You may be wondering how do farms use shipping containers? Well, there are many different ways to use a shipping container on a farm, from storing equipment and tools to animal feed and fresh produce. The possibilities are endless when using shipping containers for farm storage. Many of our customers purchase containers for extra storage on farms and agriculture because rural storage can be expensive, but buying a shipping container is much cheaper than building a barn or storage shed. Besides the cost-effective benefits sea can storage brings to farmers, there are many other benefits and ways to utilize a shipping container on a farm. Here we’ll share the different benefits and ways to use your container for rural storage.
Sea cans are incredibly versatile, which is why you see people converting them into tiny homes, food bank storage spaces, office spaces and more. When convenient, cost-effective storage is needed in the farming and agriculture industry, people turn to us for their shipping containers needs. A few of the significant benefits that come with purchasing a shipping container are:
Shipping containers are easily transportable, meaning once we place your container on your property, it does not have to stay in that spot forever. If you need to move your container to another location on your property or to another farm in a few years or even a few weeks, you have the freedom to do so. The advantage of not building a permanent structure for temporary storage gives you the flexibility to basically do whatever you want with your container.
Versatility is a significant benefit a shipping container for farming presents to our customers. Besides the many other storage uses that we will dive into shortly, did you know growing vegetables in shipping containers is possible? Did you know you can create the ultimate growing space to cultivate organic food? Did you know feed storage in shipping containers is possible? We could go on and on …
Shipping container farm buildings can be insulated and even climate-controlled depending on your storage needs. Storing produce, canned foods and animal feed during the winter and summer months will require insulation and ventilation to preserve freshness and quality. Year-round greenhouse shipping containers that specialize in hydroponic crops or vertical growing systems will require refrigeration to regulate the temperature and environment created inside.
Machinery, equipment, and tools are essential to ensuring all operations on your farm go smoothly and run at an optimal pace. Ensuring these tools are safe and secure is essential when protecting them from thieves and harsh weather changes. All containers sold at Coast Containers, new or used are inspected to ensure it is structurally sound, wind and water tight (WWT), rodent proof, and have solid floors as well as doors that open and close. Having a 20’ or 40’ STD (standard height) or HC (high cube) container can store smaller machinery, larger narrow machinery, heavy equipment, tools and supplies that you use on a daily basis.
It is important to keep your feed supply safe and properly stored. If your current feed storage system isn’t protected from outside elements or you are simply running out of space to store your feed supply, a shipping container is right for you. Without proper storage barrels or containers inside your barn, you run the risk of your feed spoiling. Since shipping containers are weatherproof and rodent proof, you can be confident that your feed supply is safe from harsh weather conditions and rodents.
Modifying a shipping container into a container office is one of the most common container modifications we see in the industry. Depending on the size of your farm, you may have employees that need a place to get administrative work done, take lunch breaks or a workshop to fix tools, work on smaller projects and more!
One of the more uncommon ways to use shipping containers for your farm is to convert them into animal stables. Ideally, you would want to create this out of an HC (high cube, 9’6’ tall) container for any larger animals. Stable doors, windows and ventilation will need to be installed to ensure airflow does not become stale and condensation does not build up. Building a stable out of a sea can is a cost-effective way to save money when comparing the cost to building an entire barn. As livestock rotates and seasons change you may need to relocate your newly transformed shipping container stable, which is easy to do with a tilt bed trailer! Another reason why sea cans are durable and easily transported to other locations.
Another uncommon but interesting way to transform a shipping container on your farm is to create shipping container farm buildings. Freight container farming has become more popular over the past few years with environmental companies experimenting with how well produce can grow inside a converted container. From an accessibility perspective, this could be great for regions that experience severe weather changes resulting in the inability to grow crops normally. Shipping container farms are compact, easily transportable and have a small footprint in comparison to industry leaders. Will this be the future for accessible farming?
Since there are many ways to use a standard dry purpose shipping container on a farm, the best kind will depend on your storage needs.
Here at Coast Containers we have provided many farmers with a suitable shipping container for their farm storage needs and would be happy to help with all your rural storage shipping container questions. We offer many different options of shipping containers with various sizes available for purchase. Choose from one of our locations across Canada and get a quote today!
Not quite ready to purchase a container but would like to rent one? Check out our partner company Make Space Storage. Make Space Storage has a wide variety of storage solutions, including portable storage rentals, self-storage, commercial storage, parking, and moving services.
