Farm Equipment Storage Tips for Southeast South Dakota Landowners

Your tractor cost six figures. Your implements cost five. Leaving them sitting in a field or leaning against a barn wall all winter is a terrible way to protect that investment. Here’s how southeast South Dakota farmers are handling equipment storage — and why it’s worth thinking about before the first snow.

The Real Cost of Leaving Equipment Outside

Let’s be blunt: most farmers in Bon Homme, Hutchinson, and Yankton counties don’t think much about equipment storage. The combine sits where it stopped after harvest. The planter goes behind the barn. The tractor stays in the yard.

And every spring, those same farmers deal with:

• Rust and corrosion — South Dakota’s freeze-thaw cycles are murder on exposed metal. Moisture gets into every joint, hinge, and hydraulic fitting, then freezes and expands. Repeat that 50 times over a winter and you’ve got seized bolts, corroded electrical connections, and hydraulic leaks.
• Rodent damage — Mice and rats love farm equipment. They nest in engine compartments, chew through wiring harnesses, fill air intakes with debris, and destroy upholstery in cabs. A single mouse nest in the wrong spot can cause $500-2,000 in repairs.
• UV degradation — Even in winter, UV rays break down rubber hoses, belts, tires, and plastic components. Hydraulic hoses that sit in the sun year-round fail years before they should.
• Tire damage — Tires sitting in one position on frozen ground develop flat spots. Heavy equipment compresses tires unevenly, and freeze-thaw cycles crack sidewalls.
• Theft and vandalism — Equipment sitting in open fields is a target. GPS systems, batteries, and copper wiring are stolen regularly in rural areas. Insurance helps, but the downtime hurts more than the replacement cost.

None of this is news to any farmer. But most don’t do the math on what it actually costs over 5-10 years of equipment ownership. A combine that depreciates 10% faster due to weather exposure costs you tens of thousands of dollars at trade-in time. Implements that need new hydraulic hoses and bearings every spring? That’s $1,000-5,000 per year in preventable repairs.

What Kind of Storage Works for Farm Equipment

Not all storage is created equal. Here’s what makes sense for different types of equipment:

Option 1: On-Farm Buildings (Machine Sheds)

The traditional answer. If you’ve got the space and capital, a machine shed is the gold standard.

Pros: - Equipment is on-site and accessible whenever you need it - Custom-built to your dimensions - Long-term investment that adds value to the property - Can double as workspace for winter repairs

Cons: - Expensive to build — a basic 60x120 machine shed runs $80,000-150,000+ depending on concrete, insulation, and features - Takes 3-6 months to build (plan ahead) - Fixed location — if you farm rented ground 20 miles away, driving equipment back and forth adds wear and fuel costs - Not always feasible on smaller operations or rented land

Option 2: Off-Farm Storage Units

This is the option more southeast SD farmers are discovering, especially for seasonal equipment, smaller implements, and backup machinery.

Pros: - No construction cost or building maintenance - Flexible — rent only the months and space you need - Secure (locked facility, often with cameras and gate access) - Protects against weather, rodents, and theft - Available immediately — no 6-month construction wait

Cons: - Monthly cost (but compare it to building depreciation and maintenance on a shed) - Equipment isn’t right outside your door - Size limitations at some facilities (not all units fit a combine)

Best for: Implements you don’t use year-round (planters in winter, snow equipment in summer), backup tractors, ATVs, side-by-sides, smaller equipment, and tools. Also great for farmers on rented land who don’t want to build on someone else’s property.

Option 3: Lean-To or Covered Storage

A middle ground: a three-sided structure with a roof. Cheaper than a full building, better than nothing.

Pros: - Much cheaper than a full machine shed ($15,000-40,000 for a basic structure) - Blocks wind, rain, and direct sun - Easy to build and permits are often simpler

Cons: - Open side means some weather exposure - Less security - Doesn’t fully protect against rodents - Still a capital investment

Preparing Farm Equipment for Storage: The Complete Checklist

Wherever you store your equipment, preparation matters. A well-prepped machine comes out of storage ready to work. A neglected one comes out as a repair project.

For All Equipment

• [ ] Wash it. Mud, crop residue, and road grime hold moisture against metal surfaces and accelerate corrosion. Pressure wash everything. Let it dry completely before storage.
• [ ] Grease every fitting. Fresh grease pushes out moisture and protects bearings and joints over winter. Hit every zerk fitting — if you think you got them all, you missed one.
• [ ] Inspect and repair now. Don’t put broken equipment in storage. Fix it now while the problem is fresh in your mind and parts are available. Spring is when everyone orders parts and shops are backed up.
• [ ] Touch up paint. Bare metal rusts. A $4 can of implement paint on exposed spots prevents hundreds of dollars in corrosion damage.

For Tractors and Self-Propelled Equipment

• [ ] Change all fluids — engine oil, hydraulic oil, coolant, transmission fluid. Used oil contains acids and contaminants that corrode internal surfaces over months of sitting.
• [ ] Fill the fuel tank and add fuel stabilizer. A full tank prevents condensation. Stabilizer prevents fuel degradation.
• [ ] Disconnect or remove batteries. Store them somewhere above freezing and put them on a trickle charger. A dead battery that freezes is a destroyed battery.
• [ ] Release pressure on hydraulic cylinders — extend cylinders, then release pressure. Stored under pressure, seals deform.
• [ ] Block tires off the ground if possible, or at least inflate to proper pressure. Move the machine periodically (monthly if accessible) to prevent flat spots.
• [ ] Close all windows, doors, and openings. Seal any gaps where mice can enter. Stuff steel wool into exhaust pipes and air intakes.
• [ ] Set mouse traps or deterrents inside the cab and engine compartment. Check them periodically.

For Implements (Planters, Drills, Tillage, Hay Equipment)

• [ ] Retract all hydraulic cylinders and lower ground-engaging components to the ground or onto blocks.
• [ ] Replace or sharpen wear parts now — discs, sweeps, points, knives. They’re cheaper in fall/winter than in spring when demand spikes.
• [ ] Coat bare metal surfaces (coulters, discs, shanks) with rust preventive — used motor oil, WD-40, or a commercial rust inhibitor. Some farmers spray a thin coat of diesel on tillage tools.
• [ ] Remove chains and belts that are worn or stretched. Store them flat, not hanging, to prevent deformation.
• [ ] Relieve tension on springs, belts, and chains.

For Hay and Livestock Equipment

• [ ] Clean thoroughly — old hay and feed residue attracts rodents and holds moisture.
• [ ] Grease and oil all moving parts.
• [ ] Inspect and replace knotters, fingers, and other precision components on balers while they’re fresh in your mind.

How Much Space Do You Need?

Farm equipment comes in every size. Here are rough storage footprint guidelines:

For larger equipment, oversized storage units are the way to go. Lock N’ Leave It Storage’s 14x50 units in Tyndall and Springfield are specifically built to handle farm equipment that won’t fit in a standard 10x20 unit.

The Economics: Storage vs. Exposure

Let’s run the numbers on a mid-range scenario:

Equipment: One utility tractor ($45,000 value), one planter ($25,000), one disc ($15,000). Total value: $85,000.

Cost of doing nothing (outdoor exposure): - Accelerated depreciation: 3-5% additional per year = $2,550-$4,250 - Annual rodent/weather repairs: $500-$2,000 - Premature component replacement (hoses, belts, bearings): $500-$1,500/year - Total annual cost of exposure: $3,550-$7,750

Cost of off-farm storage: - Large storage unit: $150-$250/month x 6 months (November-April) = $900-$1,500/year - Annual savings: $2,050-$6,250

The storage pays for itself multiple times over. And that’s before factoring in reduced downtime during planting and harvest when every hour in the field counts.

Where to Store Farm Equipment in Southeast South Dakota

If you’re farming in Bon Homme County, Hutchinson County, or the greater Yankton area, you’ve got options. But most standard storage facilities in Yankton max out at 10x20 or 12x30 — too small for serious farm equipment.

Lock N’ Leave It Storage was built for this. With locations in Tyndall, Springfield, and Freeman, they’re positioned right in the heart of southeast South Dakota’s farming community. Their oversized 14x50 units fit tractors, implements, and equipment that standard facilities can’t handle.

Whether you need seasonal storage for a planter and disc, year-round protection for a backup tractor, or a secure place for ATVs and side-by-sides, they’ve got the space.

Don’t Let Another Winter Cost You Thousands

Every winter your equipment spends unprotected is money off the trade-in value and money added to your spring repair bill. The math is simple: storage costs less than exposure.

Prep your equipment right, get it under cover, and come spring you’ll be in the field while your neighbors are still at the dealer waiting for parts.

Lock N’ Leave It Storage — locations in Tyndall, Springfield, and Freeman, SD. Built for the equipment southeast South Dakota farmers actually use.

👉 Visit locknleaveitstorage.org or call to check unit availability for this season.