Based on the example of Appleton Farms, America’s oldest working farm and a commercial- scale vegetable and dairy operation, we will present the farm’s detailed carbon-counting model, review the specific measures used to eliminate it’s carbon footprint and then facilitate an interactive discussion on ways to engage the public in sustainability.
- 1.How to Make Your Farm Carbon Neutral & Teach about it
Wayne Castonguay- Director of Center for Agriculture and
Environment Meghan Connolly-Education Coordinator, Weir River
Farm
2. 3. Megs Trustees introduction here 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
12. 13. Climate Change Its all about the carbon cycle 14. What are
the gases of concern? How much does TTOR contribute? How can we
reduce our carbon footprint? What is the opportunity for TTOR with
respect to carbon trading and carbon sequestration to help offset
our footprint? Four Key Questions 15. Different greenhouse gases
have differentGlobal Warming Potential (GWP): CO2e is the common
unit Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ):fossil fuel combustion Methane (CH 4
):manure, decomposition Nitrous Oxide (N 2 O):nitrogen fertilizer 1
unit of CO 2=1CO 2 e quivalents 1 unit of CH 4=23CO 2 e quivalents
1 unit of N 2 O =298CO 2 e quivalents Gases of Concern 16.
Berkshires 12% Pioneer Valley 4% Central 8% Northeast 44% Greater
Boston 26% Southeast 5% Carbon Footprint 1,640 MT CO2 The 1,640
metric ton carbon footprint is based on the total energy use
calculated for all utilities including, propane, fuel oil, natural
gas, electricity, and the use of gasoline for our fleet of trucks
and mileage reimbursement. 17.
- The Trustees Agriculture Program Goals:
- Through food & agriculture, help increase the
- sustainability of our society;
- Support healthy, active and green communities by
- helping to build a sustainable local food system
- accessible to all people;
- Connect many more people to land & conservation
- through food & agriculture
18. 19. 20.
- Attributes of Appleton Farms
- 1,000 acres located w/in 25 miles of downtown Boston
- Oldest continuously operated farm in country (c.1636)
- Legacy of an American Founding Family
- Hundreds of acres in active agriculture
- Ecologically friendly, economically viable and sustainable
- Grass-based livestock agriculture
- Community Supported Agriculture
- Value-added farm products
- Recreation & education programs
21. 22. 23. Property Management Property Management 24. Dairy
and Livestock 25. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) 26.
Engagement 27. Goal: Eliminate Carbon Footprint 28. Options for
Appleton Farms
- reduce the carbon footprint of operations
- generate renewable energy on-site
- offset our carbon footprint by
- sequestering carbon on our land
- purchase carbon offsets in the marketplace
29. Decision Making Criteria at Appleton Farms
- A. Reducing Carbon Footprint first step
- Begin with measuring carbon footprint
- Conduct cost-benefit analysis of improvement or activity
- Implement obvious best management practices
- Focus on reducing big 3 source of footprint:
- transportation/equipment, building heating, electricity
usage
- Minimal opportunity to reduce footprint of cattle
30. Decision Making Criteria at Appleton Farms
- B. Opportunities for carbon offsets second step
- Green on-site generation of heat & power
- Carbon sequestration in forests and soils on farm
- Purchase of carbon offsets in marketplace
- (or obtain offsets from other ttor/private land)
31. Carbon Sequestration on Land
32.
- Increased storage of C in forests
- Storage of C in wood products
- - wood products for GHG intensivematerials (steel, aluminum,
concrete)
Forest resources can mitigate GHG emissions by: 33. Substitution
of Wood for Fossil Fuels
- As direct biofuel; heat or co-firing for electricity
- Substitute for GHG intensive products (concrete, steel,
aluminum)
34. Combustion Efficiency
- TARM Wood Gasification boiler 1800 C80-85% eff.
- Harmon pellet stove 80-85% eff.
35. Soil Carbon Sequestration
- Conversion of disturbed, tilled land and lawns to
grasslands
- Only works in specific soil types with net capacity
- Intensive rotational grazing is only effective tool to
sequester significant amounts of carbon in soil
- Significant monitoring required to verify pre existing soil
carbon levels and annual amount of carbon sequestered
- Management activities must be committed to over a specified
period of time to be used as an offset or credit
36. C Sequestration in Soil Potential varies with current soil
OC level and texture
C sequestration potential 0 100 % Silt + Clay Soil Organic
Carbon Minimum - intensive tillage Maximum - no-tillage Manageable
Range of SOC 37. Pattern of C Sequestrationin Soil New MaximumC
Level Soil Organic Carbon Conventionaltillage Change to
No-tillage050 Time (yr) 38. Eliminating our carbon footprint
- The Appleton Farms Plan: goal is to become
- first commercial scale carbon-neutral farm in MA
- Adopt best management practices everywhere
- - recycle everything & conserve
- - eliminate trash dumpster
- - change to efficient lighting/equipment, etc.
- - eliminate vehicle/equipment trips (meetings!)
- - adopt energy efficiencies in 22 buildings
- - think green in all future decisions
- - convert propane/oil to electric/biodiesel
39. Eliminating our carbon footprint (cont.)
- Change fleet and equipment to biodiesel & electric
- - convert 3 on-road gas trucks to biodiesel
- - convert 3 off-road gas trucks to biodiesel
- - replace gas utility ATVs with electric
- - replace gas ATV with biodiesel ATV
- - replace gas lawn mowers with biodiesel
- - use biodiesel in all diesel equipment
- (tractors, backhoe, skid steer, etc.)
- Eliminate commercial fertilizers
- Organic production & land management
40. Eliminating our carbon footprint (cont.)
- Install wind power & photovoltaics
- - 100KW wind turbine on Sunset Hill
- - 50 & 15 KW photovoltaic arrays
- Biomass & biodiesel building heating
- - heat greenhouses, barns and shops with wood
- - heat houses with biodiesel
- Carbon sequestration in topsoil and forests
- - sequester 1000 tons C/yr in soil
- - replant old tree plantations with new trees
- - mange forests to increase C sequestration
41. Appleton Farms Carbon-counting Model 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47.
48. 49. 50. OUR PLACE IN YOUR GREENER FUTURE Powisset Farm, Dover
51.
- Sustainable is meeting the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs
- -UN World Commission on Environment and Development
52. TTOR Engagement Cycle
53. Lead by Example
54. Weir River Farm, Hingham 55. Gaining Real Skills
- Canning, extending harvest
- How to weatherize your home
- Keeping backyard chickens
56. 57. Mobilizing More People to Act 58. Empowering
Activists
- Training and Mentoring people to make sustainable choices
59. Inspiration From Others
- Northwest Earth Institute
60.
- Apeiron Institute for Sustainable Living, Rhode Island
61. Group Discussion
- What programs are you offering, have participated in or heard
of that help people move towards making more thoughtful
decisions?
62. Group Reporting
- Share one program from each group that achieved desired
outcome.How did you measure success?
63.
- What concrete steps can you offer others so they can emulate
these successful programs at their own sites?
64.