July 27, 2022
Word has been received in the Rippey Community that a portion (less than 10% of the capacity) of the Landus Grain Elevator has been condemned and will no longer be utilized. In an interview with Steve Morman, hub leader, for Rippey, Dawson, Perry, and Stuart, he reports the 112-foot elevator erected in 1960 is no longer in working condition. Major amounts of capital would be necessary to upgrade the facility.
He reports the conveyor system will be re-configured to allow grain to be augured to the steel storage bins sitting adjacent to the condemned elevator.
When questioned he denied there are plans to close the Rippey grain elevator.
Persons living away from Rippey may be unaware that the elevator sites of Panora and Rippey, a part of the Heartland Cooperative, were exchanged in March of 2022 for the Landus sites of Woodward and Earlham. Rippey is now owned and operated by the Landus. The cooperative has sixty locations, and approximately seven thousand members. This past November Landus developed the hub management structure to use the labor available more efficiently at the four sites. There are up to three vacant grain positions waiting to be filled for the local HUB site. Current staff at Rippey includes Jaime Kennedy, office person, and Kiersten Jass account lead who serves as the main point of contact for Rippey grain and agronomy sales.
The “hub” sites have grain acceptance by Dawson and Rippey, while agronomy services are available from the Perry and Stuart sites. Bayard Landus site also accepts grain. Steve states the Jefferson Landus replacement silos will be available to accept fall grain during the upcoming harvest season. Following an explosion at the Jefferson Landus site, fixes were made, and the Jefferson location was open and accepting grain Sept 17, 2021. The replacement storage silos at Jefferson will be completed by Fall of 2022.
Steve commutes from the Ames area. He grew up on a farm in Illinois. His Mom and son live in Illinois. His daughter is living in Germany with her husband who is in the military. He is proud of his seven grandchildren.
GRAIN ELEVATOR HISTORY
Former Rippey druggist and historian, Jay States, wrote in the Rippey History 1849-1970 about the first elevator probably erected in the late 1800’s. A wooden structure, it was destroyed by fire in 1890. The second elevator was erected on the site of the former lumber yard, now Jay’s Auto detailing. The elevator was operated in conjunction with the lumber yard. Mr. States wrote, “the elevator machinery was operated by horsepower, by the horse traveling in an endless circle pulling a sweep which was attached to the gears for the power.” Later the building was remodeled, a corn sheller was installed and a steam engine was added for power.
Roberts and Davis, who owned the elevator, sold the lumber yard to N.P. Burk and the elevator to W.M. Radebaugh. J.M. Munson later joined Mr. Radebaugh in the elevator business. This elevator also was destroyed by fire, but a new building was erected by the Clark Brown Grain Company, and it was eventually sold to Milligan’s. Milligan’s sold the business to a group of local farmers who organized as the Farmers Elevator Company in 1951. In 1958 the corporation sold the company to the newly organized Rippey Farmers’ Cooperative. This cooperative was made of up 155 area farmers.
Another fire in April of 1960 resulted the building of a new scale, and office and the concrete elevator.
The Rippey Co-op served area farmers for 30 years. In August of 2000, the board recommended selling to Heartland Cooperative of West Des Moines.
The silos now being condemned were built in 1960. See the photo courtesy of the “Ogden Reporter” from May 6, 1982.
The full history can be found in “History of Rippey, A Century of Progress,” “History of Rippey 1849-1970”, “The Heritage of Greene County Iowa 2011”.
-Mary Weaver