Local Foods Extravaganza! Hermiston

Hermiston is famous for it's watermelons. As the bus rolled into town, Hermiston's water tower displaying a giant watermelon welcomed us and set the tone for the rest of the day. In Hermiston, food is good, fresh and is taken seriously.

In Hermiston, the crew was welcomed by ORA members Ken and Nancy Gummer. Nancy is a local and sustainable foods mover and shaker. As the Foods and Nutrition Services Director at Hermiston's Hospital, she has transformed food for the hospital, it's staff, patients and visitors. She has also created a connection between local farmers and ranchers and the hospital. "Food is so good here that released patients ask to come here for their birthday dinners!" Nancy said. Nancy and Ken invited us to lunch at the hospital so we could see for ourselves, and we agree, the food was excellent! As a dietitian, diabetes instructor, and avid cyclists, Nancy's perception of food is both inspiring and unique. To read more about Nancy's work, check out:

http://www.healthcaredesignmagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=9B6FFC446FF7486981EA3C0C3CCE4943&nm=Articles&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=9CBC5AFD93494603A3695421A2E0CC7F

After our wonderful lunch at the hospital we set up at Hermiston's Chamber of Commerce where we were joined by a Ken and Nancy as well as a local bike shop. Interest in biodiesel was very prominent in Herminston, as were appropriate building techniques especially solar technologies. Food, however, followed us to the Chamber of Commerce where ORA members and local farmers, Chris and John presented us with the biggest gift of all: a famous Hermiston watermelon that we happily ate as we chatted with folks about renewable energy options for the area. Later, Gus, another ORA member and local farmer gave the crew buckets of fresh tomatoes, peppers, squashes, and of course a magnificent watermelon!

After our time at the Chamber, talking to folks, learning from Nancy and Ken, and trying out new bikes in the parking lot, the ORA staff invited the crew along with Gus and his wife to dinner. The Farmer's Table restaurant, whose local flair, mostly local foods menu, unique atmosphere, and great company were a wonderful treat and a great way to end our stay in Hermiston. Thank you everyone for your hospitality, stories, and local food!

Weiser High School

The bus caught a few gawking students over the lunch hour as it wafted the sweet smell of fried food in the air at Weiser High School.  It was the first week of classes and the crew rolled the bus into the garage to set up and speak to two agricultural classes about the homegrown prosperity tour and the benefits of biodiesel in rural communities.

In a class where most of the students lived on a farm or ranch, students could appreciate the value of our mission on the tour. Homegrown prosperity can be achieved by using renewable energies like solar or wind power. Students pointed out despite growing some agricultural products and raising various livestock, the school lunch program served pre-packaged foods which were simply heated in a commercial oven at lunch. 

Biodiesel was the topic of which drew the most interaction. The Department of Agriculture has developed a geographic line which influences the ability to grow canola as an oilseed crop in this part of Oregon.  Politics as usual is playing a hand in what can be sustainably grown around the community of Weiser, ID. The bus piqued student interest to the potential of growing oilseeds and producing their own biodiesel.

Port of Umatilla

Kim, of Umitilla, OR, gave us a tour of the Port today. This did not exclude the proposed biodiesel plant site. It was quite a treat to hear about Kim's past experiences with ethanol, corn based and cellulosic, and his reasoning behind shifting away from ethanol to biodiesel. He made a very interesting comment on the possibility of distilling glycerin, the byproduct of biodiesel, into ethanol and thus creating ethanol from a waste product. He has not ruled out the prospect of building an ethanol plant right next to the biodiesel plant if distilling glycerin into ethanol is possible.
He decided that 5 million gallons of biodiesel a year was the most economically and environmentally sustainable amount for the future plant. He justified tis with the number of cattle that would plausibly be fed the meal byproduct of the seed crushing process, the # of fallow acres in the area, and the distribution capability.
We heard the bussiness perspective along with some advise from Kim, right down to strategy on how to fund the project . . . Who is on the appropriations committee and what is in their best interest? Is the project non-partisan? Have persistent patience. To make it all work, you need a VERY diverse team of specialist who are honest and aren't greedy. Thanks for the words of wisdom Kim.

Crossing the Blues, La Grande, Oregon

La Grande is proud. It is proud of it's mountains, art scene, and extraordinary local produce, so proud that they've decided to celebrate it with a festival. As a homage to what makes this place special and to the Blues as it's backdrop, the first annual Crossing the Blues Festival was in full gear when the bus tour arrived.  

The big green bus joined the festivities and set up along with farmer's market's stands and street vendors in La Grande's Adam's Ave. With live music in the background, and in the midst of street dancers, market goers, and festival aficionados, the crew, Liberty, Andrea as well as a handful of ORA members talked to interested and interesting folks about renewable energy opportunities in the area. While ORA members talked to their peers about the potential of woody biomass for local schools, the crew talked to folks about renewable energy and biodiesel. A solar oven baking solar homemade cookies was displayed across from the bus by a locally owned solar energy company  and ORA member Steve brought along his Chinese seed press to show his community what pressing seeds and making biodiesel entails. In addition to making biodiesel out of his own canola seeds, he is also working on a hydrogen fuel cell with his son. 

 

The bus, the solar baked cookies and seed press received a great deal of attention. Folks interested in green building stopped by, like the lady who built and lived in an earth-ship or the folks living off the grid for thirty years. People interested in biodiesel production and distribution also paid us and Steve a visit.  We also talked with local artisans, farmers, and small business owners about enhancing homegrown prosperity in the community. All in all, the first Crossing the Blues Festival was a success. La Grande certainly lived up to it's name, with a magnificent display of local foods, music, art, and good humor for all to enjoy!

Elk Valley Wind Project

Wind Tour in La Grande, OR 8.22.08

Elkhorn Valley Wind Farm - Tour Guide: Ryan Dela

Owned by Horizon Wind, which is the 4^th largest wind producer in the US, they are one of the only large scale operators that focuses employment local to the wind farm location. The wind turbines, on the other hand, are a product of many countries. The blades are built in Austrailia, the towers in Vietnam, the cells in Spain and the controllers and hubs in Denmark.

The production of wind equipment cannot keep up with the demand at present, so we are shipping equipment half way across the world to shift to a renewable energy economy. If you ask me, we need to start producing wind equipment in the US. Some states that have already jumped on the band wagon in wind turbine component production are Iowa, Pennsylvania, and North Dakota.

The top blade speed of the turbines at the Elk Valley Ranch is 150 mph, so if you were sitting on the end of a blade, that is how fast you would be zooming in circles. The wind turbines are built to withstand 300mph winds and have an 8-47 mph range of operation.

All 32 people on the tour with Ryan arrived on the big green bus and were able to go inside the base of on of the giant wind turbines. There was a little girl with us conveniently named Windy who spent much of the tour munching on freshly picked apricots. All present learned a lot about the local energy project, a successful day of wind education in La Grande, OR.

Community Gardens Galore!

At the community gardens in La Grande we got a little bit of insight into the "growth" of the garden scene. There are 8 luscious plots of sustenance popping up in front of the elementary school for the children to oogle over. These kids are lucky to be exposed to food not of the packaged sort. Most kids don't know that carrots live in the dirt before they are picked, washed, packaged, and trucked the 1500 mile average to their plates. One little girl named Windilynn assisted as I pulled weeds from Zachary's plot of corn. At two years old, she knows right where her food comes from. The folks involved in the garden are looking into compost options so that they can expand the garden, adding some raised beds, and sharing the joy of growing your own food.

A Day in Baker City

The day in Baker City began with a biodiesel demonstration at Agricultural Extension Office. About 20 people were present when Derek gave a talk and demonstration about the sustainable benefits of biodiesel use and production. Randy and Lauren were present with their biodiesel processor to discuss some of the particulars of producing their own biodiesel for use in their diesel vehicles.

Baker City’s Pollman Park becomes more than a children’s playground and hang out spot, twice a week (Thursday s and Saturdays) this quaint city nestled between the Elkhorn and the Wallowa Mountains puts on a wonderful local foods market. On the Thursday evening we joined the market, about a dozen farmers and growers brought their goods to market. Flowers, blackberries, peaches and melons were plentiful amongst the crowd. Potatoes, green beans and onions are also in season in this dry and hot part of Oregon.

Ellie, Baker’s Market Manager said “we get all kinds of folks with all kinds of goods, lots of crafts too, for Saturday market mostly”. The diverse background of Market growers and supporters is phenomenal in Baker. There are urban farmers who are able to grow enough food to partake in the Market each week. They are joined by new time farmers who moved to area for its extended growing season as well as folks whose family history is one and the same with farming in the area.

Ramon and Carolyn, Market board members have been local food promoters in the area for over 30 years.  They started a food co-op out of their basement in the 70’s and have continuously and consistently been engaged in the foods movement including a recent discussion group “localvores” on the importance producing, selling, buying and eating locally. Local was a theme that continued on at the park well past the farmer’s market closing bell. Oregon Rural Action's Baker City Chapter put on a 100-mile potluck dinner to celebrate local foods and renewable energy.

The shared community meal was not only extremely tasty and fresh but it was also educational. Maps and notes of where each ingredient and dish came were present at the serving table. The meal was complete with flowered tablecloths, local flower bouquet center pieces, fresh and tasty salads, casseroles and desserts, and great conversations and company! Thank you Baker City!

New Plymouth Biodiesel Plant

We visited a biodiesel plant in Plymouth, ID. The plant is a Blue Sky production facility with the potential to produce up to 20 gallons of biodiesel a minute or 10 million gallons per year.

Paul Mann is the current general manager of the first Idaho biodiesel plant which is now running at part-time capacity. He welcomed us and gave us a short introduction about the chemistry of biodiesel. The standard formula is for every 100 grams of oil, there is 20 grams methanol plus a catalyst that makes up a hydroxide that equals about 25% of the oil. Once the transesterification occurs, 90% of the volume is biodiesel and the remaining 10% is glycerine. Anyone can make biodiesel, but the plant uses a process without water. Instead of water, b-10 resin beads capture the soaps and glycerine. 

 Paul Mann is trying to buy the plant with an associate continue operations since the plant has been rebuilt after an incident disrupted development several years ago.  The plant provides jobs for the community and tax revenue for the local economy.

Homegrown Poultry

After our biodiesel production facility tour we had an impromptu local poultry processing tour. HomeGrown Poultry prides itself on being the first state-approved poultry and rabbit processor in the state of Idaho, and one of three in the northwest. Janie Burns and Jack Kleeb co-own the business. They started up Homegrown Poultry because they are advocates of organic, sustainable, humane animal raising, and realized that the meat that Idahoans demanded had to be processed somewhere. If they didn't start up the local processing facility the likelihood of the mistreatment of these well raised birds was pretty high. Most of their fowl processed comes from 20-30 miles away. They reserve the right to turn away prospective customers if they are kicking around their birds, but have only had to do that twice in 6 years. They compost all of the waste products, (blood, feathers, innards), on Janie's farm, the Meadow Lark Farm.
When redesigning their building they took into consideration all of the green features they could integrate. This included passive solar, swamp cooling and R44 insulation.
Janie left us on a good note with regards to all types of sustainable systems and projects stating, "We are all cogs, and we interface where the gears are. We can't do it by ourselves, and that is why your [networking] work is so important".

Boise Farmers Market

Welcome to the Capital City Public Market of Boise, Idaho. The Market is an on-going, centrally located gathering place where local farmers and producers can sell their products to community residents and visitors. The Market upholds the age-old tradition of allowing the consumer to meet the producer while encouraging the production and consumption of agricultural products in the Treasure Valley. Maintaining a diverse mix of products offered for sale at the Market will provide direct marketing opportunities for growers, specialty food vendors, and artisan vendors alike. The Market is more than just a place of business, it is a mutually beneficial and sustainable community activity.

The vegetable scent and color of the bus blended in with the fresh organic produce at the market. A collective of interesting folk felt the pull of the homegrownprosperity magnet, stopping by to discuss the need for a more sustainable future. Walt, a local city and university coordinator, was interested in the hands-on demonstrations we had at the bus. He believed the role of the bus to be valuable especially in lesser populated communities.  The wind for schools program he is involved with promotes energy independence.  We came across multiple examples of this model in North Dakota and South Dakota as well. 

Once again, the biodiesel demonstration attracted several interested folks who were already producing their own biodiesel or were planning on retrofitting their engines to run on waste vegetable oil.  We were able to offer advice for streamlining the process by referencing the myriad of others pursuing the same process on our renewable energy tour.

Local food was the real flavor of the market.  Farmers from around the region offered a variety of produce and local goods. Many boasted the heralded 'organic certification', while others had placards of 'locally grown, fresh, chemical free'.  The issue of organic certification became evident as several farmers reiterated the expenses, time, and hurdles of meeting and maintaining the certification.  With our bellies full of local fruits and veggies, we headed to the river for a float on the Boise River before heading to Oregon.

Boise Co-op

Our big green school bus took over the Boise Co-op parking lot. The co-op has wonderful local foods, a full deli, and a nice atmosphere, making the crew feel right at home. Though Friday evening is a busy time at the co-op, members, local shoppers and workers were quite receptive and interested in our bus and all the info we had to share with them. We were pleasantly surprised to meet and talk with a large number of young people who in a variety of ways working toward leading sustainable lives. It was exciting and inspiring to hear about their hopes and the actions they are taking to make them a reality. Our time at the co-op allowed us to learn a bit more about young folks wanting to make a difference from and in an urban setting. We also realized that Idaho is a small place as we were able to make a neat connection between Grace Horowitz, a co-op worker and some of the geothermal heated farms we had visited the day prior. After a great conversation about the importance of local foods and initiates taken in Idaho like Idaho's bounty, we realized that we had visited Grace's mother farm, full of citrus and fig trees. These small connections allow us to understand the importance behind organizing and outreach and energize us to continue onward with Idaho and the rest of the tour.

Wind to Hydrogen

Synthetic Energy, Inc. is a wind to hydrogen power facility run by Craig Hanes, just outside of Boise. They have two wind turbines that each produce a peak of 50 KW, providing 25% of the facility's power. The power running to the building makes electrolysis of the water possible, separating the oxygen from the hydrogen. After the hydrogen is separated, it is piped to a holding tank on the back of a Norco truck. It is used for multiple purposes, including argon gas and electric motor coolant. The facility produces 232 cubic feet of H2 per hour (there are 7.8 gallons in one cubic foot).

Gooding County Parade and Fair

Gooding County celebrated it's 100th birthday in style. Parade participants ranged from cowboys on horseback, to families on covered wagons, to Smokey the Bear and of course, the Green Bus. As in all parades thus far this summer, children and their parents line the streets eagerly waiting for the next float and all the surprises and candy this may bring along. Parades are exciting to see and be in. This parade was particularly exciting for the crew as we realized that it was our last one this summer, therefore we decided to bid farewells to parades in style. Laura rode through the streets in an electric moped owned by Dean Richardson of Dargreen Power, a local renewable energy business entrepreneur. Chelsea sat on the roof of the bus and tossed candy to multiple little hands as they waved desperately and anxiously. Derek also from the roof, displayed his fire spinning moves awing our audience, and Jeff tooted and tooted and from the driver's seat.

The hour and a half of fun down Main St. lead us to the Gooding County Fairgrounds. At the Fairgrounds the crew was joined by Dean Richardson owner of Dargreen Power. Dean brought his mopeds, a wind-turbine model as well as a wealth of information about solar and wind installation and renewable energy policy here in Idaho. The crew also met some former Missoulians in the beginning stages setting up a biodiesel co-op in the area as well as a plethora of folks interested in using and becoming involved in biodiesel production. As the Fairground rides light up, the rodeo was full swing, and the air was overpowered by the smell of Kettlecorn, the Bus bid Gooding and parades farewell.

Happy Birthday Gooding and Thank you for inviting us to your Party!

Beyond Organic

Garden green in the middle of January? Citrus and figs all year-round in Idaho? Hot springs, artesian wells and a committed network of farmers make this possible. James and his family enthusiastically welcomed us into their world, full of surprises and hope. Heated soaking pools, complex vegetable gardens, geothermally heated greenhouses full of flowers, plants, mirrors and hammocks; their place is beautiful chaos. James, his family and friends have cultivated this rich, tucked-away land as well as a vibrant community of friends and neighbors who work to maintain and sustain t

his special place. James and many of his neighbors sell their produce and meats through Idaho's Bounty.

Idaho's Bounty is an online food market and now bi-monthly food drop off in Buhl, Hailey and Ketchum. Idaho's Bounty aims to support local residents and farmers by providing a cost and environmentally effective way to buy and sell locally produced, fresh products. Though many of Idaho's Bounty producers are certified organic, sustainable, small non-certified organic farmers are also supported. The emphasis on local is evident within this small-scale project, where food quality and freshness, sustainability, stewardship, and community all come before a certification label. The research, experience and dedication of this community of farmers inspired us.

Meeting neighbors and friends of differing ages, backgrounds, and religious philosophies working toward a common goal was humbling and exciting. We met Glen, an 80-year old vegan Mennonite whose melons and sprouted bread were as plentiful as his asparagus plants. Glen, however, remarked that he was not a part of Idaho's Bounty since this organization received government sponsored grants. We peeked in a couple of neighboring greenhouses full of citrus trees, guavas, and figs. We also met some young people, including James' son, Ian who is working on biodynamic and permaculture principles in his garden as he ventures into growing amaranth and tobacco plants intermingled with peach and plum trees.

A beautiful field of yellow sunflowers of all sizes and shapes, all standing tall and proud against the bright blue sky was our last view of this place; a very appropriate view. The beauty, natural geography as well the personal and collective commitment make this place unique. Successes like Idaho's Bounty as well as the intention of building biodynamic center in the area are exciting for us. We feel hopeful to know that this place exists, to know that there is a large commitment behind it, and to know that this force will continue to grow.

Buhl, ID

Buhl, Idaho is revered as the trout capital of the country.  The local farmers market brought together an eclectic mix of the community. We answered questions about biodiesel and the  many benefits associated with this alternative fuel that enables people to become independent from the clutches of our fossil fuel economy. Unfortunately, a biodiesel plant was being developed in Buhl before the funding fell short and stalled this development.

Despite the failure of the plant, this small community appears to be primed for the establishment of a small-scale biodiesel coop. The rising cost of fuel is motivating citizens to play a few cards of their own.  Ray told us about his plans to convert waste vegetable oil to biodiesel. He also mentioned his stake in managing land where canola is grown. Others speak of an interest in contributing to the biodiesel movement in order to help produce a fuel source to replace their dependence on the oil and gas industry. With a rural agricultural demographic, Buhl should benefit from this momentum if the pieces are put together.  Go Biodiesel!

Betty Sifler's Solar Home

Betty Slifer, a long time member of the Idaho Rural Council, has her nine Day Four Solar Panels corralled in her back yard so that the horses don't get at them. Dean Richardson, of Dargreen Power Systems, met us at Betty's place in Filer, ID to tell us about her 1500 watt solar system. Dean installed the panels about a year ago for under $14,000. For the energy needs of the 100 year old house, the solar system provides half of the energy needed in the peak times of electricity use (mid summer and mid winter), and 100 percent in the more mild spring and fall. So far, Betty is very pleased with the panels, and says that their angle only has to be adjusted twice a year: 36-37 degrees in the summer and 41-42 degrees in the winter. For any Idaho solar installation there are state and federal incentives. From the state, you can receive up to $20,000 over 4 years, and at the federal level there is a $2,000 tax credit. To find out about your state's state and federal incentives for renewable energy projects, visit www.dsireusa.org

Farmer's Market and Ketch'em Alive! Ketchum, ID

After driving from the City of Rocks (huge international rock climbing destination) and having an interview with a local news station the biodiesel bus pulled into Ketchum, ID for another fun event. This forward thinking resort town puts on great community events in a place where most buildings stand at least two stories tall and pedestrians can walk most of the town. We planned two events for this place - the farmer's market and Ketch'em Alive!



The bus arrived on the edge of the farmer's market and set up around 3:00 pm. People quickly began approaching the bus and telling us about their ideas. One lady we met wants to start a mobile bakery and kitchen that uses no fossil fuels. We also met another guy who ran his truck completely off vegetable oil. After talking with some locals, we also found out that a place just south of Ketchum - Haley, offered B99. After speaking with 30 people or so, we packed up for a couple of hours and learned about local issues from Adam Bohrer. We also moved the bus to our next destination, outside a small town square and met up with his mother.

After eating some great food Adam prepared and learning some about the community, we rode our bikes back down the bus and began to set up. A band from San Francisco, Aphrodesia, would play soon and we wanted to get set up before the opening act started. Before we had set up completely people approached the bus asking us about what we were doing. We talked with people from all over the United States and some involved with the city. Overall we talked with about 70 people or so, including members from the band, and stayed set up until the final song of the main act.

This little community really knows how to pull community together. With all the people we met and talked with, perhaps some of this community involvement with carry over into the renewable energy sector.

U.S. Geothermal Facitly near Malta, ID

After leaving the City Rocks in southern Idaho - where Jeff and Laura tried rock climbing for their first time at the internationally acclaimed destination for climbers - the crew drove 45 minutes down a dirt road to meet with the local organizer, Rich Carlson, and some Idaho Rural Council members at the northwestern United States' first geothermal plant. Finished in 2006, the facility can legally produce up to 11 megawatts of power within the closed loop system.

The place lies in a unique geologic region. The area contains both hot and cold water aquifers. With these resources, the plant uses the hot water to turn the turbines and the cold water to cool the water before returning the used water to the ground, where the facility will again use the water in a future date. The plant draws the hot water from nearly a mile under ground and pipelines run a quarter mile or more to deliver and return water to and from the production facility. The varied temperatures of water and outside temps cause the pipelines to expand and contract up to 5 feet, so the pipes do not go directly to the plant; the pipes make many 90 deg and 70 deg turns along the way to the plant.



The facility continues to expand and the production limits continue to increase. Even now, the plant could produce more power than 11 MW, but the laws and Idaho Electric hold the production levels back. Evidentially, Idaho Electric gets most of their electricity really cheap because they produce their own power. Purchasing from another party increases the price. Idaho Electric purchases the geothermal power only because laws dictate that electricity companies must buy a certain percentage of clean power. This plant falls under the category of clean energy, along with many others, and if the laws stay in favor of green energy - companies will continue to produce more and more. Without the mandates, nobody can no how long the market will take to introduce clean power.

Chipeta Elementary Builds Green

Today we gathered in front of the Chipeta Elementary School in Grand Junction, CO for a very special ceremony. On this day, community members, teachers, the principal, construction workers and a sustainability team were recognized for coming together and making a long needed change in the building process of a very important place . . . a school where many children in Grand Junction will spend a good part of their days. They pursued LEED certification, though there was resistance at first due to the cost of the certification. In the long run, all involved are pleased that the LEED certification was followed through with, and community members are waiting to see if the school will be rated silver or gold under LEED standards.

Though the kids attending Chipeta may not recognize the significance of this step with the construction of their new building, they will be more alert during classes from the increased fresh air flow in the building as well as healthier overall surrounded by building materials that do not release toxic gases over time, as many traditional materials do.




It was an honor to have Rolland McCool present at the event to congradulate all involved in the planning of Chipeta Elementary, named for his great grandmother Chipeta of the Ute tribe. He was pleased to see that his tribe's values of using only what we need of the natural resources available was being considered in the community.

Above: Rolland McCool and Frank Smith, organizer of WCC.

Grand Junction Farmer's Market

Whose streets? Our streets! 

Every Thursday Night, Grand Junction's Main Street undergoes a magical transformation. The busy downtown street, normally full of cars, shops and cafes becomes an entertaining outdoor market. As if in celebration of public space, people and pets go to and fro amongst the tents  and stands. Palisade peaches, melons, corn, plums, green chile burritos, roasted almonds, field tomatoes, lettuce, flowers, radishes, basil, green beans, beets, apricots, jams & honey, homemade fudge, cantaloupe, squash, zucchini, cucumber, peppers intermingle with jugglers, musicians and local artists along the street. The area's understanding and appreciation for local foods can be clearly seen. "We've got peach pride" claimed the grower at Aleida's stand, "tomato pride too... and melon pride too!" exclaimed his neighbor, another local grower, who loves the market so much he dresses up in colorful shirts and suspenders and sports a straw hat decorated with bright fake flowers! 

Our big green bus added to the festive atmosphere as we parked ourselves in the middle of the street attracting people from all walks of life; from open minded young men working in oil rigs, to nurses wanting to turn the blood mobile to biodiesel, to visitors passing by Grand Junction, to long-time, community oriented residents. The bus was joined by some of these committed residents, including Peggy Rawlings, WCC board member and a group of ladies from the League of Women Voters who handed out mini cloth bags to remind folks to bring a larger version to their shopping. Support for renewable energy was palpable at the market. Interest and support was not only demonstrated by the kind reception that we received by folks visiting the bus, but also in the kind of booths that we found while walking around like  WECAN, student group of the Western Colorado Congress (WCC) and  High Noon Solar, a solar energy business who strides to get solar panels on the roofs of Grand Junction and aims to teach residents what they can do about renewable energy legislation in CO.

The enthusiasm and support the bus received from the street energized the crew to continue taking over streets, fairs and parades here in Colorado as well in upcoming Idaho and Oregon. The crew can also firmly state that Palisade peaches are the best we've ever tasted and we feel lucky to have shared the streets with so many of them!

Ridgway Farmers Market

From May through September, Ridgway hosts a Sunday Farmers Market, popular with locals from a four-county area who come together for locally-grown fresh fruits, vegetables, pastries, and community resources oriented toward local issues.

A steady stream of foodies stopped by to chat and hear about the mission of the Homegrown Prosperity bus tour. Farmers markets have been a great way for the bus crew to connect with local residents this summer. Local, healthy food is one of the umbrella issues that everyone can understand. Those seeking a healthy diet and community are already on board advocating renewable energies. The message of the green bus offers an opportunity to empower an exchange of ideas and experiences that may otherwise stand idle.

Marie and William of the Indian Ridge Farm and Bakery were excited about the challenges of growing fruit and produce in a challenging climate. Marie declared, “the harvest is more rewarding here compared to our home in North Carolina.” John and RoseMary from Ridgway were fascinated to hear that oilseed crops could be grown on marginal lands where moisture is limited. John suggested there should be a map created to identify suitable lands where camelina and other oilseed crops could be effectively grown. Frank, a resident of the San Juans, supported our frustration over the confusion between biodiesel and ethanol. “The surge in ethanol production is death for the cattle business,” cried the third generation cattle rancher. While the price of corn has increased from way below the cost of production, the major variable in the higher cost is the inflated cost of a barrel of oil.

Our big green bus was positioned next to Scott and Sheelagh Williams from the Ridgway-Ouray Community Council www.roccnet.org. They were a hotspot for local activists concerned about preserving the pristine wilderness areas of Ouray County. ROCC is working to get local support for the proposed Whitehouse Expansion of the Mt. Sneffels Wilderness Area. The area under consideration consists of approximately 16,000 acres north and east of Mount Sneffels and is already managed as “wilderness” by the US Forest Service. Federal legislation designating this area as Wilderness will provide permanent protection of this incredible land valued by Colorado locals and tourists. Over 20 people wrote personalized letters to the local Congressman asking for expansion of the Sneffels Wilderness area in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado.

After writing our letters to Congressman Salazar, the bus crew took a couple of days for field research up in the Blue Lakes area and summitted Mt. Sneffels. We can personally attest for the importance of expanding the wilderness boundary that will keep this area free from roads and development. Photos of the trip can be seen in our pictures section.

Olathe Sweet Corn Festival

We pulled into Olathe to park the bus the night before the Sweet Corn Festival. While searching for the festival grounds, the sudden appearance of all the tents, vendors, rides, and look of a huge event shocked us all. We pulled into the grounds, parked the bus, and met a local member, Kevin Williams. We were going to stay with him and his wife.

The following morning we went back to the bus and began to set up for the event which started at 8:30am. Soon after we arrived local members showed up to volunteer at the table, including a member who owns a solar energy place called High Noon Solar - www.highnoonsolar.com. We set the bus up near the free corn booths and people began stopping by the bus early and continued all day.

We spoke with many people, including some who worked in the natural gas industry. Most of these people in the resource extraction industry agreed with the message of the bus and some signed our Call to Action. One gentleman did not agree that humans cause climate change; after some discussion he walked away with more insight into the fact that the climate scientists agree that humans cause climate change with the emission of green house gases.

At the end of the day, and many ears of corn later, the bus shut down at around 8:00pm. We spoke with hundreds of people at the largest event the bus tabled to date (the local paper reported 18,000 at the event from all over the world). About an hour after shutting down shop, Travis Tritt came onto the stage and played some original songs and covered some other artist's music - including Stevie Ray Vaughn and Johnny Cash. This event rocked and it's not wonder people traveled from Georgia and Japan to partake in the eating of some of the best corn in the world!

Garfield County Fair

There were about 20 vendors setting up for the annual county fair in Garfield County, CO. Horses in the ring and sun shining brightly, Frank Smith from Western Colorado Congress (WCC) set up his table on the impacts of Oil Shale development on the west slope. A few people stopped by to see what was going on at the bus, including three very interested kids who learned what renewable energies are, fabricated great wind turbine blades, and put together a hydrogen powered car compliments of Kid Wind. The car didn’t quite finish the electrolysis process, but luckily the kids came to join us once again at the Sweet Corn Festival to get it working. It was great to see the power of the wind, water, and the children that will continue to live in this world.

National Renwable Energy Lab

In Golden Colorado we were given the honor to tour the National Renewable Energy Lab with NOA's very own Sandy MacDonald, creator of Science on a Sphere. Jim Bosch (NREL) was our energetic tour guide, and started us in the visitor's center with the brand new Science on a Sphere exhibit that Sandy himself presented to us. He had the idea to project various aspects of the latest climate models on a sphere one day driving home from work. From The satelite images of lights at night, to wind and solar forcasts, to global photosynthesis, to carbon sources and sinks, to the world oil flow and more, the spherical rendition put all of these findings into a whole new and more understandable perspective.

From there we traveled up to the solar mesa overlooking the entire facility and city. This is where the solar radiation research is taking place from Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) with solar troughs, to a high Flux Solar Furnace the primary goal of the research up here is to displace conventional fuels in an industrial sense, using more renewable energy sources such as the sun. We ventured to the solar deck where a plethora of space age looking instruments worked to measure the solar forecast. Without some sort of a solar forecast, utilities are not interested in using solar for economic reasons. They are interested in watts/m2, and that is precisely what NREL is measuring. Other research taking place at NREL includes photo voltaic research on the atomic level, growing polycrystalline for solar energy use, wind technology, pressed biomass as building material, and more. All of the areas pursued keep the three E's in mind . . . Environment, Economy and Energy Security.

Rapid City Farmer's Market

Rapid City's Saturday morning Farmer's Market is a festive place which attracts a variety of community members. Local growers and local shoppers alike welcomed our bus as we joined the booths at the Market. Local area growers were excited about DRA's enthusiasm and commitment to local foods as we handed them South Dakota Local Foods Directories. We were extremely excited to hear stories from old timers like the Cottonwood Farm folks, who at 80 have been growing and selling produce for over 50 years and will continue until they no longer can, or younger folks who are new to the area and are looking into hoop houses to begin growing in the area and selling at the Market. Their stories and continued enthusiasm demonstrate that there is support and much potential for local foods in the Rapid City area. 

In addition to interest in local foods, we met folks with interests and personal experience in green building practices, and renewable energy and efficiency as whole. Most exciting of all  was seeing our organizing and outreach abilities put into practice as we met some people working on biodiesel who were able to connect with one another as a result of the bus.

Sturgis, South Dakota

Sturgis is a conservative town of about 7,000 people nestled up in the Black Hills of South Dakota. We arrived about 10 days before the 68^th annual motorcycle rally that will bring in about 500,000 enthusiasts from around the country. We set up the green bus amidst a sea of pre-preparations going on in the downtown area.

It didn’t take long before interested folks stopped by to see what the green bus was all about. One guy was really excited to share the story of his first two batches of home-brewed biodiesel. We troubled-shot some of his issues about breaking emulsions and linked him up with some good biofuel resources from the bus.

When planning our South Dakota events, we expected to buy some biodiesel in Sturgis.  Unfortunately, the local Cenex was not carrying the fuel this year. Less Star, local sales manager from Cenex, stopped by to visit us at the bus. He loves the “soy diesel” and his customers do too. Used on the farm and in the trucks, the Cenex B2 and B5 Ruby Fieldmaster adds power and lubricity to engine performance. Unfortunately, the increased price of soy and transportation costs has the local stores out of the biodiesel market this year.  Less believes either a local source or rail transportation could keep prices down and promote a local source for biodiesel in western South Dakota.  

 

Wind Turbine Interview with Gary Cammack

Interview with Gary Cammack

Interviewer: Chelsea Hummon

Background:

The bus crew is at Cammack Ranch Supply in Union Center SD because they carry small scale wind turbines from Skystream Energy. They have had two turbines installed to supplement their energy supply for about 18 months now.

Q: How many KW are the two turbines outside capable of producing?

A: They are capable of producing 2,500 KW/month a piece, but are currently at 400-600KW/month. The lower output is due to regulatory issues.

Q: Why are the turbines governed?

A: There were originally safety concerns with the generators producing over 600KW/month. Since then the UL has done research proving otherwise. In addition to safety, it was easier for Skystream to get them on the market at the lower output and change them from there. So, currently they are waiting for the green light from regulator organization to change the software for a higher output.

Q: How much of the power to Cammack Ranch Supply is from the wind turbines?

A: Currently those turbines are powering about 1/3 of the total power used for the buildings, with between 600 and 1200 KW/ month combined.

Q: Have there been any noise complaints concerning the spinning of the turbine blades?

A: No, there have been no comments from customers.

Q: How high does the wind speed get before the turbines lock up?

A: They lock up around 50-60 mph, but they have made it through a couple of 70-80 mph wind storms. The survival speed is 140 mph.

Q: Are the skystream energy windturbines popular here?

A: I’ve sold two or three of them this year.

Q: Do you recommend them to everyone?

A: I recommend that folks wait for the software changes that are in the works so that the energy output is greater. But, if a household wants to use one of these as is, it would supply just about enough energy to power an average home.

Q: What one thing would you like to see happen in SD and/or nationally to encourage locally owned wind?

A: I would like to see a national power grid so that all of this energy can get on the grid, but even without it people can use it at their own homes.

The Winds of Change

On our way to Cammack Ranch Supply in Union Center we passed through Highmore and headed due south. It became apparent to us that the times are changing with regards to our energy supply as we approached yet another wind project about 10 miles out of Highmore, SD. It was beautiful to see the wheat field waving at the base of the first turbine we approached, leading our gazes towards a vegetable garden and then out to pasture for the cattle. It is great to see farming and ranching taking place around the projects.

At the small interpretive set up across the street from the sub station collecting the windy power, there was a statement about the Basin Electric Co. customers requesting renewable energy. This is a good indication that the phone calls coming from energy consumers to their power providers asking for renewables is making a difference, and shouldn’t cease.

Though it isn’t a locally owned project, it is still benefiting the surrounding community by paying landowners a set amount per turbine per year. As we move forward in reaching energy independence I hope and expect to see the legislation require a certain percentage of new projects to be locally owned. Locally owned projects bring five times the return back into the community than out of state owned projects such as Florida Power and Light. A good community/locally owned wind resource is www.windustry.org

Ice Cream Social and BBQ in Faulkton, SD

We are proud to say that our big green bus livened up Faulkton's sleepy city Park on Monday afternoon. The Bus itself, our demos, and of course the delicious SDSU ice cream attracted many passersby, including many local kids en-route to the public swimming pool nearby. DRA's Amanda and Faulkton native, Braden dished out ice cream as well as some info on local issues that DRA is working on. Many DRA members showed their support and enthusiasm for the bus tour and joined us for the event. Their interest for renewable energy and sustainable biofuels, biodiesel in particular encouraged the crew and generated interest and further discussion among passersby. 

The Ice Cream social quickly turned into a festive BBQ where local grass-fed beef from Cliff Millsapps' farm was served. Many local residents with a wide-range of interests joined us for the event, ranging from the Girl Scouts leader who wants to get the girls involved in local environmental issues, to the Agriculture Co-op leader who is interested in community scale agriculture as well as in biodiesel. 

We were also joined by Nick Nemec, South Dakota State Senate hopeful. Nick is deeply committed to promoting renewable energy alternatives in South Dakota and was very interested in the bus tour. 

We really enjoyed spending a lazy summer day with folks from Faulkton and the surrounding areas, who were so receptive and welcoming.

Lake Preston, SD - Kingsbury Klassic Kruiser Car Show

So, the big green bus rolled into yet another town.  This time the bus pulled in amongst many hotrod and classic cars.  The community closed off the main street to the 700 person town to host owners of cars from a '54  Bel Air to a '07 Corvette and everything in between and even older. Cars lined the street three wide for three blocks.

At the far south end of the street, we parked the bus.  A little toward the end of the line, people still came down to the biodiesel bus to find out what we were all about.  We talked with people from the community and others from different parts.  Many of those we spoke with showed interest in biodiesel and the local member group, Dakota Rural Action .

We stayed at the event for 4 hours and talked with about 40 different people.  As the show ended, promptly at 3:00pm, we began to hear cars start and the engines rev.  One-by-one the participants rolled out of town, some leaving a trail of rubber on the ground and a cloud of black smoke in the air.  After the last car left, the big green bus pulled out of town toward Huron, where the crew stayed that night.  

Brookings, SD- Farmer's Market and Evening Events

 The Bus rolled into Brookings early in the morning to meet up with DRA members and staff for breakfast at the Cottonwood Bistro, co-owned by DRA Chair, Jacob. Jacob was busy at the Brookings Farmer's Market selling veggies from his own nearby farm, Glacial Till. To learn a bit more about Jacob, check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvt1u1y-dqc.

Jacob's enthusiasm for food and community set the tone for the rest of our day as we headed to the Brookings Farmer's Market. At the Market we were able to talk to many of the local growers as well as avid Market shoppers about the importance of local foods in places like Brookings. These conversations were sparked and/or complemented by the DRA's Local Food's Directory Handbook, www.dakotarural.org which the crew, Silvia, Amanda and Braden distributed widely at the Market. The Market coordinator told me that they are always looking for ways to expand, both by getting new growers interested in selling at the Market as well as in diversifying and expanding the number of shoppers. Currently, the Market hosts about 15 stands selling flowers, produce, honey, grass-fed beef, buffalo jerky, and homemade potato baking bags to name a few. At the Market the crew and our local hosts invited many folks to our evening events, BBQ and outdoor screening of 'A Snowmobile for George'.

The evening events brought forth many interested and interesting folks. Many of them familiar with DRA and/or interested in sustainable renewable energy issues. The intimate event allowed us to get to know these community members a little bit better and become inspired by many of them including a professor going to Russia on a Fulbright Scholarship to teach about rural sociology, a person working in maintenance and mechanics of small wind operations, local ranchers and growers, and a young couple making it as entrepreneurs and farmers (see video clip, to be posted at a later date).

We hope that Brookings, our first stop in South Dakota, will set the tone for the rest of our stay here in ranching and farming country and that we may continue to hear stories about the land and people who are living with and off of it.

Fargo Street Fair

The bus was beckoned to raise a green flag for sustainability at the downtown Street Fair in Fargo, ND. Set up outside Island Park Cycles within the ‘green acre’, we were met with an enthusiastic crowd hungry for a sustainable future. As usual, the beneficial facets of biodiesel were a big hit. Several farmers expressed a need and desire for small-scale biodiesel production. Lowell from Idaho has been using vegetable oilseeds for biodiesel since the early 80’s. We received praise and encouragement from our visitors who were inspired by our message and jealous of our summer travels on the bus. We passed out business cards with an invitation to check out WORC and follow the adventures of the bus this summer.

We started off the second day of the street fair with a tour of the biofuel research facility at the NDSU Agricultural Extension Office. This tour provided a background on the basics of the local and current research being done on biodiesel and ethanol. It was great being able to refer people from the bus to Lynn Wolf and Betty Steiglitz of South Agassiz Resource Council ‘SARC’. They fielded questions and gathered names to support more local foods in schools and nursing homes in the area. The local bike coop set to work tuning bikes and spreading the good word of sustainable transportation. The city bus rolled up next to us running on a twenty percent blend of biodiesel and a living roof company provided a bit of vegetation for the green-themed assortment of folks outside the bike shop. We bid farewell to Fargo after two of our busiest days this summer. The crew extends gratitude to the Kanwischer family, Chris and Amy, and Lynn/Betty for their hospitality and support in Fargo-Moorhead.

Grand Forks, Sustainability Fair

The sustainability fair in Grand Forks pulled amazing community members out of the woodwork. From the start, an electric car pulled up to join us, hanging out for the majority of the day. Members from the local food co-op, the student body president from NDSU, Mayor Brown and Pete Haga all attended. Pete was really excited about the prospect of a glass crusher in the city of Grand Forks to offset a bit of the landfill issues. Amoung the attendees, an employee of a local biofuels magazine called BBI stoped by, and Will Kusler from The Dakota Foundation who works in funding renewable energy projects in North Dakota came to join us on both days.

Lynn Wolf, an organizer for the Dakota Resource Council (DRC) was introduced to lots of folks talking about the land fill issue in Grand Forks, which is what DRC has recently worked around in the Grand Forks Area. The local non-profit group organizing around local issues is the Grand Forks Citizens Council Coalition - GFC3, and they are currently looking for a site for a new landfill. Beyond the landfill, Lynn talked with community members and realized that there are many people wanting to organize around local foods, creating a community garden and a CSA. To fit right in with that, the mayor's Green Grand Forks council doesn't currently have a local foods component in their layout for a greener city. . . that could be a perfect spot to get a local foods campaign running.

Another conversation worth mentioning is one of a small wind turbine(s) on the roof of one or more of the UND buildings to suplement their power usage. Tyrone, the student body president at UND, is looking into the possibility and is in contact with Will Kusler, who may be able to stear him in the right direction. Some exciting things are budding in Grand Forks, ND.

We had donations from the Dakota Harvest Bakery, Amazing Grains, Pourpoura and Waste Management for a drawing from the names of those who had signed our Call to Action for a Renewable Energy Future.

On Your Marks, Get Set, Race... Turtles that Is.

We left Gene Wirtz’s house and drove 20 miles to Turtle Lake for the Turtle Day parade. Less than 500 people live in Turtle Lake, but the length of the line competed with those of towns and cities much larger – including the Billings, MT St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Fire trucks, churches, and even a local band went through the town’s center.

We entered the Biodiesel Bus in the parade and ended up toward the center of the line. In addition to the four crew members, Gene’s son – Jeremy, Chelsea’s boyfriend – Jason(DRC Member), and two of the wonderful DRC Staff we met in Bismarck joined us – Mary Mitchell and Marie Hoff. We blasted the John Smillie’s Biodiesel song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtvS8dJqtvU&feature=related) – this time we hooked up the front bullhorn as well as the side speakers – and rolled through the parade.

After the event, we parked near the location of the Turtle races. The wind whipped over 40 mph, but we still met some amazing people into renewable energy. We met a gentleman who brews his own fuel – from French fry grease – and a farmer who wants to get off the grid. We also watched the Turtle Races. Overall, this event went well.

Urban Harvest, Bismarck, ND

GO LOCAL! Local foods, local arts and crafts, local produce, local music and local street theater filled the streets of downtown Bismarck on the opening day of the 4^th annual Urban Harvest. The Urban Harvest is a  six week open air market  whose goal is revitalize the local economy while building community. The all day celebration attracts many friendly folks who enjoy engaging in conversations about renewable energy and don’t mind taking a couple of minutes to listen to a presentation about the importance of local foods.  Through there was a lot of movement while the presentation on local foods was going on, we were able to meet some interesting people and sparked some great one on one conversations as we walked around the market. Mary Mitchell of the Missouri Valley Resource Council as well as Marie Hoff and other members  joined us for the day at Urban Harvest and we were able to hand out over 200 recycling brochures, a key issue that MVRC is working on.  As the North Dakota winds  started to howl and the sky turned darker, the market came to an early close. It was, however, a successful first market day for all. 

Assumption Abbey - Richardton, ND

Rolling up to the Assumption Abbey, the view just took my breath away. Father Terrance, a long time board member of the Dakota Resource Council, greeted us in. The Monks welcomed us with a dinner and joined us in front of the chapel for a presentation on the Renewable Energy Bus Tour and locally owned wind. Sister Paula joined us on behalf of the local wind project at the monastery. It was quite an event, with about 30 people in the audience and a dynamic discussion following the presentation. We learned about a proposed wind project near to the Abbey, and had some great questions asked about wind development and weather patterns.

The next morning we visited sister Paula for a closer look at the 10 year running wind project at the monastery. She was kind enough to do an interview about the process, successes and obstacles of pursuing a locally owned wind project, (check back soon for footage of the interview). At the base of the two 100 KW wind turbines the llamas were roaming, which are raised on pasture and their fur is used by the nuns to spin wool and knit beautiful garments.

4th of July Pow Wow

The 4th of July Pow Wow, held 3 miles south of Lame Deer, MT, is the largest pow-wow held on the Northern Cheyenne reservation. The Native American Pow Wow is the people’s way of meeting together, dancing, singing, and visiting to celebrate old traditions and preserve a rich heritage.

Traditional costumes, drumming, singing, and dancing set the colorful atmosphere around us where we all felt very fortunate to interact and mingle amongst the festivities.
The green bus attracted a diverse group of event participants and observers. The main issues we addressed were energy, biofuels, and green building.

Also present at the PowWow was a university group from Penn State working locally to enhance sustainable building practices on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. The students and faculty from Penn State Native American Housing Initiative are exploring straw bale building and affordable green designs to promote sustainable housing solutions for low-income areas. The building initiative can be visited at www.engr.psu.edu/greenbuild.

4th of July in Glendive, Montana

We left Miles City around 7:00am in order to arrive in Glendive in time for the parade which started at 9:00am. When we pulled into Glendive, Amy Hoff – a member and ex-chair of Dawson Resource Council (DRC) met us at a car wash on the edge of town. After ensuring the bus sparkled, we purchased some breakfast foods from a locally owned super market and then drove to the part of town where the parade would take place.

Amy rode on the bus and directed us to the line for the event. Derek lined up the bus behind an old car. Pretty soon old-school tractors and 70 year old farmers surrounded the bus, while waiting for the line to move. Dennis Getz, an individual running for office in MT House District 38 came aboard the bus and talked about his interest in biodiesel. He said farmers in the region grew camelina the past year, but needed more harvests to get through the learning curve.

Shortly after he departed us, the line began to move. The line converged from three different points into one line half a block in front of the bus. We watched many different floats pass in front of us, including political floats (Republican and Democrat), Coke, local wrecker services, old cars and tractors, and many other types of floats. Derek drove the bus, Chelsea and Amy walked with the banner, Jeff rode his bike with the sun face Teresa Ericson made, and Laura walked and handed out candy.

The parade lasted through the entire main street of Glendive. The street went on for about 6 blocks and 15 – 20 minutes. During the parade, kids, parents, friends, young, and old people lined the street. Children raced to the street for each bit of candy thrown and people smiled and waved at the bus. People really seemed to like the bus.

After the parade, we parked and tabled in a parking lot at the end of the street. We pulled out the LCD TV and ran through our general slide show. At this tabling the local broadcast (TV) reporter arrived spoke with Laura about the logistics of the bus and Amy about local issues.

Later in the day, after visiting with Bruce Smith on local foods (we have a dedicated post to this experience), we went to Amy’s house. She offered to take us up to Makoshika State Park. She said she joined DRC to protect the park. Evidentially, the BLM leased the minerals under the badland area for oil and gas development. Amy could not see her favorite park destroyed from industry. She and the group successfully held of development to current day.

Laura and Jeff decided to go to the park with her, while Derek and Chelsea stayed back at her home (on the 100 degree day) to work. Amy took the two who went with her to her favorite spots in the park. The badlands really made a person think about the concept of time. On the side of the hills, the different layers of strata colored the hillsides in a horizontal array of grays, reds, and yellows. The place certainly would look different and take away from the “Lewis and Clark” feeling a person gets while in the park. Visiting this fabulous area really gave an appreciation for her and the work of all those involved. The park also brought home one of the many reasons we promote renewable energy and efficiency.

Overall, the Glendive event went well. And to top off a fabulous July 4^th with the parade, idea sharing, and park visit, Alvin and Dena Hoff invited us to their house where we stayed in their cabin (without electricity or plumbing) near the river. The two treated us extremely well and we got to meet their border collie and eat blue-corn pancakes for breakfast.