Okay, so have you ever walked past one of those massive steel drums and thought, "I wonder what fits in there?" Specifically, what about corn?
It sounds like a random question. But honestly, it's kind of a blast to dive into.
Let's get into it. A 55-gallon drum is way bigger than you think.
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Just How Big Is A 55-Gallon Drum?
First, let's get some perspective. A 55-gallon drum holds about 208 liters of liquid.
That's a LOT. Imagine filling a big bathtub about twice over.
But we're not dealing with liquid here, are we? We're talking about corn. Kernel-ed, golden, delicious corn.
Weighing The Corn
Now, dried corn kernels are surprisingly dense. Because of that, the weight matters a ton.
A single bushel of dried corn weighs roughly 56 pounds. One bushel takes up about 1.24 cubic feet of space.
How Much Corn Will A 55 Gallon Drum? Update New - Activegaliano.org
A 55-gallon drum holds about 7.36 cubic feet. That means you could fit roughly six bushels in there.
Six bushels times 56 pounds equals about 336 pounds of corn. That is a serious amount of corn goodness.
But Wait, There's More
Corn isn't all the same, though. Sweet corn for eating is wet and fluffy. It'd never fit like that.
Dried ears of corn are different. They're stiffer and less uniform.
Whole dried ears would leave more air gaps. So you'd actually get less corn in the drum that way.
How Many Pounds of Corn in a 55 Gallon Drum? 4 Quick Facts
Popping popcorn IS dried corn. Fun, right?
Why Own A Drum Full Of Corn?
Some food preppers stockpile corn in these drums. It's a cheap way to store calories for a year.
Others buy in bulk for livestock feed. Farmers love a good deal when it comes to animal chow.
And hey, maybe you just want to be quirky. "I've got 300+ pounds of corn in my garage. What about you?"
Bonus Fun Facts
The drum itself weighs about 30 pounds empty. So with corn, you're looking at nearly 370 pounds total.
How Many Pounds of Corn in a 55 Gallon Drum? 4 Quick Facts
Canada produces massive amounts of corn. It's a crop lover's dream up north.
And here's a wild one: the USDA states that in 2020, about 96% of U.S. corn was genetically modified. Science is wild when it comes to our favorite yellow kernel.
The Bottom Line
So there you have it. A 55-gallon drum holds roughly 336 pounds of dried corn kernels.
That's enough to make a LOT of popcorn. Or a LOT of tacos. Corn husks and all.
Next time you stroll past one of those drums, give it a look. Who knows what interpretation pops into your head.