers can be used to accommodate different rural and farm storage needs. They can be utilized for nursery, garden, farm, agricultural, ranch, or livestock supplies. They can also be modified for temporary housing for seasonal or part-time staff. Here are some ways to use shipping containers for your farm, ranch, or vineyard.

Farming Machinery Equipment Storage

Farming and agriculture tools and machinery are the backbones of your livelihood. You want to ensure that you keep good care of them. Having a storage container to place those items in will keep them safe from thieves, rainstorms, and harsh winter conditions. On-site storage containers are often made from corrugated steel panels, have strong weather-resistant bodies, and can easily be moved on-site. Whether it be small equipment or large machineries like tractors, trailers, and trucks, there are storage containers of different sizes to suit your needs.

Harvest and Feed Storage Needs

One of the biggest benefits of storage containers is that they are wind and watertight and are the perfect place to store your excess harvest and livestock feed. Most storage containers are coated in pesticides in the flooring to prevent bugs and rodents. They can easily protect your valuable inventory from the elements, offering a dry environment free from insects and bothersome rodents.

Hay and Feed Stores

It’s important to keep hay and feed properly stored away. They need protection from both the elements and vermin on-site. Shipping containers can offer an excellent solution, as most have a raised internal floor line and a sealed underside. Containers are also wind and watertight, which will keep your hay and feed protected from the elements.

All shipping containers will have some condensation form on the inside of the roof as they cool overnight and you can look into condensation treatment for your container to prevent this.

Log and Firewood Storage

Logs and firewood need to be seasoned for a minimum of 3–6 months before resale. Shipping containers can be modified for log and firewood storage by adding vent options and ensure healthy air circulation for the wood. You can use your shipping container for agricultural machinery storage for part of the year, as well as seasoning logs, while this machinery is in use elsewhere.

Temporary Housing

Shipping containers can easily be modified and customized to serve as on-site temporary housing for your part-time and seasonal workers. They can be customized with doors, windows, and air conditioning. You can even install electricity and phone service if needed. The containerized housing will keep your part-time and seasonal workers comfortable and safe during harvest time. You can also save costs by converting containers into housing, as this will avoid the costly expense of constructing permanent housing.

Offices, Workshops, and Break Room Facilities for Farms

Shipping containers are great for on-site offices and are extremely popular with small and medium-sized farms as they diversify. They can even build them to rent out office units for third parties to use, as this can offer a solid, long-term income.

Break and restroom facilities for staff, site visitors, and perhaps contractors in remote locations are becoming popular as well. Staff want and need a dry and safe space to have their breaks. Employers can attract a wider range of labour when facilities are in place, because who wouldn’t want a proper break room?

Open Your Own Self-Storage Yard

Self-storage can be a fantastic long-term investment that requires little work and maintenance. You can make easy money by providing other people with storage space for their own gear. The containers themselves will likely last 20–30 years with only minimal maintenance required for their lifetime. Based on typical rental prices, your containers should pay themselves off in 2–3 years. This money could be used to go towards your business and increase revenue.

How long will my shipping container last?

Shipping containers will last a very long time, as they are made from high-grade steel. When this rusts, the rust layer is not porous, meaning it won’t let water through the outer layer of rust and last longer than any typical steel product. It can take anywhere from 15 to 20 years for containers to have surface rust and they can be useful for another ten years or even longer.

To learn more about shipping container modifications, contact us here or at 1 (855)- 228-1993.