What to grow on 12 acres for heating fuel?

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Our firewood around here is a fast growing, hard wood hedge tree. They were planted here so we don't have anymore dust bowl conditions, but they grow so fast that they are trimmed yearly and supply firewood around here. Also called Osage Orange. They get to 50 feet. They get hedge balls that grow on them, too, baseball size. Kids throw them at each other while waiting for the school bus.
 
everybody that uses a pellet stove uses dent corn for fuel - 50% savings compared to on a retail basis - 80%+ when corn is bought on a direct farm basis ....

natural gas is cheaper when going whole house or primary .....
I knew someone would know something about this. But can't you raise your own corn for this?
 
I knew someone would know something about this. But can't you raise your own corn for this?
Yes, but corn will quickly use up the nutrients in the soil. It would probably need to be rotated with other crops like alfalfa and soy beans. Rotating the crop brings nutrients back into the soil and breaks up pest problems associated with one particular plant. If you are not adding fertilizer, a 4 year (oats-alfalfa, alfalfa, corn, soybean) rotation almost doubles the corn yield over a 2 year rotation of just corn and soybeans.
 
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If you are not adding fertilizer, a 4 year (oats-alfalfa, alfalfa, corn, soybean)

I have tried to grow Soybean before in the Uk, but the crop was poor. One of the few variations of soya bean that you can grow here is Ustie. As for Corn, it does use a lot of nutrients and I don't think it would stand the winds we get here. I have looked at what my neighbors are growing and they are mainly growing cabbages, potatoes, sugar beats. I do like the idea of growing oats, but wonder if it would be too windy here?

Oats would be perfect, as they need very little fertilizer and I could make biofuel from the stalks. It would be a win win situation. But I guess I will still have to rotate oats with something else?
 
It all takes a lot of fertilizer, pesticides, and herbicides to get any kind of decent yield. Plus it takes a lot of equipment to process the crop even on 12 acres. Do you have a reliable source for fertilizer and other chemicals? Farm equipment? Is your weather and soil suitable for growing corn and other grains? Do you have a lot of hands to help with this project?
There are a lot of fast growing tress that you could plant, but you'd be looking at probably 10 years before you cut your first log. Can you collect used oil from the area farmers and burn it for heat? It would be easy to build a used oil burner, and far cheaper. Can you import wood pellets or pressed logs to your area? What's your current source of heat?
 
It all takes a lot of fertilizer, pesticides, and herbicides to get any kind of decent yield. Plus it takes a lot of equipment to process the crop even on 12 acres. Do you have a reliable source for fertilizer and other chemicals? Farm equipment? Is your weather and soil suitable for growing corn and other grains? Do you have a lot of hands to help with this project?

I have been experimenting with seaweed and its a pretty good fertilizer. There is an abundance of it here which I collect. I also have a supply of horse manure. As for chemicals, I prefer organic farming.

With regards to farming equipment, I can buy whatever I need. I have a sickle bar mower that I can use to make hay from grass. As for harvesting crops, I have seen some mini combines that look promising and are within my budget. They can do 1/4 acre in about an hour, which would be perfect for my needs.
 
Soybeans will "grow" there but won't germinate naturally in the spring, so they have to be started in a nursery then transplanted. I don't think you want to go to that much trouble.
If there is a legume or other nitrogen fixing plant like alfalfa or clover that will germinate in the spring in your climate you need to alternate that with the grass in the winter to restore the nitrogen and avoid having to use a lot of fertilizer. Otherwise you'll exhaust the soil.
 
I have been experimenting with seaweed and its a pretty good fertilizer. There is an abundance of it here which I collect. I also have a supply of horse manure. As for chemicals, I prefer organic farming.
At least you'll get your iodine!
 
Seems it would be a lot easier to forage for wood ,peat, or coal nearby. Someone always needs a tree taken down around here. Free wood ,and you get paid to cut it. Heck, you could pick up the limbs that fall in your yard here and never have to cut a tree to heat your house if you saved them.
 
Having done more research into this, I think my idea is is viable. It all depends on preparing it right and pressing the briquettes for maximum efficiency. It seems the Torrefaction process is vital if you want to obtain the maximum energy density. Below is an interesting study which concludes:

https://www.researchgate.net/public...olid_fuel_qualities_and_combustion_properties
"it was seen that the characters of the biomass fuels begin to resemble those of low rank coals in terms of the van Krevelen coal rank parameter. In addition, the results indicate that the volatile component of biomass is both reduced and altered producing a more thermally stable product, but also one that produces greater heats of reaction during combustion."

Having had email correspondence with a few academics in this area, most seem to think that my land is more than enough to provide 100% of my heating needs, as long as the straw is properly processed. One reply is below:

" Using a very simple torrefaction technology it is possible, however, to convert about 80% of the straw into biochar. The exact figure depends naturally on the type of straw and the conditions of the treatment. The calorific value of the biochar is about 20 MJ/kg. The straw needed to heat a 3 bedroom house will depend on the average temperature in your place in Scotland, which can be very low, I guess. Assuming an average temperature of 32°F and a total area of, say, 100 m2, then the amount of straw required can be easily calculated. Roughly speaking you would require about 3500 kg of straw per year, or about 7800 pounds. "

From what I can gather, average straw yields be acre is between 1000kg and 1500kg. Therefore it leaves me plenty of land left over to do other things with.

I think it looks viable and I will start the experiment this year. Lets see if It can provide 100% of my heating needs this winter. I understand it may be a lot of work, but my philosophy is to be as self sufficient as possible, so convenience or cost are not my motivators.
 
Having done more research into this, I think my idea is is viable. It all depends on preparing it right and pressing the briquettes for maximum efficiency. It seems the Torrefaction process is vital if you want to obtain the maximum energy density. Below is an interesting study which concludes:

https://www.researchgate.net/public...olid_fuel_qualities_and_combustion_properties
"it was seen that the characters of the biomass fuels begin to resemble those of low rank coals in terms of the van Krevelen coal rank parameter. In addition, the results indicate that the volatile component of biomass is both reduced and altered producing a more thermally stable product, but also one that produces greater heats of reaction during combustion."

Having had email correspondence with a few academics in this area, most seem to think that my land is more than enough to provide 100% of my heating needs, as long as the straw is properly processed. One reply is below:

" Using a very simple torrefaction technology it is possible, however, to convert about 80% of the straw into biochar. The exact figure depends naturally on the type of straw and the conditions of the treatment. The calorific value of the biochar is about 20 MJ/kg. The straw needed to heat a 3 bedroom house will depend on the average temperature in your place in Scotland, which can be very low, I guess. Assuming an average temperature of 32°F and a total area of, say, 100 m2, then the amount of straw required can be easily calculated. Roughly speaking you would require about 3500 kg of straw per year, or about 7800 pounds. "

From what I can gather, average straw yields be acre is between 1000kg and 1500kg. Therefore it leaves me plenty of land left over to do other things with.

I think it looks viable and I will start the experiment this year. Lets see if It can provide 100% of my heating needs this winter. I understand it may be a lot of work, but my philosophy is to be as self sufficient as possible, so convenience or cost are not my motivators.
That sounds like a very interesting project. I never thought about using seaweed for fertilizer, but I'm 600 miles from the coast. I'll have to look into that mini combine too. I'd like to plant a few acres of grain.
I guess we're fortunate to be surrounded by trees for our firewood. We heat 100% with wood.
I'd like to hear more about your project as you go forward with it.
 
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I have been experimenting with seaweed and its a pretty good fertilizer. There is an abundance of it here which I collect. I also have a supply of horse manure. As for chemicals, I prefer organic farming.

With regards to farming equipment, I can buy whatever I need. I have a sickle bar mower that I can use to make hay from grass. As for harvesting crops, I have seen some mini combines that look promising and are within my budget. They can do 1/4 acre in about an hour, which would be perfect for my needs.

Hi Tommy! Your use of natural fertilizer is great! Seaweed has to be very beneficial. Can you show us pictures of the sickle bar mower and a mini combine please? I’m very interested.
 
That sounds like a very interesting project. I never thought about using seaweed for fertilizer, but I'm 600 miles from the coast. I'll have to look into that mini combine too. I'd like to plant a few acres of grain.
I guess we're fortunate to be surrounded by trees for our firewood. We heat 100% with wood.
I'd like to hear more about your project as you go forward with it.

For seaweed and other natural fertilizer, Neptune’s Harvest products work very well! They are healthier for you than commercial fertilizers too.

https://www.neptunesharvest.com/liquid-fertilizers.html
 
Hi Tommy! Your use of natural fertilizer is great! Seaweed has to be very beneficial. Can you show us pictures of the sickle bar mower and a mini combine please? I’m very interested.

Ye the seaweed is good, but its all about using what resources you have available.

As for the mini combine, I don't own one yet, but have a look at this:
Boaz mini combine
 
For seaweed and other natural fertilizer, Neptune’s Harvest products work very well! They are healthier for you than commercial fertilizers too.

https://www.neptunesharvest.com/liquid-fertilizers.html
I'd like to look in to this some more and see what the application rate is per acre. I'm probably not going to plant any crops or hay this year due to the high cost of fuel, plus I'd like to get all my building projects finished this summer.
 
I'd like to look in to this some more and see what the application rate is per acre. I'm probably not going to plant any crops or hay this year due to the high cost of fuel, plus I'd like to get all my building projects finished this summer.

It probably won’t work for acres as I believe the cost would be not worth it. Utilize your compost, chicken and cow manure. You’ll do well!
 

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