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

A Working Farm

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

(beware of biofuels)

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

Only Two Viable Choices

for Appleton Farms:

Trees

Soils

32.

Increased storage of C in forests

Storage of C in wood products

Substitution of

- wood for fossil fuels

- 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

• field M

• Jonesfarm

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

- buy local

- 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

How We Teach About It

53. Lead by Example

Low on engagement cycle

CSA

Green Building Tours

Sustainable Ag Tours

54. Weir River Farm, Hingham 55. Gaining Real Skills

Individual Ownership

Composting

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

Youth Corps

High Level Volunteers

Discussion Course

59. Inspiration From Others

Northwest Earth Institute

www.nwei.org

60.

Apeiron Institute for Sustainable Living, Rhode Island

www.apeiron.org

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.