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Farmer Appreciation: A Tribute to Janice Neighbor 

January is Farmer Appreciation Month at NCAT, and some of the farmers and ranchers we especially value are those who make the effort to pass along their hard-won knowledge to beginners. NCAT Livestock Specialist Linda Coffey recently lost one of her farming mentors and took the opportunity to document how significantly this friend influenced her life.

By Linda Coffey

On December 21, 2024, family and friends gathered in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to celebrate the extraordinary life of Mrs. Janice Neighbor. Many people shared stories, and I loved hearing them all, but I couldn’t share mine then. I knew I would cry and stumble over words and not be able to adequately say what she has meant to me and my family for the past 25 years. But I would like to share here what Janice meant to me, in hopes that readers will be reminded of mentors in their own lives, and of people they could mentor, too, to help make the world a better place, as she did.

Two women taking a selfie, looking at the camera smiling.

NCAT specialist Linda Coffey (left) and her friend and farming mentor Janice Neighbor (right). Photo: Linda Coffey, NCAT

My path crossed with Janice because of dairy goats. I had the idea that if we had a couple of dairy goats to milk, we would save money on our grocery bill. Our family of six drank a lot of milk. I mentioned this to a friend who replied that I ought to talk to Janice Neighbor, because her son was in his last year of 4-H and the family would be selling a lot of goats.

I found Janice at the kitchen cabin at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park, where she was engaged in a reenactment. I was fascinated with the living history she was enacting, cooking with cast iron in the fireplace of the cabin, wearing period clothing, teaching people who came in about the Civil War era, and sharing delicious rolls that she had baked in a Dutch oven. We arranged to meet, and she began mentoring me about goats right from the start.

Hannah Coffey on left leading a string of milk goats down a grassy path to the barn for milking time.

Hannah Coffey leads the family’s herd of milk goats to the barn for milking time. Photo: Linda Coffey, NCAT

She and her son had spent years breeding high-quality goats. She gave some to us with the stipulation that we must join 4-H and show the goats at the county fair. She promised to help with that by forming a dairy goat club for others who wanted to show, so we could learn together. That is how we met others who had similar interests. Janice was THE person responsible for connecting the Coffey family to the fair community. The last 25 years would have been so different if she hadn’t cared for and worked with us. I am so grateful!

Janice showed so much patience. We had so much to learn, and she guided us through joining the American Dairy Goat Association, getting papers transferred, applying for our farm name, applying for our herd tattoo, filling out registration papers, filling out fair entry forms, learning to fit and show and properly care for these beautiful, useful animals. She taught us what we needed to know, and we entered our first fair.

It is so much more fulfilling to be a participant than to be a spectator! And it was amazingly helpful having the pro introduce us to other experienced people in the dairy goat barn, having her encourage us each step of the way and cheer us on as the goats that originally were her son’s won more ribbons for our children and our farm. The fair that year, and every year that we participated, was my favorite week of the year, and Janice gave that to us. She helped us learn all about the Dairy Goat Barn customs, the premium sale, and the fun event where the goats and children dressed up and competed.  And she was there, cheering us on and celebrating with us.

The joy of being part of this! It was great for me and for our kids, and we always did well, having started with really nice goats and taken Janice’s recommendations about where to acquire more breeding stock. It was satisfying and fun, and we would never have done it if she hadn’t put that requirement on us and then taught us how.

John Coffey with his back to the camera hand-milking a black goat, who is standing on a wooden milk stand facing the camera.

John Coffey takes a turn at milking one of the family’s milk goats. Photo: Linda Coffey, NCAT

The dairy goats brought other benefits to our family, beyond the fair. Our kids developed a solid work ethic with twice-a-day milking, and the milk itself fed our family, local customers, and the pigs, calves, and lambs we also raised. We learned to make cheese – she guided us there, too.

We took goats to Farm Friends, a fun event where over 1,000 school children attend, and there’s a free bean supper that evening for the community. Janice was always there, too, spinning all day with her guild and providing cornbread for the evening meal.

Janice also helped us with our sheep and got us involved in Sheep to Shawl. She got her entire spinners’ guild to spin our Gulf Coast wool for Sheep to Shawl, and I loved seeing what they created.

She was also such a good cook and gardener. She knew so much about culinary and medicinal herbs. She knew and grew at least ten basil varieties, for example, and the seed collection she and her husband developed is so impressive. She was a Master Naturalist as well as a Master Gardener, Master Canner, and knowledgeable in all the homesteading arts. I can’t capture everything that was special about her. I haven’t mentioned her humor, her colorful expressions, her vast knowledge of history, medicine, livestock, fiber arts, food preservation, indigenous knowledge, and more. I haven’t helped you picture her beautiful, kind smile, her enthusiasm for life and for people and for nature. You can’t see how she enjoyed all the good things, how she encouraged so many people every day, how she could be very blunt and straight-forward when the situation called for it, or how she’d lived so MUCH in her lifetime.

But her kindness and love for our family are what I will miss most. She got to know each of our children, celebrated our successes, and shared her teaching experience. She gave me great support and advice, even to the last time I saw her, literally on her deathbed, when she still cared and gave me words of wisdom.

I thought I had more time. I regret that I never took the time to just go hang out all day and learn. I would have had to go every day for a long time to just get the tip of the iceberg! I always thought I would do that “later.”  My advice for you is this: if you know someone you admire and love, prioritize spending time with them, no matter how busy you are. If you have the chance to be a participant instead of a spectator, do it! It’s much more fun. If you have a mentor, thank them. If you are a mentor, I thank YOU: you are changing lives and making the world a better place, as my precious friend Janice did.

Beginning farmers often connect with mentors through formal mentorship programs like Marbleseed’s Farmer-to-Farmer Mentorship Program, Quivira Coalition’s New Agrarian Program, and Practical Farmers of Iowa’s Labor4Learning. Similarly, structured learning opportunities like the ones listed in ATTRA’s Internship Hub can help beginners connect with experienced agricultural practitioners.

This blog is produced by the National Center for Appropriate Technology through the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program, under a cooperative agreement with USDA Rural Development. ATTRA.NCAT.ORG.

Ag solutions company sparks biomass innovation and remarkable success

The fertile farm country of eastern Washington’s Palouse prairie region hosts millions of acres of grains, fruits, vegetables, forage, and forests that support its economy. And one Cheney-based company is increasing the economic value of these crops by turning their organic waste into a valuable soil amendment called biochar.

Mike Werner, CEO of Qualterra, a Washington-based agricultural technology solutions firm focused on sustainability, says his company’s mission is to deliver innovative solutions to farmers. One of Qualterra’s flagship technologies is a biomass processing technology that produces biochar, a charcoal-like material made from organic materials that are processed through Qualterra’s Biomass Processing Units (BPU) at high temperatures in a low combustion environment that locks in and sequesters carbon to form biochar. When added to soils, biochar can improve key factors like pH, aeration, drainage, nutrient availability, microbial makeup, and water absorption.

Werner says Qualterra is trying to strike a balance between the viability of food systems and the economics of what farmers need. “By adding in biochar, we’ve seen some very positive outcomes for our growers,” he said. “At the end of the day, it helps their crops grow better while improving their soil for the next generation. This is an important aspect of food security.”

The Qualterra brand is only a couple of years old, but the history of their technologies spans the last decade. They spawned out of two different companies that did biomass processing, plant propagation, and molecular diagnostic testing. The two companies had a distinct overlap with soil improvement goals, which fostered a circular economy around “better plants, better soils, better world.”

Thriving in drought

Qualterra’s 75-acre farm in Cheney, Washington, just outside Spokane, is the main campus for biomass processing and commercial biochar production. It is also home to a laboratory, greenhouse, and Agricultural Regeneration Center (ARC) on over 50 acres of farmland used to conduct research.

“We’ve successfully processed wheat straw, nut shells, hops, thistle, and rice husks to make high quality and consistent biochars through pyrolysis within our BPUs,” said Werner. “But we know one size doesn’t fit all, so we are constantly pushing our boundaries, asking questions, and researching: What’s the right biomass? How much to use? What are the right soils? Where’s the benefit?”

One real-world success came when Qualterra partnered with a local farm and applied biochar in the soil with new start apple trees. “Within a month, the grower called us back and said, ‘I think there’s a difference–you gotta come out and see it,’” Werner said. “After 3 months, we kept seeing bigger, denser, and greener trees. Trees planted in biochar-amended soils within five months had a canopy 20-25% greater than the rest of the orchard, even in the hottest part of the year.”

Qualterra’s biochar product has succeeded with plants during climate stress and drought. The biochar improves soil water absorption and holding capacity, allowing growers to reduce watering in controlled environments by about 25%.

“We can work very closely with growers based on our team’s scientific experiences to support the evidence-based application of biochar in different cropping systems,” Werner said. “Summers are getting hotter, and water restrictions are a reality. Biochar can help soils function more effectively during those stressful times.”

Qualterra’s ARC facility, located in Cheney, Washington, was intentionally chosen as a demonstration facility for agricultural sustainability and housing its technologies in one location. The biomass processing units produce biochar that customers can purchase. Qualterra is also continuing its research and can scientifically test the agricultural benefits of its biochar at its on-site R&D greenhouse.

Photo of Qualterra biochar processing and research facility in Cheney, Washington.

Added energy benefit

Qualterra has just begun harnessing the green renewable energy from the units to offset its energy footprint. Its life cycle analysis of its biomass processing units showed that after running for just 1.36 months, the technology was carbon-negative. The units have been running on site for 10-15,000 hours and can process 450 tons of biomass a year without even running at full capacity. They run on 3-5 kWh but produce 80-90 kWh of renewable energy, producing a net surplus.

In Werner’s estimation, “the value proposition of responsible elimination of waste, biomass processing, biochar production, and renewable energy capture is compelling and important. That’s the last big piece for our organization and our team.”

What’s next

Qualterra conducts biochar studies with 27 research partners, testing various applications in 13 different cropping systems across three states. It is also exploring applications for decarbonizing industries and helping them reduce their carbon footprint.

There is also a need to expand federally funded research to close critical knowledge gaps on biochar. The Senate version of the 2025 USDA appropriations bill includes $2.5 million in new funding for biochar research. The research would inform farmers, ranchers, foresters and businesses on which type of biochar will have positive results in their area. It would help companies like Qualterra do even more to maximize the many benefits of biochar.

Werner says young people are interested in the environmental impacts of biochar. Local schools bring kids out to tour Qualterra’s facilities because they want to understand biochar and sustainability in agriculture systems. “We are trying to build a company,” he said, “but also build a knowledge base for future generations.”

Arkansas carbon venture turns sustainable forestry management residuals into market-ready product

John Reese brings the boundless energy of a born salesman and a passion for every project he does. As general manager of EnviraPAC Monticello, his focus is on a business venture that superheats sustainable forestry management residuals to create a highly carbonized product called biochar.

The EnviraPAC Monticello project is unique in its large scale, variety of potential uses for biochar, and ability to create consistency in the quality of the biochar it produces. It is an industrially focused company that makes a renewably engineered biochar carbon powder to provide alternatives to fossil fuel-based carbon.

So, what exactly is this magic material? According to the International Biochar Institute, biochar is created by heating biomass with little or no oxygen to drive off volatile gasses, leaving carbon behind. The process creates a highly porous charcoal and can produce clean energy in the form of gas or oil. When used in farm applications, biochar can improve water quality by helping soils retain nutrients and water, and more nutrients stay in the soil.

One of the ‘Coolest Things Made in Arkansas’

Located in southern Arkansas, EnviraPAC draws on the forestry background of Monticello, using soft yellow pine residuals from local lumber production as the biomass for its pyrolysis process.

“We bring in the chips from the sawmill across the street and put it into our process,” Reese said. “We’re interested in a consistent, quality product. We’re not using recycled wood or construction waste that can contain contaminants.”

The wood chips are dried in a kiln and heated to over 600 degrees Celsius in a process called pyrolysis. Chemicals and gasses in the wood are volatilized, leaving hunks of bone-dry charcoal that contain over 90% carbon.

“We recycle our wood gas, so once we get our process up, it’s self-sustaining as long as we keep feeding it chips,” Reese said, adding that this “continuous process” of recycled energy is unique in the industry and got them named one of the “Exceptional 8 in the Coolest Things Made in Arkansas” contest in 2022.

It also helps to ensure the quality of the biochar they create. EnviraPAC’s biochar product is certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and International Biochar Institute and is listed with the Organic Materials Review Institute.

Once the biochar comes off the carbonizing unit, it can be packed as-is or ground into granules or fine powder. Reese says the smallest grind provides the most surface area and better strength properties for industrial use. While the larger chunks go to agricultural applications like fertilizer, powdered biochar has practical benefits in hydroponics, machinery, metallurgy, textiles, chemicals, plastics, pigments and coatings.

 ‘You Have to Have the Cake’

Reese has traveled extensively through Arkansas, spreading the gospel of biochar to farmers. Ag producers can get financial incentives for using biochar through a USDA-led program.

“Farmers need to know they can get subsidized,” he said. “I figured at least I can make sure the local people know it’s available, the conservation districts, crop advisors, anybody advising the producers.”

To make this advice even more timely, farmers who use those subsidies could get a boon as Congress considers a new Farm Bill and, with it, the inclusion of the Biochar Research Network Act. That bipartisan legislation would allow more funding for biochar research and applications.

Reese has also looked to Congress as he works to inform and educate—his mission extends from Arkansas farms to the U.S. House of Representatives. His Monticello plant has hosted Arkansas Rep. Bruce Westerman, the current chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources and a proponent of biochar. Reese said many officials didn’t even know there was a biochar plant in Monticello, and he was more than happy to inform them.

Reese says EnviraPAC is also using their sales team to break into markets with clients looking to replace fossil fuel/black carbon sources with sustainable products like biochar.

One recent market breakthrough is using powdered biochar in commercial and industrial paint. Reese said they experimented with using biochar as a black pigment replacement, but the formula “wasn’t black enough.” So, the sales team returned to their formulation data and noticed that biochar produced a flat or matte effect that could be desirable in certain coatings.

“It’s hard developing a market, technologies and applications for a new product. It may not work everywhere, but when it gets to the right place, something happens,” Reese said. “You need to pivot to the nook or cranny where you’re gonna be successful.”

He admits the endeavor isn’t entirely altruistic, as he’s in the business of making money. But it can be a winning investment. This venture is backed by Generate Capital, which focuses on sustainable infrastructure investments in renewable technologies to fight carbon emissions.

Decarbonization and climate initiatives are gaining steam. Government funding can help push emerging technologies forward. Couple that funding with entities like EnviraPAC that produce a consistent, quality-controlled product, and the possibilities are immense.

“We’re trying to be high-quality and compete against petroleum products where we can,” Reese said. “We want to make a long-term product. Subsidies are icing, but you have to have the cake–you can’t just live off icing.”

How Human and Ecosystem Health Intertwine

By NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Nina Prater

Sometimes cause and effect are easy to understand. Habitat destruction, for example, obviously leads to a decline for those creatures that depend on that habitat. Less milkweed means fewer monarch butterflies. Cause, effect. But sometimes the cause and effect are not immediately apparent.

Take this example outlined in a recent study by Dr. Eyal Frank, environmental economist with the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago. Dr. Frank found that white nose syndrome, a deadly fungal disease in bats, created a domino effect that led to increased infant mortality rates in humans. Here are the dominos: bats eat insects. A disease drastically reduces bat numbers. With fewer bats, there are more insects, many of which are pests for farmers. Farmers then use more insecticides to control these pests to protect their livelihood. But an increase in the use of insecticides knocked over the most heartbreaking domino, a rise in infant mortality rates.

A study like this makes clear that we cannot separate our wellbeing from the wellbeing of the ecosystems in which we make our homes. Imbalances in the interwoven relationships that surround us can cause terrible harm in ways that can be hard to predict. This study emphasizes the need to think through how we look for solutions to challenges in our agroecosystems. We should look for solutions that will restore balance and cause the least harm.

Surprising New Research Links Infant Mortality to Crashing Bat Populations. The New York Times. September 5, 2024.

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Seeding Root Crops

By Audrey Kolde, NCAT Agriculture Specialist

As a nongenerational farmer, most of my agricultural experiences before entering the field of farming and food systems had huge impacts on my decision to farm, from childhood memories of wild blackberries to college-age harvesting of carrots.

I love direct seeding crops; it feels like an act of faith that the seeds won’t fail, or the weeds won’t choke them out. It never seems to lose its wonder, the careful bed preparation that ends in straight rows of seedlings. Or sometimes, the rushed bed flip is good enough. Please, Jesus, take the wheel. With either farming style, I want to make sure you have the 411 behind-the-scenes of some of my favorite roots.

Prepping my bed can be a quick flip for my later successions, but let’s pretend that I am coming out of the rest period of the garden (July and August for me), so I get to do some TLC ahead of planting. I use a silage tarp to break down plant matter from previous crops. Then, I decrease the seedbed. There are a number of ways to do this, including tilling, flaming, solarizing, and stirrup. Now it’s time to water and sprout, and then repeat the process to kill these sprouts.

As I switch seasons, I also like to keep tabs on my soil temperature with a thermometer or at the nearest extension research center to ensure that my roots will germinate. If I can help it, I don’t waste seeds on soil that is too hot or too cold. It is the best tool to know when to plant since every year brings an irregularity to the climate.

Next, I want the bed to have a near-perfect texture. I want to see no debris or chunks in the bed, a beautiful tilth to the soil, and a level bed top. I need this textural perfection for the seeding tools made for freshly tilled and shaped beds.

How do I make that happen? I remove debris with a rake, use a wheel hoe or a push tiller set at a shallow depth, or add an inch of compost. Then I add a broadfork to break up the tiller pan for deeper roots.

Ready to start planting? The following are some seeding options to consider.

  • Hand seeding with shallow trenches: Use the handle end of a rake to make the trenches and then use the back side of the rake to close them.
  • EarthWay Seeder: Easy to use and low cost but may result in inconsistent seed distribution due to its reliance on how fast you walk.
  • Four-Row Pinpoint Seeder: Easy to use with minimal setup, making it a good choice for quick planting. It’s robust, durable, and effective with various soil conditions and seed types.
  • Jang Seeder: Known for its precision and adaptability, it is suitable for professional growers and dedicated enthusiasts. However, it’s higher priced, and it may take some time to master its many options and settings.

And here are some tips for growing a few of my favorite root vegetables:

Beets

Germination soil temp: 40 to 90°F degrees
Soil PH: 6 to 7.5
Days to germination: 5 to 8
Days to harvest: ~40 to 55
Prefers soil 65 to 75°F
Thin to 3” to 4″ apart or 6″ for winter storage

I’ve found that beets bring some challenges to be aware of. The beets’ seeds are dried fruits that contain a cluster of two to six seeds. After planting, thinning them out is essential to ensure healthy growth. When seeding, it’s crucial to stay vigilant because the irregular shape of the seeds can potentially clog up a machine. To address this problem, some seed companies have begun producing pelleted seeds to prevent clogging and ensure smoother planting.

Jang seeder

Jang seeder. Photo: Audrey Kolde, NCAT

Carrots

Germination soil temp: 45 to 85°F
Soil pH: 5.5 to 7
Days to germination: 7 to 21
Days to harvest: ~35 (baby) to 75
Prefers soil 60 to 70°F
Thin to 2″ apart

Carrot seeds are tiny and difficult to sow evenly. Some farmers sow carrot seeds with sand or coffee grounds to achieve better spacing. You can use seed tape or pelleted seeds if that makes your life easier and helps reduce thinning and wasted seeds. Personally, this crop is what made me upgrade to a more precise seeder. The real trick to carrots is maintaining the moisture that they require. You can achieve this by watering two to three times per day or laying fabric like burlap sacks over the soil and watering them.

Turnips

Germination soil temp: 60 to105°F
Soil pH: 5.5 to 7
Days to germination: 2 to 5
Days to Harvest: ~38 to 50
Prefers soil 40 to 75°F
Trim to 2″ to 4″ apart

Turnips can germinate at 105°F! That is impressive! And also counterintuitive, since turnips like cooler soil temperatures during growth, but this can be achieved by mulching once they germinate. I like to use insect netting to keep those flea beetles at bay so I can sell the turnips with greens on.

Starting seeds in beautiful, meticulously prepared soil is always the dream. But the reality of farming often has other plans for us. Don’t worry. By better understanding your growing conditions and your tools, you can escape the worst of last-minute panic seeding, with fingers crossed that they germinate. Instead, you can make educated decisions on controlling the weather in your microbiome, like the mad scientist you are. I’m rooting for you!

Related ATTRA Resources:

Equipment and Tools for Small-Scale Intensive Crop Production

Sustainable Weed Management for Small and Medium-Scale Farms

Other Resources:

Vegetable Growing Guides, Cornell University

The Best Vegetable Seeders for Market Gardening — The Earthway Seeder

The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible

This blog is produced by the National Center for Appropriate Technology through the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program, under a cooperative agreement with USDA Rural Development. ATTRA.NCAT.ORG. 

Father/daughter Team Tackles Sustainable Carbon Venture

How one Southern startup recycles farm waste to purify water, build green, and generate power.

As an entrepreneur running a business incubator in the Memphis area, Bryan Eagle knew nothing about the organic charcoal product known as biochar. He wasn’t alone, as the material made from plant waste occupies an obscure niche in agricultural communities and isn’t widely used in the U.S. However, the modernization of an ancient technique has opened up a world of possibilities, and biochar is poised to take off as the green solution to a slew of 21st-century problems.

Biochar is a stable carbon material made from plant-based biomass. Far from a new concept, biochar is as old as agriculture itself. Indigenous people have effectively added burned organic waste to fields for millennia, but the idea that biochar could be perfected for industrial uses and to mitigate climate change has been around for less than 20 years.

Bryan says he first ran across biochar through a nonprofit venture focused on leveraging technologies from the local university network in Memphis. “The professor who created this approached me, and I knew nothing about clean tech, ag waste, or biochar. But the more I read about it, the more excited I became about the potential,” he said. “We saw early on that this could be a powerful tool in addressing climate change, not just in our business but on a global basis, that’s very quick, very low-cost.”

Bryan’s company, Glanris, now produces a designer Biocarbon that functions as everything from a soil amendment to a filler in asphalt, concrete, drywall, and a filter for air and water. Unlike traditional biochar products made from waste wood, Glanris has a sustainable and locally grown raw material supply of rice husks.

“We started this journey in 2019 to look at what we can do with all the ag waste generated across the river in Arkansas,” Bryan said. He approached Riceland Foods, the largest rice producer in the state, to find a way to repurpose their waste material. “There are 60-acre landfills that are being filled up with rice hulls,” he said, “so we set up to try to find a greener alternative.”

Glanris superheats the husks using a process called pyrolysis, which removes combustible gasses in the absence of oxygen and seals carbon into blackened biochar granules. Instead of plant material burning or rotting and being released into the atmosphere as CO2, biochar stabilizes the carbon content so it doesn’t break down. The pyrolysis units pump out a patented Biocarbon product resembling coal-black shards of confetti, which is packaged in 300-pound “Supersacks” or smaller boxes and shipped all over the globe.

“The rice mills are paying $12-20 per ton to haul this stuff away,” Bryan said. If you can instead turn it into products that give you heat, electricity, and water filtration, we make more selling our biocarbon into the environmental remediation market than they do from the rice.”

Follow the green

As founder and CEO, Bryan started small while thinking big. One shrewd move was to make his new company a family affair. When his daughter Anastasia Eagle returned to the South, her business and PR skills were quickly put to use at Glanris.

“When we first started the company, we were a two-person operation. That’s startup life. We’ve worn many hats on our heads, we’ve been able to do it all,” she said. “Now that we’re able to expand and grow, I am getting more back into the marketing side.”

Anastasia is thankful to be part of something that will help the region and community she cares about so much.

Bryan’s billion-dollar question is, “What does it take to get the funding you need to get this industry to scale?”

Bryan says the keystone of biochar’s economics is securing a long-term revenue stream that includes research, development, and application funding in the Farm Bill.

The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is asking Congress to invest in biochar research to provide more insight into its larger-scale applications through the next Farm Bill under the bipartisan Biochar Research Network Act. If passed, the bill will authorize the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a national-scale research program to test different biochar types in different soils and circumstances. With better research will come innovation and practical tools for farmers, ranchers, foresters, and businesses to lean into biochar as a climate solution.

“Hopefully, it will reach a critical mass where we can survive without subsidies, but it’s still needed,” he said. “Without support in the farm bill, the biochar industry would all but dry up. Biochar has so much potential to impact other areas, but we need to buy time to get into these markets.”

Making the move

After several years in the biochar business, he concluded that the only way to make money is to maximize carbon credits and take advantage of all possible revenue streams, which means using biochar in water systems, construction, and power generation in addition to ag uses.

That’s part of why Bryan and his employees decided to relocate the business to California. The state offers many green energy incentives, and there is a tremendous volume and diversity of forest and ag waste. Farmers can’t burn crop waste like nut shells or take them to landfills, so pyrolyzing is a great solution.

“There’s a huge demand for biochar in Sacramento Valley, and there are grants paying people to apply biochar as part of a remediation and soil improvement strategy,” he said. “Vineyards, orchards, row crops–farmers are trialing this stuff and finding out it has huge advantages.”

Glanris is making a last push to get funding for their $22M project in California, with $20M raised so far. The first phase in California is projected to produce 13,000 tons of biochar per year and generate 2.5 megawatts of electricity. “We’ve already got a 20-year power purchase agreement with a municipality that will sell [generated power] back to the grid,” Bryan said.

He believes green jobs are the jobs of the future, and the California project is expected to create around 20 jobs in its first phase that will pay at least double the prevailing wage for farm workers. As he grows this first instillation and expands to other cities in California, he hopes to create hundreds of green jobs.

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A Mid-Scale Anaerobic Biodigester Creates On-Farm Renewable Energy

By Chris Lent, NCAT Agriculture Specialist

I’ve always found ways to turn “waste materials” into useful resources on the farm fascinating. On my farm, I tried to reuse and recycle resources as much as possible to close the off-farm input loop. I think farms can become more resilient as they rely on fewer off farm inputs. So, when I heard of the mid-scale anaerobic digester being installed at Dickenson College Organic Farm as a demonstration of how small dairy farms can utilize manure and other waste streams to produce on farm energy, I was eager for the opportunity to visit the farm and help spread the word to other farms.

In November 2023, NCAT Agriculture Specialist Eric Fuchs-Stengel and I had that opportunity. We traveled to Dickenson College Organic Farm in Carlisle, PA to visit Matt Steiman, Farm Energy and Livestock Manager at the farm. The farm is a beautiful certified organic working farm situated on 90 acres in the south-central part of the state where they grow vegetables and raise beef, lamb, and layers. Eric and I were there to shoot a video tour of the newly installed, mid-scale anaerobic biodigester that transforms manure from a neighboring dairy, as well as food waste from the college dining hall and local restaurants, into natural gas that can be used to generate heat and electricity.

This biodigester project comes after years of biofuel research and experimentation by Steiman at the college. The idea of using waste products from the farm and local area to produce fuel and power greatly intrigued Steiman, so he started making biodiesel that converted waste cooking oil into fuel to run equipment on the farm. Since the glycerin byproduct from biodiesel production can be useful in anaerobic digestion of organic matter that produces natural gas, he started experimenting in 2010 with small anaerobic digester systems to utilize glycerin, leading to a series of larger systems and culminating with the latest farm-scale biodigester.

The process of anaerobic digestion for production of natural gas is straightforward. A sealed tank creates an anaerobic, or oxygen-free, environment where a slurry of organic matter can be “eaten” or digested by microbes that thrive at certain temperatures in low-oxygen conditions. The methane gas given off from the microbes in this process rises to the top of the tank to an outlet tube where it can be collected and used as a fuel source for heat or electric production. The leftover digestate, which contains all the nutrients from the original waste material, is collected and spread on farm fields.

The size and cost of this new biodigester project required very specific design considerations to ensure that it was sized properly to match the expected waste flow and operate as intended. The digester tank is a 10-foot tall, 115,000-gallon, 50-foot-diameter cement tank buried 8 feet in the ground and sealed with a heavy-duty rubber covering. In the tank are heater pipes and an agitator to mix the slurry. A free-style barn was built next to the tank to house the dairy cows and heifers. At one end of the barn are three in-ground cement tanks that make up the waste-collection system for the digester. One tank is for daily manure collection, the second is for food waste collection (up to 3 tons per day), and the third is for collecting the digestate material remaining after the digestion process. The digestate goes through a liquid removal process and can then be used for bedding in the barn. The liquid portion of the digestate is staged to be used as a nutrient source for the farm’s crop fields and compost piles.

This digester is sized to produce enough gas to match a 50-kilowatt (kW) combined heat and power (CHP) engine. An engine from the European company TEDOM adapted to biogas was chosen for the job. The power produced will first be used to supply the power needs of the farm and the biodigester itself with excess electric production being sold back to the local utility company. This unique 150-cow-scale digester is small compared to other on farm digesters in the United States.

Matt Steiman explaining how an industrial grinder works to break down up to 3 tons of food waste a day so it can be pumped to the digester tank

Matt Steiman explaining how an industrial grinder works to break down up to 3 tons of food waste a day so it can be pumped to the digester tank. Photo: NCAT

Funding for this project was secured from multiple sources, including NRCS’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). For farmers looking for biodigester funding, Steinman had several suggestions. First, he said, talk to your Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) county office. In addition, the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) is a grant program administered through USDA’s Rural Development office. Through REAP, farmers and rural businesses who meet grant criteria can apply for grant funding up to 50% of the cost of an on-farm alternative energy project, including anaerobic biodigesters. Steiman also suggested talking to your state Department of Agriculture and Department of Environmental Management or Protection as funding sources. It is also worth investigating local conservation districts and utility companies that may offer funding for on-farm alternative energy projects.

With this new biodigester, Steiman and Dickenson College are using farm and food-waste streams to generate renewable energy right on the farm and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. With nearly 5,000 dairy farms in Pennsylvania alone with an average herd size of 100 cows, this project is intended to showcase how biogas production can work for mid-sized farms across the state and the country. The college is partnering with Penn State University and agriculture producer groups like PASA Sustainable Agriculture to use this project as an on-the-ground demonstration of properly sized biodigester design and implementation and to educate farmers on the benefits of biogas production at this scale.

Related ATTRA Resources:

Episode 350. Mid-Scale Biodigester with Matt Steiman of Dickinson College

Biodiesel Use, Handling, and Fuel Quality 

Micro-Scale Biogas Production: A Beginners Guide 

Anaerobic Digestion of Animal Wastes: Factors to Consider

Other Resources:

Biogas – Dickinson College Organic Farm 

Organic Farm Dickinson College – YouTube 

Rural Energy for America Program Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loans & Grants 

On-Farm Energy Initiative, NRCS 

This blog is produced by the National Center for Appropriate Technology through the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program, under a cooperative agreement with USDA Rural Development. ATTRA.NCAT.ORG.

For one Montana rancher, success starts in the soil

Combining worms and biochar has big potential for soil health

In the dry, rugged hills of Eastern Montana, third-generation rancher Steve Charter has managed to carve out a living practicing his own brand of regenerative agriculture. It starts with caring for his soil at a microscopic level to help the rest of the food chain flourish. His current prize crop is an animal that no livestock grower would think to raise, but one that’s essential for a healthy ecosystem: worms.

“I’ve been doing it for about seven years, and we have several worm beds that we feed,” Charter said. “We’re focusing more on what’s going on under the soil than on the surface–that’s where all the really new exciting ideas are happening.”

Adding New Life to the Land

Charter isn’t using the worms themselves–more what they leave behind. Vermicast is, simply put, composted worm poop. Their “castings” create a rich black loam packed with beneficial organisms, natural acids and hormones. The worms’ digestive systems break down nutrients like nitrogen and calcium, making them easier for plants to absorb. Vermicast is almost always a net improvement to any soil.

The first thing Charter did with the vermicast was mix it in his water tanks so the cattle would ingest the microorganisms. “It has amazing health and production benefits. It’s almost magic in a way,” he said.

On his family’s ranch north of Billings, Charter is constantly experimenting with ways to add new life to the land by manufacturing biodiversity with a cocktail of unlikely ingredients. Beneficial microbes and fungi are generated through a process that uses vermicast and biochar to infuse tiny life and nutrients into the grassland pastures.

Biochar is a charcoal-like substance and the byproduct of superheated organic matter that can be turned into compost, animal fodder, and even building materials. When used correctly, biochar can pack a punch far above its weight in building soil structure and fertility. Made up of millions of microscopic cells, there is as much surface area in a teaspoon of biochar as in a football field.

“When we do our vermicast or biochar, it passes through the manure and gets charged with all this biological activity,” Charter said. “There are major studies with good data showing that biochar fed to animals has really strong health effects. It’s possible to restore the range by using our animals to spread the biology and get them to do the work for us.”

Plowing, overgrazing, chemicals and invasive species have degraded a range that’s been in constant production since the 1800s. Charter says he has implemented innovative grazing practices since taking over the ranch in the 80s, aiming to recreate the buffalo’s effect on the land.

Soil health isn’t just on the minds of producers like Charter. The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is asking Congress to invest in biochar research to provide more insight into its larger-scale applications through the next Farm Bill under the bipartisan Biochar Research Network Act. If passed, the bill will authorize the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a national-scale research program to test different biochar types in different soils and circumstances. With better research will come innovation and practical tools for farmers, ranchers, foresters, and businesses to lean into biochar as a climate solution.

‘We don’t have to know it all’

Modest and self-deprecating, Charter admits he’s still learning about regenerative agriculture. He says the industry has a long way to go before these practices are used on a large scale, but things are constantly changing. Lingering questions about research and scalability can be answered with more research and government funding from the Farm Bill currently winding its way through Congress.

“There’s a lot of pieces to the puzzle,” Charter said. “Our soil knowledge has really advanced in the last 15 years. To get benefits, we don’t have to know it all. We can just start experimenting. It’s going to take some key research, but I don’t think we need to let that stop us.”

 

Biochar Is Key to Cascading Benefits in Innovative Carbon Chicken Project

Fifth-generation Arkansas farmer Jody Hardin was introduced to a potentially game-changing soil additive through a USDA Conservation Innovation Grant in 2011. That’s when Hardin began studying biochar—a charcoal-like material that can be mixed in soil to improve overall soil health.

“I had this huge, eye-opening experience,” Hardin said. “That’s when I started actually using biochar on my crops, doing workshops, and teaching farmers how to make it.”

Biochar is created by heating biomass, such as forest waste or animal manure, in a low-oxygen environment—a process known as pyrolysis. Carbon stored in this form can be added to soil to improve moisture retention, nutrient availability, and aeration and create habitat for beneficial soil microbes, all of which can potentially boost soil productivity. Biochar can also last for thousands of years in soil, so it’s increasingly being viewed as an effective means of sequestering carbon.

Now, Hardin wants to use the knowledge he’s gained to tackle some big challenges across the state by using biochar to clean up the Illinois River watershed, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and help farmers improve the quality of their soil through his innovative initiative called the Carbon Chicken Project.

Many birds with one stone

The Carbon Chicken Project, which aims to develop a market-based, carbon-negative farming ecosystem, has taken shape in Northwest Arkansas, an area with a strong poultry production industry. In fact, the state of Arkansas ranks third in the country for the number of broilers produced (1 billion in 2022). Hardin’s plan is specifically designed to address three things: The first is runoff from poultry litter from the region’s many chicken houses that deposits excess phosphorus into the Illinois River watershed. The second is an abundance of forest and sawmill waste, which releases greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere if left to decompose. Third, Hardin and other farmers are seeking new ways to increase their yields by improving soil health.

To contend with these issues, the project composts the poultry litter and combines it with biochar made from forest and sawmill waste and poultry litter. The result is a soil conditioner to help farmers build healthy soil and reduce the application of expensive fertilizers that can harm the Arkansas River watershed.

For many, this win-win-win solution would be enough. But for Hardin—an agricultural entrepreneur with an economics background—it’s a foundation for a larger vision.

“We’re trying to build this whole ecosystem around biochar that’s very extensive, but when you think about an ecosystem, it’s really a circular economy,” Hardin said. “We can sell the carbon credits, we can sell the biochar, and we can make electricity, and we can clean up a watershed, and we can sequester carbon and prevent climate change. It’s just cascading the benefits of what this product does.”

Accelerating biochar

Producers across the country are looking to Congress to realize biochar’s immense potential. With the most recent Farm Bill recently expired, the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is asking Congress to invest in biochar research through the next Farm Bill, under the bipartisan Biochar Research Network Act. If passed, the bill will authorize the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a national-scale research program to test different biochar types in different soils and circumstances. With better research will come innovation and practical tools for farmers, ranchers, foresters, and businesses to lean into biochar as a climate solution that improves their bottom line.

On the research front, a recent USDA study showed that biochar made from poultry litter adds value and could be an attractive solution for waste disposal for the industry.

Hardin knows the impact that investment in biochar research can make, referring to his own introduction to biochar—and subsequent learning, experimentation, and research—stemmed from a grant from Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG).

“The Carbon Chicken Project would have never ever happened if it wasn’t for this CIG grant,” Hardin said. “That innovation grant really worked because we’ve created this massive environmental solution for Northwest Arkansas’s watershed using a scaled-up idea that started with that little grant.”

Next steps

Right now, Hardin is working on securing project funding while creating an 11-acre carbon innovation and demonstration farm that can serve as a research facility for the Carbon Chicken Project—and to get other agricultural partners on board.

“I’ve been doing biochar research here on my farm for a good year, and I’ve got feedstock sources, I’m building pyrolysis units, I’ve got different application rate studies already going,” he said. “I’m trying to use this as a base to organize farmers so that they can see the amazing benefits and the yield increases, and all the things that we’re doing.”

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North Metro TV Features AgriSolar Farm to Table Event

Thanks to NCAT’s AgriSolar Clearinghouse and its partners, people across the country are enjoying local food produced underneath solar panels. The most recent farm to table event, held in partnership with Big River Farms at Connexus Energy, took place September 26 in Ramsey, Minnesota.

“We’re doing this to help create community and show how delicious this food can be that’s grown underneath solar panels,” NCAT Energy Program Director Dr. Stacie Peterson told North Metro TV.

Co-locating food and fiber production with solar panels can increase land access for farmers and strengthen local food systems.

“I think you’re seeing this all across the country and once people hear about it, it just makes sense,” said Peterson. “They hear about the stacked benefits of agriculture and solar, and agrisolar, and they want to do it, too.”

To learn more about agrisolar, or agrivoltaics, visit NCAT’s AgriSolar Clearinghouse.