Fresh from winning an award at the national science fair, Midale student Erick Vandenhurk took the grain lid invention he and partner Jarika Penny came up with and put it on display at the Farm Progress Show in Regina, where it garnered much interest from both farmers and agri-businesses.It was a busy three days, said Erick, who attended the show on his own as Jarika had another engagement. There were a few representatives from custom fabrication companies who came by , and a few grain bin companies. Theres definitely lots of opportunities for me to think about.Erick and Jarika were among nearly 500 finalists who took part in the Canada-Wide Science Fair held at Trent University in Peterborough, Ont., in May. In addition to winning a silver medal in senior engineering, the pair were awarded the Manning Innovation Achievement Award of $500. With this success in hand, Erick decided to take it to Saskatchewans agricultural community and feature it at the Farm Progress Show, with farmers and agribusiness reps from all the province and Western Canada in attendance.He has filed for a patent, so the patent pending status he has in the meantime is good for a one-year period while he and his lawyer work through the process of landing the patent.
I have to get it patented outright. If you get all your paperwork done and filed properly, I dont think it takes all that long to get it, he said.Erick noted the grain bin company reps kind of stood at a distance and listened as farmers peppered him with questions about the lid, and then they left him their card.Farmers meanwhile were positive in their feedback on the design, he added. They were amazed nobody came up with this idea sooner, its that easy. They definitely liked it, and they all had the same view on it that I did. They could all relate (to the problems).Earlier, Erick said he and his dad Dan were thinking about the problems they were having with grain bin lids which wouldnt close, or were blown open by winds with grain then getting damaged by insects and rain, and even birds getting inside the bin. Ericks idea was to use a sliding lid with a slanted top, so its own weight keeps it closed, and the slanted top allows rain to run off rather than pooling on top.Erick doesnt feel he will go with a grain bin manufacturer, but is rather thinking of having them mass-produced by a custom manufacturer and then marketing them himself.He acknowledged this way will probably mean a lot of work to get the word out about his product. The start-up year is going to be the toughest, and the most time-consuming, he said.Ericks goal is to take ag mechanics at SIAST in the fall. He is the son of Dan and Louise Vandenhurk, who farm southeast of Midale.
