Revolving Line of Credit & Long Term Debt Long Term Debt (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended												3 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2013 Shuttlewagon Railcar Mover [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Revolving Term Loan [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Revolving Term Loan [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Revolving Operating Loan, Net [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Granite Falls Energy [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Granite Falls Energy [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Granite Falls Energy [Member] Revolving Term Loan [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Granite Falls Energy [Member] Revolving Term Loan [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Heron Lake Bioenergy [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Heron Lake Bioenergy [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Heron Lake Bioenergy [Member] Corn Oil Separation [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Heron Lake Bioenergy [Member] Corn Oil Separation [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Heron Lake Bioenergy [Member] Revolving Operating Loan [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Heron Lake Bioenergy [Member] Revolving Operating Loan [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Heron Lake Bioenergy [Member] Revolving Operating Loan [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Heron Lake Bioenergy [Member] Water Assessment [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Heron Lake Bioenergy [Member] Water Assessment [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Heron Lake Bioenergy [Member] Revolving Term Loan [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Heron Lake Bioenergy [Member] Revolving Term Loan [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Heron Lake Bioenergy [Member] Water Treatment Plant [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Heron Lake Bioenergy [Member] Water Treatment Plant [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Heron Lake Bioenergy [Member] Water Supply [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Heron Lake Bioenergy [Member] Water Supply [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Heron Lake Bioenergy [Member] Electrical Company [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Heron Lake Bioenergy [Member] Electrical Company [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Agrinatural, LLC [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Agrinatural, LLC [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Agrinatural, LLC [Member] Natural Gas Pipeline Construction Loan [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Agrinatural, LLC [Member] Natural Gas Pipeline Construction Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Two	$ 2,846,762
Shuttlewagon Railcar Mover Loan							382,918	497,636
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount	337,928
LOC Term			5
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage			3.875%																	5.75%
Long-term Debt	36,472,763					5,660,000			18,000,000							20,500,000				17,400,000
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	(3,490,808)
Letters of Credit Reduction, Amount	49,000			2,000,000											2,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Three	21,602,578
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Four	522,563
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Five	7,022,813
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal after Year Five	987,239
Long-term Debt, less current portion	32,981,955	5,274,870
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding		5,389,588		2,513,674	4,891,952				2,513,674	4,891,952			640,653	0		6,263,158	0	2,246,771	0	18,317,800	0	152,698	0	205,209	0	293,750	0	300,000	0	1,013,132	0
Current portion long-term debt	3,490,808	114,718
Convertible Subordinated Debt, Noncurrent											$ 4,143,000	$ 0