So we have this grain bin...

LOL no its about 15 ft (im guessing here) high at the center point of the roof, probably 10 ft high sides on the bin itself, and I am guessing 12 ft in diameter.
 
If I had one of these on my place, I would consider bringing in a track hoe, have it dig a hole about 6 or 7 feet deep, and then have the track hoe lift the bin and place it in the hole. Then using the dirt out of the hole, cover the hole thing, leaving the opening at the top for some type of a vent. I would guess that it would be a hump out of the ground about 5 feet high when all is said and done. After it is set, dig a ramp down to the door, put in some cement steps and have a root cellar.

If a person was going to try this, he/she would have to shore up the inside with some bracing so the whole thing does not collapse.
 
Wow ok thats all a lot more effort and money than we can/will put into this! Not economical or frugal if we have to spend a few hundred on a backhoe to move it, ya know?

DH has a freind who builds smoke houses, hes going to ask him about it. I thought it would work as animal housing too until I realized that it'd get too hot and cold.

I also thought green house, but the roof is solid steel/tin whatever metal it is, and only has one small opening for augering grain into. DH wouldnt be too keen on me cutting holes in the roof of his grain bin, even if it just houses crushed pop cans.

I feel like, if this eyesore has to be sitting there we might as well make it work for its place in my yard. I dont see who thought it was smart to put it in the middle of my side yard instead of ACROSS that barnyard next to the REST of the grain bins....I swear my FIL is damaged....
 
I saw a pic of one where someone had cut some sides out of one and chicken wired them, converted to a hen coop. It was real nice.

Selling it for scrap metal would be a profitable venture and it would remove your eyesore.

A huge dehydrator?

Rent it for silage space?

Oooooooooo....wait! Rent it for billboard space and let someone paint an ad on it! Well....that might add to the eyesore problem but it would bring in some money.

Cut ventilation and use it for hay storage?
 
I had one I used for goat housing. N.E. Wa. worked well. Straw on the bottom and around the edges (inside)wood chips on top of that very cozy in the winter not bad in summer either.
 
I would think, with added ventilation that it could make good animal housing.

Many old barns don't have much if anything for insulation but, the animals do just fine. The big thing is to keep it dry and draft free and the animals can keep themselves warm with plenty of bedding.
 
Don't know what you ended up doing with your grain bin, but the new Feb/Mar 2011 Mother Earth News shows a family who made a really great house out of one. You could use similar insulating for an animal shelter.
 
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