Farm Machine Sheds: Meaning, Functions, Types, and More.

Definition of Farm Machine Sheds

These are farm structures constructed and designed to provide shelter, storage, and maintenance of farm machinery and implements on the farm.

They are also considered as light structures constructed on the farm to protect farm machines and implements from adverse weather conditions.

Farm machine structures are usually located in various locations of the farmstead where production activities take place. These structures protect farm machines and implements used for processing and packaging farm produce against harsh weather conditions such as the sun, rain, and other adverse weather effects.

Farm machine sheds are usually located on the farms for activities such as servicing and repairing farm machines, processing and packaging farm produce, and storage of farm machines and equipment.

These structures are crucial aspects of the farmstead because they help to provide avenues for protecting important farm machines from wearing and tearing, extending the lifespan of farm machinery, and reducing the need for repair and replacement of worn-out parts.

Functions of Farm Machine Sheds

The importance of farm machine sheds cannot be overemphasized in the agricultural industries. Some of the importance of farm machine structure in farm steed are:

Provision of Storage Space: The farm machine structure helps to provide an avenue for the storage of farm machinery and implements. Simple farm tools, farm machinery, and equipment such as tractors, ploughs, harvesters, planters, milling machines, processing, knapsacks, wheelbarrows, and others are stored in the sheds. If these farm machinery and implements are left unstored in the farmstead. It will reduce storage space for other farming activities and hinder effective movement on the farm. The farm machine shed provides sufficient space for storing farm machines and ensures that they are kept safe and clean.
Protection from Adverse Weather: Farm machine structures help protect machinery and equipment from adverse weather conditions such as rainfall, temperature, snow, and hail. Exposure of farm equipment to adverse weather conditions will expose farm machines to rust and corrosion. Thus, farm equipment sheds provide sufficient avenues for storing farm machines from these harmful effects of weather thereby preventing them from rusting, corrosion, and damage.
Proper Organization: The provision of sheds for the farm machines is crucial for the proper organization of the farmstead. With the help of farm machine structure, different types of machines can be stored or located properly in various locations for ease of identification and usage. Farm machine sheds tell us the various areas where farm machine structures are stored and located, thereby improving operational efficiency.
It Aids the Maintenance of Farm Machines: Farm machine sheds help to provide an avenue where farm machines and their implements can be stored, thereby preventing exposure to adverse weather conditions that may have led to rusting and corrosion. These farm machine structures provide opportunities for the regular repair and inspection of farm machines.
Protection Against Theft: The structure provides for storing farm machines and its implements serve as security against theft of farm equipment in the farmstead. Some advanced machine sheds are equipped with security systems that can detect and prevent theft. The machine structure is also designed in such a way that the entrance is padlocked and it is open daily when needed, to prevent unauthorized individuals from gaining access to the sheds. This will help to minimize the vandalization of farm machine parts.
Provide an Avenue for Processing Farm Produce: Farm machine sheds provide the facilities for the processing and packaging of farm produce. Farm machines such as the processing machine, milling machine, and packaging machine are located in various sections of the farmstead and are shaded from adverse weather conditions.

Types of Farm Machine Sheds

There are different types of farm machine shed designs to suit various farm machines and implements required for farming operations.

The main aim of farm machine sheds is to safeguard farm equipment from adverse weather effects and security. Some of the common types of farm machine sheds according to the National Open University of Nigeria are:

Open Front Sheds

These types of farm machine sheds are usually designed to store large farm machines and their implements. They are usually constructed in such a way that the front of the sheds is open to aid easy removal of farm machines. The roof is made with a metal or corrugated iron roof.

The open-front sheds are specially constructed to store farm implements such as Tractors and tractor implements, bulldozers, combine harvesters, milling machines, and so on.

The major aim of this type of shed is to provide easy storage of farm machines.

Enclosed Sheds

In the enclosed shed, all the sides of the shed have enclosed walls. These types of farm machine sheds provide complete and holistic protection of farm machines and implements.

The roof and the entire walls can be made with metal or corrugated iron that tolerates bad weather conditions. This type of farm machine shed is typically used for storing incubators, packaging machines, and other farm implements.

The enclosed sheds are excellent for protecting farm implements and tools from bad weather, theft, and vandalism.

Lean to Wall Sheds

These types of machine sheds are usually attached to an existing farm building, such as a warehouse, administrative building, production building, or any other shed. Their roofs are made up of corrugated iron roofs to prevent adverse weather conditions.

The lean-to-wall shed does not require high capital before the establishment, as it uses an existing building for support while providing storage space for farm machines. These types of farm machine structures is mostly used for the storage of managers’ and other top managerial officers’ cars, implements, and other important farm produce.

Steel Frame Sheds

The steel frame sheds are constructed using steel frames, while the roof is designed with corrugated iron roof sheets that can withstand strong rainfall, wind, and sunlight.

These types of machine sheds are very durable and can be used for a long period to protect farm machines. Steel frame sheds are usually resistant to rusting and corrosion which enables them to last for many years.

Fabric-Cover Sheds

In these types of sheds, the frames are made of metal while the roof and the wall are covered with fabrics.

The fabric cover sheds are usually designed for temporary and seasonal usage, they are cost-effective and do not require a high amount of capital for establishment.

Feature of Modern Farm Machine Shed Design.

As agriculture begins to shift from modern agriculture to smart agriculture. Farm machine structure needs a well-planned layout that incorporates contemporary architectural features that utilize automation and technology integration for better efficiency. The following are the features of a modern machine shed.

The layout.

When designing a modern farm machine shed layout, emphasis should be placed on compact design and modular design layout.

In the compact design layout, the farm machine structure should be designed in such a way as to minimize space, while the modular design gives room for flexibility to accommodate all levels of the farm machine and its implements.

Data Connectivity

The modern farm shed should be designed to have access to internet facilities connectivity in all the sheds to help monitor the transfer of information and control of the farm machine.

Data storage and analytic systems should be installed for proper decision-making in the farm machine sheds.

Security Measures

This is another feature that a modern farm machine structure should be designed with. There should be an adequate security facility for security surveillance in the shed.

The farm machine structure should have an adequate access control system that will be used to monitor and control the entry of workers or people into the sheds.

Energy Efficient Construction

When designing and planning the construction of modern equipment sheds, materials that are energy-friendly should be considered.

Green building materials that are sustainable and environmentally friendly should be considered as the choice of the building material. Solar energy should be installed in the sheds to provide renewable energy that can be effectively used to power other appliances in the farm machine sheds.

Technology Integration

Farm machines should have tracking devices or Internet of Things sensors installed on them to help monitor the well-being, and provide security and updates on the maintenance schedules.

This smart farming technology installed on the farm machine or farm equipment sheds will help to monitor the level performance of farm machines.

Installation of Automation and Robotics

Modern machine structure design should contain features of smart agriculture such as the installation of automated doors and robotics parking systems.

The modern sheds utilize automated or censor-driven door that involves the use of remote control to provide convenient access and security in the sheds. More so, the use of automated parking systems improves efficiency and reduces the need for manual labor.

Ventilation and Climate Control

The sheds should be designed with an opening to allow the free flow of natural air in the sheds.

Natural ventilation should be purposely created to regulate the temperature in the shed. A climate control system should be installed to maintain and regulate the optimum temperature for different types of farm machinery and agricultural products.

Maintenance and Accessibility

The farm machine shed layout should be designed in such a way that there is easy access to different locations and types of farm machinery.

There should be a portion specifically designed for the repair and servicing of farm machines.

Aesthetic Consideration

Aesthetic value is another factor to be considered in designing machine sheds, there are different types of sheds with different structures to suit their needs and sizes.

Architectural aesthetics should always be designed in such a way that it looks beautiful and eye-catching.

The landscaping should be done to enhance the beauty of the sheds. Considerations for flowers and short ornamental trees should be incorporated into the landscaping to increase the overall aesthetic value of the shed.

Farm Machine Shed Depreciation.

This refers to the reduction in the value of the shed due to usage. The depreciation of the farm shed may be subject to time and season.

farm sheds cannot exist forever no matter how strong it is, as time passes, the effect of weather acts on the shed, which results in wearing and tearing.

The shed for farm machines can exist for about 20 to 40 years depending on the type of farm shed, the purpose for construction, and the materials used in the construction.

Farm machine shed depreciation life refers to the market value of the machine after its useful life.

Let’s consider the example below, a farmer constructed a farm machine shed for $100,000.00 in 2000 and sold it for $40,000.00 in 2022. calculate the salvage value, the total depreciation, and the annual depreciation.

solution

(a) The Salvage Value=$40,0000

(b) Total deprecisteion=Cost Price -Salvage Value =&100,000 – &40,000= $60,0000

&100,000.00-$40000/ 23years

=&2608.6

Five list of sheds for farm equipment.

Some of the sheds for farm equipment are fabric cover sheds, steel frame sheds, lean-to sheds, enclosed sheds, and open-front sheds.

What are farm machine sheds?

farm machine sheds refer to the light structures constructed to protect farm machines from adverse weather conditions.

What is the importance of farm machine sheds?

Some of the important farm machine sheds are provision of storage space, protection from adverse weather, proper organization, aid in the maintenance of farm machines, protection against theft, provide an avenue for processing farm produce.

What is farm machine shed depreciation life?

This refers to the reduction in the value of the shed due to usage. To calculate the depreciation life of a farm machine shed consider the following examples.

Suppose a farmer constructed a farm machine shed for $100,000.00 in 2000 and sold it for $40,000.00 in 2022. calculate the salvage value, the total depreciation, and the annual depreciation.