Anoka-Ramsey Community College and Ever Cat Fuels, LLC., both located in Minnesota, have teamed up to encourage land owners to plant Energy Crops- The SUSTAINABLE way to produce Biodiesel.

 

Anoka-Ramsey Community College and Ever Cat Fuels, LLC.

Double-Cropping Soybean & Camelina

 

     Late April 2013, Anoka-Ramsey Community College and Ever Cat Fuels LLC. have begun their research project on double/inter-cropping Camelina along with Soybeans on the demonstration site of Anoka-Ramsey Community College's Cambridge Campus.  Scroll down page for dated project information.

 

 

Links of data from the 2013 ARCC biofuel project:

UM Soil Analysis Results

GPS locations of counts of soybeans before and after harvest

Student data for the Soil Variances and Its Effects Upon Soybean Growth assignment

Student data for the Encroachment Study of the Energy Crops Pennycress and Camelina assignment

Undergraduate research results of Varied Camelina Densities Grown Within Soybean Rows

 

           Locations for the Soil variances and Its effect on Soybean growth assignment,                         Locations for Encroachment study of the Energy crops assignment:

                         U of M soil analysis, and soybean counts from harvest:      

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October 25-26, 2013:

  • The soybeans were harvested on both the large demo plot and from the student plots.  Many soybeans on the large field grew very close to the ground and were not able to be picked up by the combine at such a low height. Some of the camelina that remained on the field after the August harvest was also picked up by the combine. Waite-Altringer's environmental science online lab students completed soil tests including: permeability rates, Nitrogen levels, Phosphorus levels, Potassium levels, pH, moisture levels, and soybean counts at 10 sites around the demonstration plot. Data gathered from the large field and the student plots will be posted as soon as all of it has been tabulated. Click on photos to enlarge.

10-26-13 Soybean harvest

10-26-13 Environmental science lab students soil testing

10-26-13 Environmental science lab students soil testing

10-26-13 Environmental science lab students soil testing

10-26-13 Environmental science lab students soil testing

10-26-13 Environmental science lab students soil testing

 

 

September 26, 2013:

  • The soybeans leaves are yellowing and the beans are browning. Click on photos to enlarge.

9-26-13 Demo plot soybeans

9-26-13 Demo plot soybeans

9-26-13 Demo plot soybeans

 

 

September 2-3, 2013:

  • The soybeans are still tall and thin and have not grown in height much, but are producing beans.  The student plots have filled out some and appear to have more pods (12+) per plant than the large demonstration plot plants (6-8 pods per plant).  Aphids have invaded the site, so the area was sprayed with the insecticide Brigade at 5oz/acre. Click on photos to enlarge.

9-2-13 Soybean at demo plot

9-2-13 Soybean at student plot

9-2-13 Soybean at demo plot

9-2-13 Soybean at demo plot

9-2-13 Soybean at demo plot

9-2-13 Soybean at demo plot

9-2-13 Aphids on soybean at demo plot

9-2-13 Soybean at student plots

9-2-13 Soybean at student plots

 

 

August 15, 2013:

  • The soybeans are tall and thin, but have multiple pods on the majority of them. Soybean height varies greatly throughout the demonstration plot 30-50+ cm (~12"-20+") tall. Click on photos to enlarge.

8-15-13 Soybean height varies throughout the plot (30cm to 50+cm tall)

8-15-13 Soybean pods close up

8-15-13 Soybean height varies throughout the plot (30cm to 50+cm tall)

8-15-13 Soybean height varies throughout the plot (30cm to 50+cm tall)

8-15-13 Soybean height varies throughout the plot (30cm to 50+cm tall)

8-15-13 Soybean height varies throughout the plot (30cm to 50+cm tall)

 

 

August 9-14, 2013:

  • All of the Camelina was harvested at the demonstration plots on August 9th & 14th leaving the soybean rows to fully grow.  Most of the soybean have multiple bean pods forming on each plant.  The harvested Camelina was placed directly on pavement to allow it to completely dry.  Click on photos to enlarge.

8-14-13 Cab view of Camelina harvest

8-14-13 Cab view of Camelina harvest

8-14-13 Todd & Clint Steffen - brothers who harvested the Camelina

8-14-13 Camelina seed & chaff drying on pavememt

8-14-13 Remaining rows of soybean on the student plots after hand-harvesting of Camelina

8-14-13 Combine harvesting Camelina above the soybean

8-14-13 Camelina being harvested on the demonstration plot leaving rows of soybean

8-14-13 Harvested Camelina being transferred to grain wagon

8-14-13 ARCC demonstration plot after Camelina was harvested- leaving soybean rows

 

 

July 23-24, 2013:

  • Roundup was sprayed on the large demonstration plot and the student plots. The Roundup should kill all of the plants, besides the soybean.  This will allow the Camelina to dry out evenly prior to harvest. Click on photos to enlarge.

7-23-13 Roundup was sprayed on all the plots. The large demo plot (field in the back) is the large demo plot with TALL lambsquarters

7-23-13 Roundup was sprayed on all the plots.

7-23-13 Roundup was sprayed on all the plots.

 

 

July 18, 2013:

  • Nearly half of the Camelina is now turning yellow and starting to dry out. This week was hot (90oF+) and humid.  Lamb quarters have grown considerably and is now taller than the Camelina in many areas at the site. A few of the soybeans have began to bloom. Click on photos to enlarge.

7-18-13 Gelle walking through the tall weeds and Camelina

7-18-13 A few soybean are beginning to bloom

7-18-13 Lambsquarters growing tall amongst the Camelina

 

 

July 8-10, 2013:

  • The Camelina is losing most of their flowers and the seed pods are enlarging. The Camelina's average height is 80cm (31.5") and the Soybean's average height is 25-30cm (10-12"). Click on photos to enlarge.

7-8-13 Camelina seed pods close up

7-8-13 Soybean growth within the Camelina

7-10-13 Camelina 80cm & Soybean 30cm

7-10-13 Soybean growth in cm

 

July 2-3, 2013:

  • The USDA out of Morris, MN and Brookings, SD are conducting a beneficial insect study at the demo site. The Insect survey locations 1-4 indicate approximate field areas where pan traps were placed and insect observations were made (see map below). Location 1 is along the tree line, location 2 is along the tree line and near the restored prairie, locations 3 and 4 are near the center of the field surrounding the soybean control strip. Three pan traps of various colors were placed at Camelina flowering height for 24hours. Insect collection will be collected intermittently at the site through the Camelina flowering phase. Click on photos to enlarge.

USDA insect sampling sites at the ARCC demonstration plot

7-2-13 Insect sampling on the demonstration plot of Anoka Ramsey

7-2-13 Insect sampling on the demonstration plot of Anoka Ramsey

7-2-13 Insect sampling on the demonstration plot of Anoka Ramsey

7-2-13 Insect sampling on the demonstration plot of Anoka Ramsey

7-2-13 Insect pan trap

7-3-13 Representative sample of insects collected (site 4) in the demonstration plot

7-3-13 Representative sample of insects collected (site 4) in the demonstration plot

7-3-13 Representative sample of insects collected (site 4) in the demonstration plot

 

 

June 26, 2013:

  • The Camelina is growing heavily on the field and is beginning to flower.  The Camelina is between 30-90cm (12"-36") tall, with the majority of it being between 60-75cm (24"-30"). The Soybean is growing well and stands around 15cm (6").  Butterflies were seen on the Camelina at the demo plot.  Click on photos to enlarge.

Camelina is growing up to 90cm tall

Soybean is around 15cm tall

Browning of the quack grass within the thick stands of Camelina after the roundup application.

Heavy growth of Camelina on site

Camelina starting to flower

Student density experiments are growing well

 

 

June 14-18, 2013:

  • Soybean was emerging at the demo plot on June 14th. On June 15th, Waite-Altringer's online environmental science labs conducted a study to see if the energy crops were encroaching upon the surrounding area. The students found that very little Camelina and pennycress (planted the previous 2 years at the site) were encroaching upon the surrounding areas. On June 18th, Roundup was applied to the quackgrass that was growing heavily on the Northeast portion of the demo plot.  Gelle applied the Roundup by attaching a 2x4, surrounded by quilt batting and carpet, to the rear of his tractor that was soaked with Roundup.  Click HERE for YouTube video of Roundup application onto the quackgrass.  Camelina height ranged from 5cm (2") to 30cm+ (12"+). Click on photos to enlarge.

6-15-13 Student energy crop encroachment study

6-15-13 Student energy crop encroachment study

6-15-13 Student energy crop encroachment study

6-15-13 Student energy crop encroachment study

6-15-13 Student energy crop encroachment study

6-15-13 Student energy crop encroachment study

6-18-13 Roundup application to tall quackgrass above the Camelina.

6-18-13 Soybean emerging (front of ruler) within Camelina (next to ruler sides)

6-18-13 Camelina up to 30+ cm tall

 

 

 June 6 & 7, 2013:

  • Asgrow 0832 soybean was row planted within the already planted Camelina on the ARCC Demo plot by a John Deere 494. The rows were spaced at 38" and seeds were planted at 12-16 per foot.  Click HERE for YouTube video of the soybean being planted in the large demo plot and within the student plots. Click on photos to enlarge.

6-6-13 Demo plot after soybean was row planted

6-6-13 Gelle planting soybean with a John Deere 494

6-6-13 Soybean being planted within the student plots

 

 

May 19, 2013:

  • The Camelina has begun to emerge (very small double-leaved plants). A solar powered tower with a time lapse camera has been placed in the south east corner of the demo plot to document the plant growth and will be synced with NOAA weather observations.  Heavy periods of rain have hit the Cambridge area this week. Click on photos to enlarge.

5-19-13 Camelina emerging

5-19-13 Solar powered tower with time-lapse camera

5-19-13 Heavy rain in the area this week.

 

 

May 6 - 7, 2013:

  • The Demo site was planted with Camelina at 6-8lbs/acre at a 1/4inch depth by a Brillion seeder. The Camelina was mixed with Milorganite (1:3) to help disperse the seed evenly.  Click HERE for YouTube video of the field being harrowed and and of the Camelina be planted.  Students planted various densities (2-10lbs of seed per acre) of Camelina on 1.5m x 5m plots adjacent to the large demo site for their undergraduate research projects. Their small plots were prepped & fertilized identical to the large demo plot site and will be double-cropped with soybean.  Click on photos below to enlarge.

5-7-13 Planting Camelina with a Brillion

5-7-13 Brillion used for Camelina planting

5-7-13 Planting Camelina with a Brillion

5-7-13 Student plots planted with various densities of Camelina

5-7-13 Student plots planted with various densities of Camelina

5-7-13 Student plots planted with various densities of Camelina

 

 

 

April 26 - May 5, 2013:

  • The site has been expanded to roughly 24 acres, which included the removal of a few small trees. The field was plowed, disked, and harrowed for a smooth uniform surface. The site was also limed (100lbs/acre) and fertilized (10-14-29-5 @ 300lbs/acre). The site's unfertilized soil consists mainly of loamy sand with a pH of 5.7-6.8, organic matter at 0.6-1.1%, phosphorus at 43-84ppm, potassium at 45-194ppm, and extremely low nitrogen levels.   The late start in the season was due to the ground being frozen until April 26th.  Click HERE for YouTube Video of prep work being completed.  Click on photos below to enlarge.

4-26-13 ARCC demo plot before prep

4-26-13 ARCC demo plot before prep

4-27-13 Tree Removal

4-27-13 Tree Removal

4-27-13 Tree Removal

5-1-13 plowing of demo plot