Ryan Thesing, Conservation Planning Specialist
With the last year of Mississippi River Basin Initiative funding available to landowners and producers, now is the time to take advantage of high priority funding for conservation practices. Rush-Pine
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"Where Fillmore County News Comes First"
Online Edition
Saturday, May 25th, 2013
Volume ∞ Issue ∞
- 11:44:26, May 21st 2013 - airmaxs52274 - Have you ever thought about adding a little bit more than just your a ... [Read More]
- 5:56:33, May 18th 2013 - modgudur - I guess the child is anti-gun control since Obama went to all that trouble ... [Read More]
- 9:27:41, May 16th 2013 - caal girl - Nice outfit on you. I loved some of the dresses but am holding my breath ... [Read More]
- 2:03:34, May 14th 2013 - - Thanks for sharing the trip with us! ... [Read More]
- 4:12:01, May 9th 2013 - Amanda Ziebell - Wow! Thanks to the Fillmore County Journal for this kind story. For a ... [Read More]
- 11:47:30, May 7th 2013 - EW - ramble.....ramble.....ramble..... ... [Read More]
- 10:25:25, May 7th 2013 - Thunder6 - Great article! I love to see the Youth of Fillmore County receiveing acco ... [Read More]
- 6:52:10, May 6th 2013 - Jason Sethre, Publisher of Fillmore County Journal & Olmsted County Journal - Maryh, ... [Read More]
- 7:29:56, May 5th 2013 - maryh - Where are OCJ's available for pickup...other than at the new office? ... [Read More]
- 2:41:47, May 3rd 2013 - Remark1976 - Mrs. Buckbee, I just looked up Senate File 796 and in it there are said p ... [Read More]
2012 North American Manure Expo and Dane County Digester Tour
Fri, Jan 18th, 2013
Posted in All Agriculture
Posted in All Agriculture
Comments
Dawn Bernau and Katie Richards with digesters in background. Photos submitted
Dawn Bernau and Katie Richards, Nutrient Management Specialists – SE MN Area 7
On August 21st the SE MN Nutrient Management Specialists Dawn Bernau and Katie Richards toured the Dane County Community Anaerobic Digester as part of the 2012 North American Manure Expo held in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin August 21-22, 2012. The Dane County Community Digester is the only operating community digester in Wisconsin. Three dairies contribute to this digester and it is owned and operated by Clear Horizons, Inc. This is a unique strategy in which the company owns and operates the digester and the producers contribute manure as feedstock. This is also a unique situation to have three dairies so close together each being within 2000 feet of the digester. The three dairies total 3,000 animals. The manure from each farm is pumped through underground pipes into a reception tank at the digester site. The manure is then fed into the digester with additional substrates which are trucked to the facility.
What does the digester consist of? It is comprised of three general collection systems: 1) Figure 1, underground manure lines to a reception tank; 2) Figure 1, an above ground tank for storage of additional wastes; and 3) Figure 2, a below ground open pit for manure and additional feedstock reception. In Figure 3 there are three digestion tanks, Figure 4 two 1MW generators, Figure 5 a solid/liquid separation system, and Figure 6 the control room.
What are the digesters fed? They are fed a blend of organic feedstocks. The majority of the feedstock consists of the manure from the dairy farms, about 90 percent by volume. The additional 10 percent is other organic feedstocks such as food waste. The three 1.2 million gallon digester tanks (figure 3) produce the biogas which rises to the top of the digester tank that has storage within the inflated roof. The biogas produced is then sent to the two 1MW generators (totaling 2MW)(figure 4) where it is used to produce electricity. The electricity is sold to the local utility. The Dane County Community Digester produces enough electricity to power approximately 2,500 homes. Following digestion, the digestate is sent to the solid/liquid separator where the solids are removed by a centrifuge (the only one used in the Midwest) and the liquids are sent back to a holding tank. The liquids have enough nutrients left in them to provide the three dairies with a good source of fertilizer for their cro .....
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On August 21st the SE MN Nutrient Management Specialists Dawn Bernau and Katie Richards toured the Dane County Community Anaerobic Digester as part of the 2012 North American Manure Expo held in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin August 21-22, 2012. The Dane County Community Digester is the only operating community digester in Wisconsin. Three dairies contribute to this digester and it is owned and operated by Clear Horizons, Inc. This is a unique strategy in which the company owns and operates the digester and the producers contribute manure as feedstock. This is also a unique situation to have three dairies so close together each being within 2000 feet of the digester. The three dairies total 3,000 animals. The manure from each farm is pumped through underground pipes into a reception tank at the digester site. The manure is then fed into the digester with additional substrates which are trucked to the facility.
What does the digester consist of? It is comprised of three general collection systems: 1) Figure 1, underground manure lines to a reception tank; 2) Figure 1, an above ground tank for storage of additional wastes; and 3) Figure 2, a below ground open pit for manure and additional feedstock reception. In Figure 3 there are three digestion tanks, Figure 4 two 1MW generators, Figure 5 a solid/liquid separation system, and Figure 6 the control room.
What are the digesters fed? They are fed a blend of organic feedstocks. The majority of the feedstock consists of the manure from the dairy farms, about 90 percent by volume. The additional 10 percent is other organic feedstocks such as food waste. The three 1.2 million gallon digester tanks (figure 3) produce the biogas which rises to the top of the digester tank that has storage within the inflated roof. The biogas produced is then sent to the two 1MW generators (totaling 2MW)(figure 4) where it is used to produce electricity. The electricity is sold to the local utility. The Dane County Community Digester produces enough electricity to power approximately 2,500 homes. Following digestion, the digestate is sent to the solid/liquid separator where the solids are removed by a centrifuge (the only one used in the Midwest) and the liquids are sent back to a holding tank. The liquids have enough nutrients left in them to provide the three dairies with a good source of fertilizer for their cro .....
[Read the Rest]
Community Partners can make a difference: Stormwater Mini-Grant program 2013
Fri, Jan 18th, 2013
Posted in All Agriculture
Posted in All Agriculture
Fillmore County SWCD has received $45,000 in Clean Water Funds to be offered as mini-grants for projects that reduce or treat stormwater runoff to local streams.
Is your community or nonprofit organization interested in planting a raingarden? Wo
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Pasture rental and lease agreements
Fri, Jan 18th, 2013
Posted in All Agriculture
Posted in All Agriculture
Jim Paulson, University of Minnesota
Pasture rental and lease arrangements offer livestock producers the opportunity to affordably start or expand their operations and limit financial risk. With the high price of grains and the growing interest in
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Want to improve your pastures? Treat them like a crop.
Fri, Jan 18th, 2013
Posted in All Agriculture
Posted in All Agriculture
Grazing Specialists John Zinn, NRCS and Dean Thomas, SWCD
Were you dissatisfied with the production of some of your pastures last year, even though you were rotating them and not overgrazing? It could be that your soil is deficient in nutrients. P
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Revision of the State’s Nitrogen Fertilizer Management Plan
Fri, Jan 18th, 2013
Posted in All Agriculture
Posted in All Agriculture
What is the “Nitrogen Fertilizer Management Plan”?
The original NFMP was developed by the Nitrogen Fertilizer Task Force as directed by the 1989 Comprehensive Groundwater Protection Act. The primary goal of the Plan is to prevent degradation
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Fertilizing grass pastures
Fri, Jan 18th, 2013
Posted in All Agriculture
Posted in All Agriculture
Are you looking for ways to get more out of your pasture? Have you ever soil tested your pasture? Do you treat your pasture like a valuable crop?
As with other crops, adequate fertilizer is needed for optimal economic production. This could mea
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Windbreaks: a long-term investment with environmental benefits
Fri, Jan 18th, 2013
Posted in All Agriculture
Posted in All Agriculture
Rick Grooters, Conservation Specialist
In many parts of Fillmore County, the constant force of wind exaggerates weather conditions and makes living in these areas seem unbearable. Cost share is now available to assist landowners in the establishmen
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June 28 Field Day at Willford Farm near Harmony highlights benefits of no-till
Fri, Jan 18th, 2013
Posted in All Agriculture
Posted in All Agriculture
Bob Joachim, NRCS District Conservationist
A No-Till Field Day held at the Arden and Travis Willford farm southeast of Harmony on June 28th was very well attended with over 50 farmers and resource people in attendance. The Fillmore Soil and Water
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