[Carpenter Prairie Discussion] biomass

Frank Oberle foberle at nemr.net
Wed Feb 3 10:58:49 CST 2010


Here are some of the problems currently with "Biograssics."      Shipping,
logistics and the volume needed to make production reliable and
stable........    look at pics   fo

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Kevin Carpenter" <kevinc at mysticplains.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 9:43 AM
To: "Reinbott, Timothy M." <reinbottt at missouri.edu>
Cc: "Timothy Barksdale" <curlew at 3riversdbs.net>; "Kevin Carpenter"
<kevinc at mysticplains.org>; "Carpenter Prairie in the Mystic Plains COA"
<carpenter at mysticplains.org>; "Scott Woodbury" <scott.woodbury at mobot.org>;
"Hamilton Native Outpost" <hamilton at train.missouri.org>; "Frank Oberle"
<foberle at nemr.net>; "Carol Davit" <davitleahy at earthlink.net>; "Jon Wingo"
<djmaint at aol.com>; "John Knudsen" <john.knudsen at mdc.mo.gov>; "Jean Herman"
<jean.herman at mo.usda.gov>; "Aaron Jeffries" <aaron.jeffries at mdc.mo.gov>;
"Dwaine Gelnar" <dwaine.gelnar at mo.usda.gov>; "Steve Mowry"
<stevem4444 at aol.com>; "Karen Brinkman" <karen.brinkman at mo.usda.gov>; "John
Hoskins" <john.hoskins at mdc.mo.gov>; "Bill McGuire"
<bill.mcguire at mdc.mo.gov>; "Ted Cooper" <ted at tswllc.com>; "Steve
Bruckerhoff" <steve.bruckerhoff at mo.usda.gov>; "Wayne Morton"
<wayne2946 at yahoo.com>; "Denny Donnell" <hddonnell at hotmail.com>; "Bill Bergh"
<bill.bergh at mdc.mo.gov>; "Tim Banek" <tim.banek at mdc.mo.gov>; "phil wire"
<phw222 at googlemail.com>; "Dave Murphy" <dmurphy at confedmo.org>; "Alan Leary"
<alan.leary at modot.mo.gov>; "Susan Hazelwood" <hazelwoods at mchsi.com>; "Ben
Duffield" <duffieldben at yahoo.com>; "JR Flores" <jr.flores at mo.usda.gov>;
"Darlene Johnson" <darlene.johnson at mo.usda.gov>; "Mervin Wallace"
<mowldflrs at socket.net>; "DeeCee Darrow" <deecee.darrow at mdc.mo.gov>; "Steve
Flick" <steveaflick at earthlink.net>; "Kelly Srigley Werner"
<kelly_srigleywerner at fws.gov>; "Allen Powell" <allen.powell at mo.usda.gov>;
"Gene Gardner" <gene.gardner at mdc.mo.gov>; "Amy Buechler"
<abuechler at confedmo.org>; "David Erickson" <david.erickson at mdc.mo.gov>;
"George Seek" <seekg at grm.net>; "John Burk" <jburknwtf at ktis.net>; "Andrew
Forbes" <andrew.forbes at mdc.mo.gov>; "Linda Tossing" <ltossing at aol.com>;
"Stacey, Gary" <staceyg at missouri.edu>; "Eddie Hamill"
<eddie.hamill at mo.usda.gov>; "James Trager" <james.trager at mobot.org>; "Steve
Heyling" <ashlandbirdman at yahoo.com>; "Keith Jackson"
<keith.jackson at mdc.mo.gov>; "Jerry Kaiser" <jerry.kaiser at mo.usda.gov>; "Mike
Currier" <mike.currier at dnr.mo.gov>; "Ken Struemph"
<ken.struemph at dnr.mo.gov>; "Brent Jamison" <brent.jamison at mdc.mo.gov>;
"Nathan, Manjula" <nathanm at missouri.edu>
Subject: Re: [Carpenter Prairie Discussion] biomass

> So... presuming a fall harvest sent off to the biomass plant (with other
> source of raw material feeding that plant the rest of the year...), we
> would need to dry and burn the residue, and ship it back to the original
> fields for ash distribution.  How likely is that to occur?
>
> Kevin
>
>> Essentially yes, if the biomass is harvested in the fall and burned
>> returning the ash back to the land should keep most nutrients at
>> acceptable levels.  How often?  I am not really sure, however I would
>> base
>> it on soil test levels and watch the nutrient levels.
>> Ash content will reflect the total content of the plants so along with P
>> and K, Calcium will be quite high and some Magnesium and micronutrients.
>>
>> Tim
>>   ----- Original Message -----
>>   From: Timothy Barksdale
>>   To: Reinbott, Timothy M.
>>   Cc: Kevin Carpenter ; Carpenter Prairie in the Mystic Plains COA ;
>> Scott
>> Woodbury ; Hamilton Native Outpost ; Frank Oberle ; Carol Davit ; Jon
>> Wingo ; John Knudsen ; Jean Herman ; Aaron Jeffries ; Dwaine Gelnar ;
>> Steve Mowry ; Karen Brinkman ; John Hoskins ; Bill McGuire ; Ted Cooper
>> ; Steve Bruckerhoff ; Wayne Morton ; Denny Donnell ; Bill Bergh ; Tim
>> Banek ; phil wire ; Dave Murphy ; Alan Leary ; Susan Hazelwood ; Ben
>> Duffield ; JR Flores ; Darlene Johnson ; Mervin Wallace ; DeeCee Darrow
>> ; Steve Flick ; Kelly Srigley Werner ; Allen Powell ; Gene Gardner ; Amy
>> Buechler ; David Erickson ; George Seek ; John Burk ; Andrew Forbes ;
>> Linda Tossing ; Stacey, Gary ; Eddie Hamill ; James Trager ; Steve
>> Heyling ; Keith Jackson ; Jerry Kaiser ; Mike Currier ; Ken Struemph ;
>> Brent Jamison
>>   Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 5:18 AM
>>   Subject: Re: [Carpenter Prairie Discussion] biomass
>>
>>
>>   So Mr Reinbott,
>>
>>
>>   To keep this system intact you are only needing to return the ash to
>> the
>> prairie. How frequently would this be needed and in what concentration.
>> My thinking is that the ash is rather concentrated with the Potassium
>> and Phosphorus - No?
>>
>>
>>   Too heavy or two frequent would create additional problems as more may
>> not be better. Additionally, what other elemental (or other things)
>> residues could be concentrated in the ashes?
>>
>>
>>   Tim
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>   Timothy R. Barksdale
>>   Birdman Productions L.L.C.
>>   & MundoAveLoco! L.L.C.
>>   P.O. Box 1124
>>   65 Mountain View Dr.
>>   Choteau, MT 59422
>>
>>
>>   Home Office: 406-466-2111
>>   birdman-hd -at- 3riversdbs -dot-net
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>   On Feb 2, 2010, at 5:48 PM, Reinbott, Timothy M. wrote:
>>
>>
>>     Kevin,
>>     That is a valid question.  Native warm season grasses such as
>> Switchgrass remove 9 lbs P205 and 46 lbs K2O per ton removed for hay.
>> So 5 tons would be 45 P and 230 lbs K which is similar if you took off
>> the corn grain and stover.  However, the native grasses have extremely
>> deep roots and are mining minerals from a very deep profile-6 ft or
>> more.  This is why we hardly ever see a response to Native grasses to
>> P and K in the glacial till soils of Central and North MO.  Ozarks and
>> SW MO, maybe not.
>>     If harvested for biofuel after dormancy (October or later) then much
>> of the P and K is recycled back to the roots and very little is
>> removed.  This is true for most perennial crops.
>>     So in a nutshell, yes if you harvest these prairies for hay and do
>> not
>> return the manure then you will remove a tremendous amount of
>> nutrients from the soil and could get into trouble within a decade or
>> two.  For biofuel production, a much slower process but a need to
>> return the nutrients from the ashes.
>>
>>     Hope this helps,
>>     Tim
>>     ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kevin Carpenter"
>> <kevinc at mysticplains.org>
>>     To: "Carpenter Prairie in the Mystic Plains COA"
>> <carpenter at mysticplains.org>
>>     Cc: "Scott Woodbury" <scott.woodbury at mobot.org>; "Hamilton Native
>> Outpost" <hamilton at train.missouri.org>; "Frank Oberle"
>> <foberle at nemr.net>; "Carol Davit" <davitleahy at earthlink.net>; "Jon
>> Wingo" <djmaint at aol.com>; "John Knudsen" <john.knudsen at mdc.mo.gov>;
>> "Jean Herman" <jean.herman at mo.usda.gov>; "Aaron Jeffries"
>> <aaron.jeffries at mdc.mo.gov>; "Dwaine Gelnar"
>> <dwaine.gelnar at mo.usda.gov>; "Reinbott, Timothy M."
>> <ReinbottT at missouri.edu>; "Steve Mowry" <stevem4444 at aol.com>; "Karen
>> Brinkman" <karen.brinkman at mo.usda.gov>; "John Hoskins"
>> <john.hoskins at mdc.mo.gov>; "Bill McGuire" <bill.mcguire at mdc.mo.gov>;
>> "Ted Cooper" <ted at tswllc.com>; "Steve Bruckerhoff"
>> <steve.bruckerhoff at mo.usda.gov>; "Wayne Morton" <wayne2946 at yahoo.com>;
>> "Denny Donnell" <hddonnell at hotmail.com>; "Bill Bergh"
>> <bill.bergh at mdc.mo.gov>; "Tim Banek" <tim.banek at mdc.mo.gov>; "phil
>> wire" <phw222 at googlemail.com>; "Dave Murphy" <dmurphy at confedmo.org>;
>> "Alan Leary" <alan.leary at modot.mo.gov>; "Susan Hazelwood"
>> <hazelwoods at mchsi.com>; "Ben Duffield" <duffieldben at yahoo.com>; "JR
>> Flores" <jr.flores at mo.usda.gov>; "Darlene Johnson"
>> <darlene.johnson at mo.usda.gov>; "Mervin Wallace"
>> <mowldflrs at socket.net>; "DeeCee Darrow" <deecee.darrow at mdc.mo.gov>;
>> "Steve Flick" <steveaflick at earthlink.net>; "Kelly Srigley Werner"
>> <kelly_srigleywerner at fws.gov>; "Allen Powell"
>> <allen.powell at mo.usda.gov>; "Gene Gardner" <gene.gardner at mdc.mo.gov>;
>> "Amy Buechler" <abuechler at confedmo.org>; "David Erickson"
>> <david.erickson at mdc.mo.gov>; "George Seek" <seekg at grm.net>; "John
>> Burk" <jburknwtf at ktis.net>; "Andrew Forbes"
>> <andrew.forbes at mdc.mo.gov>; "Linda Tossing" <ltossing at aol.com>;
>> "Stacey, Gary" <staceyg at missouri.edu>; "Eddie Hamill"
>> <eddie.hamill at mo.usda.gov>; "James Trager" <james.trager at mobot.org>;
>> "Steve Heyling" <ashlandbirdman at yahoo.com>; "Keith Jackson"
>> <keith.jackson at mdc.mo.gov>; "Jerry Kaiser" <jerry.kaiser at mo.usda.gov>;
>> "Mike Currier" <mike.currier at dnr.mo.gov>; "Ken Struemph"
>> <ken.struemph at dnr.mo.gov>; "Brent Jamison" <brent.jamison at mdc.mo.gov>;
>> "Tim Barksdale" <curlew at 3riversdbs.net>
>>     Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 5:22 PM
>>     Subject: Re: [Carpenter Prairie Discussion] biomass
>>
>>
>>     I have one basic question that's been bothering me:
>>
>>     Are prairie grass yields somehow sustainable without replacing the
>>     nutrients taken off the land?  When I say "sustainable" I mean over
>>     decades.  Most know that one can't hay a field repeatedly without
>>     fertilization, if you try, you "wear the field out".  I can see
>> pulling
>>     large quantities of bio-mass off a prairie a few times (just look at
>> the
>>     one across from Franks house any summer if you doubt that!), but what
>>     impact would repeated harvesting have?  Yes, the macro nutrients,
>> like
>>     nitrogen, can be naturally replaced, but what about the phosphorus,
>>     potash, calcium, and dozens if not hundreds of other minerals that
>> are
>>     removed when prairie grass is harvested but recycled when prairies
>> are
>>     burnt?
>>
>>     Kevin
>>
>>
>>       Here is a later version of some more of their work on this topic.
>> Happy
>>
>>       reading.
>>
>>
>>
>>       Rudi Roeslein
>>
>>       CEO
>>
>>       Roeslein & Associates, Inc.
>>
>>       9200 Watson Road, Suite 200
>>
>>       St. Louis, MO  63126  USA
>>
>>       [cid:image001.gif at 01CAA420.5CAD4B10]
>>
>>       Main: +1 314 729 0055 x8807
>>
>>       Direct: +1 314 270-8807
>>
>>       Mobile: +1 314 280-3762
>>
>>       Fax: +1 314 729 0070
>>
>>
>>
>>       E-mail: rroeslein at roeslein.com<mailto:jhart at roeslein.com>
>>
>>       www.roeslein.com<http://www.roeslein.com/>
>>
>>       www.imt-mfg.com<http://www.imt-mfg.com/>
>>
>>
>>
>>       From: Rudi Roeslein
>>
>>       Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 11:04 AM
>>
>>       To: 'Scott Woodbury'; Hamilton Native Outpost; Frank Oberle; Carol
>> Davit;
>>
>>       Kevin Carpenter; Jon Wingo
>>
>>       Cc: Ben Duffield; Amy Buechler; Mervin Wallace; John Hoskins; John
>> Burk;
>>
>>       John Knudsen; Steve Mowry; David Erickson; Denny Donnell; Wayne
>> Morton;
>>
>>       George Seek; Kelly Srigley Werner; Linda Tossing; Alan Leary; Ted
>> Cooper;
>>
>>       Susan Hazelwood; Mike Currier; Steve Heyling; Andrew Forbes; James
>> Trager;
>>
>>       Tim Barksdale; Tim Reinbott; phil wire; DeeCee Darrow; John Murphy;
>> Dave
>>
>>       Murphy; Bill Bergh; Bill McGuire; Dwaine Gelnar; Allen Powell; JR
>> Flores;
>>
>>       Eddie Hamill; Gene Gardner; Tim Banek; Darlene Johnson; Karen
>> Brinkman;
>>
>>       Brent Jamison; Keith Jackson; Aaron Jeffries; Jean Herman; Steve
>>
>>       Bruckerhoff; Steve Flick; Jerry Kaiser; Ken Struemph;
>>
>>       staceyg at missouri.edu
>>
>>       Subject: RE: biomass
>>
>>
>>
>>       Dr. David Tilman is the most cited scientist regarding this subject
>> and
>>
>>       from all of the information I have been able to gather probably not
>> biased
>>
>>       or influenced by the various interest groups.  I am including a
>> science
>>
>>       article on this subject.  The other factor that should be
>> considered
>> are
>>
>>       the annual input costs, the maintenance costs, establishment costs
>> and the
>>
>>       long term cost to our environment.  How many invasive species do we
>> need
>>
>>       to experiment with before we figure out that maybe nature and God
>> had it
>>
>>       figured out with our prairie.
>>
>>       I recently attended a two day seminar on alternative bio fuels at
>> the
>>
>>       University of Illinois that ended up being a big promotional
>> campaign for
>>
>>       Miscanthus.  The establishment costs were cited as being $3000.00/
>> acre,
>>
>>       and no real data on the total life cycle costs.   Yields of 40tons
>> per
>>
>>       acre were being tossed around but again no real long term data to
>> provide
>>
>>       total  life cycle costs. I just completed a 70 acre planting of 6
>>
>>       different grasses and 25 forbs on my Putnam county farm and this
>> will
>>
>>       cost 10% of this Miscanthus figure and require very little in the
>> way of
>>
>>       additional input or maintenance cost in the future.  An occasional
>>
>>       cutting in the early stages of development to prevent weed
>> competition
>>
>>       and a burn or grazing interruption once established.
>>
>>       I believe the proven attributes of a bio diverse prairie must be
>>
>>       considered in this new movement towards more invasive species to
>> degrade
>>
>>       our remaining marginal lands and eliminate more wildlife habitat.
>> The CO2
>>
>>       sequestering capability of prairie grasses are getting studied and
>> have
>>
>>       been cited by the University of Minnesota after 20 years of
>> studies.
>>
>>       Their ability to store and filter water are also getting real
>> scientific
>>
>>       research and not just biased promotional advertisement.  Our soil
>> erosion
>>
>>       problem in Missouri is one of the worst in the country and could be
>> helped
>>
>>       significantly by a prairie root system that can be 15 ft deep and
>> not only
>>
>>       prevent soil erosion but provide some of the most fertile soil in
>> the
>>
>>       nation.  These attributes all have a real $ value and should be
>> identified
>>
>>       and quantified.  Lets all get more informed on this subject,
>> especially
>>
>>       those responsible for the direction we take in this exciting new
>> field of
>>
>>       alternative energies.
>>
>>
>>
>>       Rudi Roeslein
>>
>>       CEO
>>
>>       Roeslein & Associates, Inc.
>>
>>       9200 Watson Road, Suite 200
>>
>>       St. Louis, MO  63126  USA
>>
>>       [cid:image001.gif at 01CAA420.5CAD4B10]
>>
>>       Main: +1 314 729 0055 x8807
>>
>>       Direct: +1 314 270-8807
>>
>>       Mobile: +1 314 280-3762
>>
>>       Fax: +1 314 729 0070
>>
>>
>>
>>       E-mail: rroeslein at roeslein.com<mailto:jhart at roeslein.com>
>>
>>       www.roeslein.com<http://www.roeslein.com/>
>>
>>       www.imt-mfg.com<http://www.imt-mfg.com/>
>>
>>
>>
>>       From: Scott Woodbury [mailto:Scott.Woodbury at mobot.org]
>>
>>       Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 2009 8:32 AM
>>
>>       To: Hamilton Native Outpost; Frank Oberle; Rudi Roeslein; Carol
>> Davit;
>>
>>       Kevin Carpenter; Jon Wingo
>>
>>       Cc: Ben Duffield; Amy Buechler; Mervin Wallace; John Hoskins; John
>> Burk;
>>
>>       John Knudsen; Steve Mowry; David Erickson; Denny Donnell; Wayne
>> Morton;
>>
>>       George Seek; Kelly Srigley Werner; Linda Tossing; Alan Leary; Ted
>> Cooper;
>>
>>       Susan Hazelwood; Mike Currier; Steve Heyling; Andrew Forbes; James
>> Trager;
>>
>>       Tim Barksdale; Tim Reinbott; phil wire; DeeCee Darrow; John Murphy;
>> Dave
>>
>>       Murphy; Bill Bergh; Bill McGuire; Dwaine Gelnar; Allen Powell; JR
>> Flores;
>>
>>       Eddie Hamill; Gene Gardner; Tim Banek; Darlene Johnson; Karen
>> Brinkman;
>>
>>       Brent Jamison; Keith Jackson; Aaron Jeffries; Jean Herman; Steve
>>
>>       Bruckerhoff; Steve Flick; Jerry Kaiser; Ken Struemph;
>>
>>       staceyg at missouri.edu
>>
>>       Subject: RE: biomass
>>
>>
>>
>>       This sounds great as long as long as landowners opt for a diverse
>> planting
>>
>>       in CRP. Right now the research on biomass is showing that sterile
>> hybrid
>>
>>       miscanthus yields 2-3 times as much biomass as native switchgrass,
>> and
>>
>>       therefore could bring in more money. That's comparing a pure stand
>> of
>>
>>       switchgrass to a pure stand of miscanthus. Now days' CRP isn't a
>> pure
>>
>>       stand of switchgrass. My fear is that landowners will drop CRP when
>> they
>>
>>       see that they can make more money growing miscanthus? Of course
>> this
>> can't
>>
>>       happen until Miscanthus production becomes mechanized. Please tell
>> me
>>
>>       otherwise. I don't like the idea of miscanthus replacing CRP.
>>
>>
>>
>>       Scott
>>
>>
>>
>>       ________________________________
>>
>>       From: Hamilton Native Outpost [mailto:hamilton at train.missouri.org]
>>
>>       Sent: Monday, December 14, 2009 1:56 PM
>>
>>       To: 'Frank Oberle'; 'Rudi Roeslein'; 'Carol Davit'; 'Kevin
>> Carpenter';
>>
>>       'Jon Wingo'
>>
>>       Cc: 'Ben Duffield'; 'Amy Buechler'; 'Mervin Wallace'; 'John
>> Hoskins';
>>
>>       'John Burk'; 'John Knudsen'; 'Steve Mowry'; 'David Erickson';
>> 'Denny
>>
>>       Donnell'; 'Wayne Morton'; 'George Seek'; 'Kelly Srigley Werner';
>> 'Linda
>>
>>       Tossing'; 'Alan Leary'; 'Ted Cooper'; 'Susan Hazelwood'; 'Mike
>> Currier';
>>
>>       'Steve Heyling'; 'Andrew Forbes'; James Trager; Scott Woodbury;
>> 'Tim
>>
>>       Barksdale'; 'Tim Reinbott'; 'phil wire'; 'DeeCee Darrow'; 'John
>> Murphy';
>>
>>       'Dave Murphy'; 'Bill Bergh'; 'Bill McGuire'; 'Dwaine Gelnar';
>> 'Allen
>>
>>       Powell'; 'JR Flores'; 'Eddie Hamill'; 'Gene Gardner'; 'Tim Banek';
>>
>>       'Darlene Johnson'; 'Karen Brinkman'; 'Brent Jamison'; 'Keith
>> Jackson';
>>
>>       'Aaron Jeffries'; 'Jean Herman'; 'Steve Bruckerhoff'; 'Steve
>> Flick';
>>
>>       'Jerry Kaiser'; 'Ken Struemph'; staceyg at missouri.edu
>>
>>       Subject: RE: biomass
>>
>>
>>
>>       CRP as we have known it in the past may have been a fescue field or
>> a rank
>>
>>       stand of native grasses with little diversity.  Conservation is
>> ready to
>>
>>       step up to the next level and create rare and declining habitat.
>> To
>> marry
>>
>>       biofuels with wildlife conservation has the added benefit of
>> bringing
>>
>>       disturbance into the picture.  Disturbance is important to
>> grasslands;
>>
>>       fire, herbivores, and climatic extremes once acted as disturbance
>> factors.
>>
>>       The use of the mowing on the biofuel ¼ or 1/3 would be a forn of
>>
>>       disturbance as would the burning on another ¼ or 1/3.  Some of the
>>
>>       grassland wildlife is even dependent on this disturbance.  I think
>> this
>>
>>       has lots of potential.
>>
>>
>>
>>       Amy Hamilton
>>
>>       Hamilton Native Outpost
>>
>>
>>
>>       ________________________________
>>
>>       From: Frank Oberle [mailto:foberle at nemr.net]
>>
>>       Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 2:00 PM
>>
>>       To: Rudi Roeslein; Carol Davit; Kevin Carpenter; Jon Wingo
>>
>>       Cc: Ben Duffield; Amy Hamilton; Amy Buechler; Mervin Wallace; John
>>
>>       Hoskins; John Burk; John Knudsen; Steve Mowry; Amy Buechler; David
>>
>>       Erickson; Denny Donnell; Wayne Morton; George Seek; John Burk;
>> Kelly
>>
>>       Srigley Werner; Linda Tossing; Steve Mowry; Alan Leary; Ted Cooper;
>> Susan
>>
>>       Hazelwood; Mike Currier; Steve Heyling; Andrew Forbes; James
>> Trager;
>> Scott
>>
>>       Woodbury; Tim Barksdale; Tim Reinbott; phil wire; DeeCee Darrow;
>> John
>>
>>       Murphy; Dave Murphy; Bill Bergh; Bill McGuire; Dwaine Gelnar; Allen
>>
>>       Powell; JR Flores; Eddie Hamill; Dwaine Gelnar; Gene Gardner; Tim
>> Banek;
>>
>>       Darlene Johnson; Karen Brinkman; Brent Jamison; Keith Jackson;
>> Aaron
>>
>>       Jeffries; Jean Herman; Steve Bruckerhoff; Steve Flick; Jerry
>> Kaiser;
>> Ken
>>
>>       Struemph; Andrew Forbes; staceyg at missouri.edu
>>
>>       Subject: Fw: biomass
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>       Policy and Policymakers
>>
>>
>>
>>       In Washington, the popularity of the USDA's Biomass Crop Assistance
>>
>>       Program has soared, with the number of qualifying facilities now
>> exceeding
>>
>>
>> 280<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102878250501&s=2761&e=001GCQRvDWWio9VqdgKxH5ka5XkUUSUmFWBbXSArjKjhTtaDOpWohH_PRRKv98bxvAubhTlGoXmbGveN7sRWa6GEz4ju1VmK5fz7-OqpEpiZsRNmEHUh-ZPKMJQ_9Lmsi62vUvUvzcSOTrOW1QTo1XQ0tfM52QbPr-asoVf5UQ5iEb8wjfsZ3fSYNt0wbMkB-ANWdUk6lb7IMctDHv-k97r1T8NzZddbx0Uo1mq8IRZa-emZtr0p6VBCbXhd-zPjLC9>.
>>
>>       The Biomass Crop Assistance Program assists agricultural and forest
>> land
>>
>>       owners and operators with matching payments for the amount paid for
>> the
>>
>>       collection, harvest, storage and transportation of eligible
>> material
>> by a
>>
>>       qualified Biomass Conversion Facility.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>       Conservationist,
>>
>>             I believe the time has come here in Missouri to begin a very
>>
>>       strategic plan
>>
>>       on how we can become not only serious players in the biomass
>> industry, but
>>
>>       how can
>>
>>       we improve wildlife habitat at the same time. I will emphatically
>> state
>>
>>       there is
>>
>>       known scientific evidence that will validate this claim--especially
>> all
>>
>>       CRP lands that
>>
>>       currently--and maybe futuristically--are enrolled in a plant
>>
>>       material--like fescue and
>>
>>       brome--that has very little environmental benefits.
>>
>>           In order to move an idea forward there has to be action. And
>> there is
>>
>>       no action
>>
>>       until there is movement. My passion and cause for our state is to
>> add
>>
>>       wildlife,
>>
>>       environmental and green energy benefits for Northern Missouri. How
>> do we
>>
>>       add
>>
>>       value to an economically depressed area? Firstly, like a Doctor's
>> oath of
>>
>>       promise
>>
>>       for receiving his degree: "Never to do Harm."  We need to emulate
>> nature's
>>
>>       blueprint
>>
>>       and follow a path of least resistance. It is always more difficult
>> to bend
>>
>>       mother
>>
>>       nature to our wants, than it is to assimilate to an ideology that
>> heeds to
>>
>>       bending
>>
>>       with her.
>>
>>            One known truth evident here in N. Missouri is that we can
>> grow
>>
>>       native grass and
>>
>>       broadleaf legumes. Cellulosic's greatest asset is that indigenous
>> plant
>>
>>       material suited to the soil and climate adds to the success of the
>>
>>       project. We have the potential of
>>
>>       rebuilding CRP with an ecologically sound plant material that will
>> boost
>>
>>       biodiversity
>>
>>       and reviving rural economies.
>>
>>           Please do not take my word for any of this, use the science at
>> hand.
>>
>>       There
>>
>>       are entrepreneurs willing and hoping for such an opportunity. Does
>> anyone
>>
>>       out there have any suggestions on where or how to begin this
>> endeavor? We
>>
>>       have
>>
>>       nearly 1.5 million acres of CRP here in Missouri. One plan could be
>> that
>>
>>       once
>>
>>       the re-established CRP acres of any single tract of ground was
>> deemed
>>
>>       ready
>>
>>       to be engaged into a regime of biomass/wildlife management
>> rotation,
>> one
>>
>>       forth to one
>>
>>       third of the tract would be allowed to be harvested in the months
>> of
>>
>>       October
>>
>>       through January. There would be no rental penalty for the landowner
>> to pay
>>
>>       if the plant material was used in some biomass project. The next
>>
>>       designated portion to be
>>
>>       harvested--rather it be one third to one forth--would be eligible
>> for a
>>
>>       late spring burn
>>
>>       to encourage both forb growth and grass development. When there is
>> plenty
>>
>>       of
>>
>>       thatch build-up, there are less forbs that will have vigorous
>> growth. We
>>
>>       have
>>
>>       experienced this fact in our production fields. It works like this.
>> Plants
>>
>>       store starches
>>
>>       and sugars in their roots systems. In early spring, if there is a
>> canopy
>>
>>       of thatch which
>>
>>       creates enormous shade, when the emerging plant sends it first two
>> basal
>>
>>       leaves
>>
>>       for light scouting, perennial and long lived native plants will not
>> take
>>
>>       the risk of
>>
>>       expending large amounts of root reserves to overtake the
>> canopy--just too
>>
>>       risky.
>>
>>          There are many possibilities that could be worked out.
>> Currently,
>>
>>       though, I believe
>>
>>       we could be passing on a great opportunity to rebuild our landscape
>> to a
>>
>>       vegetation that is suited to attract and sustain our rare and
>> declining
>>
>>       wildlife, but too, the biomass entrepreneurs. It also would be good
>> for
>>
>>       pollinators, producers and weaning our
>>
>>       nation's dependency on imported fossil fuels. I'm not saying the
>> above is
>>
>>       the perfect set of blueprints for a run away success story,
>> however,
>> I can
>>
>>       say with wisdom and discernment that CRP could use a make-over that
>> gives
>>
>>       the customer--our hard working American taxpayers--real dividends
>> for
>>
>>       their investment.
>>
>>           In the beginning of the Conservation Reserve Program, the goals
>> of
>>
>>       preventing soil erosion and cleaning up our streams was an
>>
>>       industrious and very successful
>>
>>       conservation accomplishment. We have progressed immensely in the
>> field of
>>
>>       understanding and implementing native plant communities and the
>> adverse
>>
>>       affects of toxic and invasive fescue. The research going on at
>> NRCS's
>>
>>       Plant Material Center and
>>
>>       MU's Bradford Farm will yield much to the enhancement of a myriad
>> of
>>
>>       wildlife and biomass concerns. Thanks to all those partners
>> supporting
>>
>>       these exigencies.   fo
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>       The information transmitted (including attachments) is
>>
>>       covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act,
>>
>>       18 U.S.C. 2510-2521, is intended only for the person(s) or
>>
>>       entity/entities to which it is addressed and might contain
>>
>>       confidential and/or privileged material. Any review,
>>
>>       retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking
>>
>>       of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons
>>
>>       or entities other than the intended recipient(s) is prohibited.
>>
>>       If you received this in error, please contact the sender and
>>
>>       delete the material from any computer.
>>
>>       _______________________________________________
>>
>>       Carpenter mailing list
>>
>>       Carpenter at mysticplains.org
>>
>>       http://www.seaplace.org/mailman/listinfo/carpenter
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>



>
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 9.0.733 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2665 - Release Date: 02/03/10
> 02:09:00
> 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: IMG_9871-1.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 28644 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://www.seaplace.org/pipermail/carpenter/attachments/20100203/d5befce2/attachment-0002.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: IMG_9874-1.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 24273 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://www.seaplace.org/pipermail/carpenter/attachments/20100203/d5befce2/attachment-0003.jpg>


More information about the Carpenter mailing list