Growing Sunflowers for Biodiesel
Growing Sunflowers for Biodiesel
Follow John Williamson from planting to harvest.
Oil Crop Pest Pressures
Sunflower varieties fall into two major categories: oilseed and confectionery. Oilseed sunflower is the most popular biodiesel feedstock grown in Vermont. This crop is grown in rotation with other grains and grasses, is very attractive in the Vermont landscape, and yields high quantities of oil. The seeds are pressed to extract the oil, which can be used for food or further refined into biodiesel for use as fuel, and the leftover seed meal can be used for animal feed or land treatment. There are at least 16 farms growing oilseeds for biodiesel in Vermont. Expansion of this effort depends on improving yields with on-going agronomic support, increasing the availability of combines and other agricultural equipment and developing performance specifications for pressing and biodiesel refining equipment. The profiles, publications, and links to the right and image gallery below provide more information on the work being done in Vermont and nationally to expand the use of sunflowers for biodiesel production.
On the forefront of oilseed crop growing in a northeastern climate, State Line Biofuels is Vermont’s first on-farm facility making biodiesel made from oilseed crops grown on-site and from neighboring farms.
The Williamson family has owned State Line Farm in southwest Vermont alongside the border of New York since 1936. For many years, State Line was run as a traditional dairy farm, but falling milk prices caused them to sell the herd and look towards diversifying the farm's operations.
John and his family currently produce maple syrup, honey, sorghum syrup and hay for sale in local markets. Since 2004, State Line Farm has also experimented with sunflower, canola, mustard, and flax varieties in an effort to fuel their farm with biodiesel.
Larry Scott and Peggy Hewes operate Ekolott Farm—a diversified farm raising emus, Herefords, and hogs, and growing crops such as shell corn, sunflowers, and soybeans on 200 acres of Connecticut River valley land. Ekolott produces a portion of their own fuel, all of their own heat and an increasing amount of the feed ingredients they feed their animals, including grains and sunflower seed meal.
The farm has a double-press Täby Model 70 similar to the one at State Line Farm (0.5-ton per 24-hour day). At the moment, they do not have a biodiesel processor at the farm, but contract with a neighbor who owns a BioPro190.
Having sold his dairy herd several years ago and thinking he was heading into semi-retirement, Roger Rainville began experimenting with farm-scale biodiesel production on his family farm in northern Vermont, which literally hugs the Canadian border.
The University of Vermont (UVM) now leases a number of acres from the Rainvilles as Borderview Farm has become one of the best-known applied research facilities in Vermont. Roger, along with Dr. Heather Darby, a UVM Extension agronomist, and her team have helped transform the former dairy farm, conducting leading research in the Northeast on oilseed crops, perennial grasses, hops, small grains and other crops suitable for small-scale and value-added farming.
Growing Sunflowers
Heather Darby, University of Vermont Extension, Oilseed Production in the Northeast. 2013. UVM Extension, National Sunflower Survey (Includes Vermont Data), 2013. Sunflower Insects: Scouting and Identification, University of Vermont Extension
Seed Preparation and Storage
Oilseed Factsheet: Seed Storage and Cleaning, University of Vermont Extension
A Feasibility Analysis of a Mobile Unit for Processing Oilseed Crops and Producing Biodiesel in Vermont.December 2008
Feasibility Analysis: Solar Seed Dryer and Storage Bin at State Line Farm, N. Bennington, VT. October 2008
Economics
Chris Callahan, Oilseed Cost and Profit Calculator. (A downloadable modeling tool) Chris Callahan and Netaka White, Vermont On-Farm Oilseed Enterprises: Production Capacity and Break-even Economics. July 2013. Emily Stebbins, The Market Potential of Farm-Scale Oilseed Crop Products in Vermont.February 2008. (See also the Executive Summary)
Oilseed & Meal Analysis
Rock River Laboratory, Sunflower Meal Feed Analysis Report. April 2009. Rock River Laboratory, Whole Sunflower Feed Analysis Report. May 2011. Dairy One, Sunflower Meal Test – Cleaned. October 2010. Dairy One, Sunflower Meal Test – Uncleaned. October 2010.
Growing Sunflowers
Sunflower – Alternative Field Crops Manual, Purdue University Sunflower – Overview, Markets and How To Grow, Jefferson Institute
Sunflower Oil, Seed & Meal
Sunflower as a Feed, National Sunflower Association Sunflower Oil, National Sunflower Association
Conferences and Events
Oilseed Producers Workshop Proceedings, University of Vermont Sunflower Seminars and Workshops, National Sunflower Association
Cultivating Sunflowers
Cultivating Sunflowers, Shaftsbury, Vermont, 2012. Photo Credit: Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
Young Sunflowers
Sunflowers At Five Weeks, 2012, Alburgh, Vermont. Photo Credit: Hannah Harwood, UVM Extension
Immature Sunflower
Immature Sunflower Head, 2012, Alburgh, Vermont. Photo Credit: Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
Oilseed Sunflower
Oilseed Sunflower, 2012, Alburgh, Vermont. Photo Credit: Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
Researcher with Sunflower
Dr. Heather Darby, 2012, Alburgh, Vermont. Photo Credit: Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
Variety Trials
Sunflower Variety Trials, 2011, Alburgh, Vermont. Photo Credit: Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
Flooding
Sunflowers at Flood Stage, Connecticut River, 2010, Newbury, Vermont. Photo Credit: Larry Scott and Peggy Hewes
Oilseed Sunflowers
Oilseed Sunflowers, 2011, Shaftsbury, Vermont. Photo Credit: Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
Mature Sunflowers
Oilseed Sunflowers One Month Till Harvest, 2012, Alburgh, Vermont. Photo Credit: Hannah Harwood, UVM Extension
At Harvest
Oilseed Sunflowers at Harvest, 2012, Alburgh, Vermont. Photo Credit: Hannah Harwood, UVM Extension
Taby Oil Press
Sunflower Seeds In Taby Oil Press, 2011, Newbury, Vermont. Photo Credit: Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
Sunflower Meal
Sunflower Meal, 2011, Newbury, Vermont. Photo Credit: Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
Sunflower Oil for Biodiesel
Sunflower Oil For Biodiesel, 2011, Newbury, Vermont. Photo Credit: Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
