Farming the benefits of biogas at Ledgecroft
SEELEY'S BAY - On a fine November day, just outside the village of Seeley's Bay north of Kingston, a tractor is unfurling a swath of rich dark earth behind its wheels, while seagulls wheel in its wake. The air is redolent with the smell of manure, although the spreader is off in a distant field, behind the curve of Big Hill Road.Six kilometres north, its distant rooftops hidden by the high tops of dry corn, lies Ledgecroft Farms, a 500-strong dairy operation. They're spreading manure on the fields here too - not that you would know it. There is not a hint in the air.
Two years ago, Ledgecroft Farms installed a biogas plant that generates methane gas from manure and off-farm source material, mainly fats, oils and greases (FOGs) from restaurant grease traps. Today it supplies enough electricity to the Hydro One grid to power 400 homes and provides heat to the farm and biogas system.
Not only does the process convert methane into electricity, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but it also results in a residual digested material that is virtually odour- and pathogen-free that can be used as an organic soil amendment.
It is this digestate that is spread on the fields at Ledgecroft Farms, on the over 800 acres used to produce grains for its herd.
"We're spreading today and you can't smell it," says Glenn Green.
"It's just an amazing product. It sits in the digester for over 30 days at 38 degrees Celsius; it's like a big pasteurizer. Weed seeds and pathogens like E-coli have been significantly reduced. It just has a whole bunch of potential as far as heat and by-products.
"It has really created a lot of opportunities for the farm."
Glenn is the second generation on the farm that his parents, Ben and Laura, bought in 1973. But it was Glenn's father and sister, Jennifer, who were largely responsible for introducing the digester project.
"My father came up with the idea and my sister helped make it happen," explains Glenn.
New Idea Manure Spreaders - News
The air is redolent with the smell of manure, although the spreader is off in a distant field, behind the curve of Big Hill Road. Six kilometres north, its distant rooftops hidden by the high tops of dry corn, lies Ledgecroft Farms, a 500-strong dairy
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AGCO New Idea 3632 Manure Spreader (used) ; 1-800-999-3276 ...
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