A Closed-System, Energy Independent Organic Dairy Farm for the Northeastern U.S.
Principal Investigator:John Aber
Co-Principals: Matt Smith, Allison LeachBill McDowell, Matt Davis
Funded 2008 – 2018 by:
Agroecosystem Research at the University of New Hampshire
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
NH Agricultural Experiment Station
Solar/Wind EnergyPrecipitation Inputs
Concept: Moving from Isolated, Conventional
Not Just to Isolated, Organic
But Toward Integrated, Closed Cycle Organic
Setting: UNH Organic Dairy Research Farm
• First in the Nation (only?)
• Support: four largest US organic dairy producers• Stonyfield• Aurora• Horizon• Organic Valley
• Inspiration• Chuck Schwab• Rick Kersbergen• Tom Kelly• John Carroll
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
NH Agricultural Experiment Station
The Farm and Forest Resource
100 acres (~40 ha) certified organic pasture
160 acres (~64 ha) of typical old-Field New England woodland
- White Pine - Red Maple - Black Birch- Red Oak - Hemlock
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
NH Agricultural Experiment Station
Lead Donor
“This could not come at a better time, as the organic dairy market in general and New England in particular is in need of more organic farmers. We believe organic dairy farming has the promise of saving New Hampshire and New England family farmers,”
~Gary Hirshberg,
- President and CEO, Stonyfield Farm
- Co-founder, New Alchemy Institute (1970s)
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
NH Agricultural Experiment Station
• Financial Viability
- Imported Commodities- Bedding- Energy- Grains
- Most Successful Farms HaveDiversified Income and/orValue Added Processing
What are the Biggest Challenges to Organic Milk Providers In New England?
• Environmental Impact
- GHG emissions- Runoff and Water Quality- Manure Management
CompostingSpreading
Role of Land-grant Institutions
We Got to Ask the Question:
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
NH Agricultural Experiment Station
A Closed-System, Energy Independent Organic Dairy Farm for the Northeastern U.S.
Principal Investigator:John Aber
Co-Principals: Matt Smith, Allison LeachBill McDowell, Matt Davis
Funded 2008 – 2018 by:
Leading to: Agroecosystem Research at the University of New Hampshire
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
NH Agricultural Experiment Station
An Integrating Concept: On-site Bedding Production and Manure Composting for Energy [and CO2 for a Greenhouse]
Bedding
Bedding/Manure
http
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Woodlands
Woodchips
Wood Shavings
Heat, CO2, N to Greenhouse
Compost
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
NH Agricultural Experiment Station
First Step: Sustainable Harvesting of Low Quality Softwoods
Measured Productivity and Biomass - About 40 hectares of manageable, low-quality old field woods- Need to harvest .4 hectare/year or 1/6th of total annual wood
production
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
NH Agricultural Experiment Station
Second Step: Producing Bedding from Harvested Wood
Data show yield of 3 “cords” of shavings for 1 “cord” of wood(1 cord = ~ 4 m )3
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
NH Agricultural Experiment Station
Third Step: Bedding use in the Barn
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
NH Agricultural Experiment Station
Fourth Step: Composting the Bedding/Manure Mixture:A High-End Research Facility
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
NH Agricultural Experiment Station
The Joshua Nelson Energy Recovery Compost Facility
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
NH Agricultural Experiment Station
UNH Names Innovative Composting Facility after Sustainable Agriculture Pioneer
Technology Advanced by Josh Nelson Used at UNH Organic Dairy Research Farm
https://colsa.unh.edu/nhaes/article/unh-names-innovative-composting-facility-after-sustainable-agriculture-pioneer
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
NH Agricultural Experiment Station
Aerated Static Pile (ASP) Heat Recovery Composting (HRC)
This is NOT Anaerobic Methane Generation!
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
NH Agricultural Experiment Station
http://discoverarmfield.com/en/products/view/w8/anaerobic-digesterhttp://www.cornerstoneeg.com/2013/06/05/organics-anaerobic-digester-septic-tank/
Nor Conventional Turned-Pile Composting
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
NH Agricultural Experiment Station
1. Blower pulls airThrough compost
2. Hot, moist airpasses over isobarsheat captured inphase change to gas in isobars
3. Heat transferred to bulk water tank as phase change back to liquid in isobars
4. Hot water used for heating, washing, etc.
4
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Schematic Diagram of the Operation of an Aerobic Composting System for Energy Capture
AGRILAB Isobar system
Brian Jerose
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
NH Agricultural Experiment Station
While this appears complicated, much the same effect can be had with some leach field pipes and a fan
(solar powered or not)!
The Future: Energy, CO2 and ammonia for a High-Tunnel Greenhouse Operation
Compost
Number of composting operationsGrowing rapidly in New England
http://www.farmtek.com/wcsstore/EngineeringServices/allbizunits/prodimages/zoom/1x/103083d.jpg
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
NH Agricultural Experiment Station
Unbundling the Process – Multiple Sources of Revenue
Bedding
Bedding/Manure
http
://
attra.ncat.o
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imag
es/so
lar-gh
/so
lar_green
ho
use.g
if
Woodlands
Woodchips
Wood Shavings
Heat and CO2 to Greenhouse
Compost
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
NH Agricultural Experiment Station
Non-Farm Applications:
New laws in MA and VT prohibit disposal of organic wastesComposting as a growth industrySPAC as least labor intensiveCould become the standard (City Soil)What do you do with the heat, C and N?
A greenhouse!
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
NH Agricultural Experiment Station
http://www.citysoil.org/index.html
Bruce Fulford
Co-founderNew Alchemy Institute
Other Projects: Impacts on Water Quality Before: Bedding/manure stockpiled for months-years
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
NH Agricultural Experiment Station
Manure Piles
WasteLagoon
YardRunoff
Leads to Elevated Total Dissolved Nitrogen in Groundwater
Improvement in Groundwater Quality - Total Dissolved Nitrogen(Numbers in grey boxes are maximum Y-axis values)
Manure Piles
Lagoon Barn (Deep)
Field Near stream
All barns
30
5054
7080
Water Footprint of the Organic Dairy Research Farm
Liters of water per Liter of milk
Other ProjectsSee Appropriate Web Pages for Results
Energy use and alternativesGeothermal Heat Exchanger for Milk HouseSolar, wind and geothermal potentialsElectricityFuel oil
Biomass productionPasturesWoodlot
Nitrogen cycling, budgetsNitrogen footprint Life cycle analysis
http://livingwinsomely.com/?cat=84