FOREST RIVER, N.D. -- Greg Novak and Pam Jallo are still getting settled in the new office and scale house at the Forest River Farmers Elevator.
"There's a lot to do, but the customers have been very good. They've been very patient," said Jallo, office manager, as she sorted through a box of materials that was moved last week from the Forest River Community Center to the new building on the north side of town.
They had worked out of the temporary location since last September, when the 99-year-old Forest River Farmers Elevator was destroyed by fire.
Construction of a new elevator, which began in February, likely will not be completed until next January, however, according to Novak. When finished, the cooperative will have about 675,000 bushels of total capacity.
Still, business has continued without much of an interruption since the fire, which destroyed the main elevator and two annexes. Besides handling wheat, corn and soybeans, the elevator provides seed, chemicals and fertilizer, along with custom application, as well as agronomy services.
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Greg Paschke, elevator board president, called a meeting at the community center the day after the fire.
"There was never any question about rebuilding," Novak said. "The president said, 'What are we going to do to rebuild?'"
Since then, grain has been stored on area farms.
"It's been a little slower, picking up grain off the farm," he said, "but it's been working out. It'll be nice when everything gets done, but we just wish it could be sooner."
Reach Bonham at (701) 780-1110; (800) 477-6572, ext. 110; or send email to kbonham@gfherald.com .
