Hallbar Blog
Biobeds Explained: What You Always Wanted (Need) To Know
In the last article on Biobeds we discussed their importance as a simple and effectively environmental contamination method from pesticide point source contamination. In this article on Biobeds Explained we delve a little deeper into Biobeds to explain their differences, how they are constructed and …
Read More
Importance of Biobeds
The use of pesticides is common throughout agriculture and horticulture to control for pests and weeds. However, despite caution with their use, pesticide point source contamination often occurs due to spills and leaks that happen while handling and mixing pesticides, or pesticide rinsate from cleaning …
Read More
Grass for Renewable Energy Production
Reed Canary Grass (RCG) is a well-adapted, long-lived, cool season, perennial native grass that can grow well in wet areas, while also tolerating drier areas. RCG is often harvested in late autumn or early spring, and is primarily used as bedding material. While RCG is …
Read More
Using Horse Manure for Renewable Energy
When land-application or composting of horse manure isn’t viable, due to insufficient land, space, or progressively stringent regulations, one alternative that is increasingly being implemented around the world is to make renewable energy. While the idea of using manure for energy isn’t exactly new (sun-dried …
Read More
Storing Biomass for Renewable Energy Production
As the use of agricultural land to grow biomass for renewable energy production increases in conjunction with increasing global demand for food, it is becoming more and more important to produce high-yield bioenergy crops with a good energy-balance. Sugar beet is a high-yielding crop, has …
Read More
How to Make Greener Coal
Contrary to popular misunderstand, ‘green coal’ is not coal at all. It is in fact wood that has been torrefied to resemble, and therefore seamlessly replace, coal. Being that green coal is made from biomass, burning green coal not only doesn’t produce the same harmful …
Read More
Dry Grain Using Renewable Fuel
Once harvested, grain often requires drying to bring its moisture content down to an acceptable level to prevent spoilage during storage. In Canada, drying grain can be one of the most energy-intensive, and therefore costly, operations on the farm. While there are plenty of grain …
Read More
Improved Cow Management with Mats
Larger dairy herds, growing local demand for milk from cows raised on pasture, and wetter springs and falls all increase the risk that dairy cows sent out to pasture will trample turf or soil into mud; especially in high traffic areas on the farm and …
Read More
Electric Plug-In Tractors
North America’s food system is the result of the “green revolution”; increased crop yields resulting in part from the use of fossil-fuels in the form of diesel powered machinery. This reliance on fossil-fuels means our food system is heavily dependent on non-renewable resources that are …
Read MoreTurning Horse Manure into Biomass Renewable Energy
There are increasing numbers of horses in North America, and the piles of manure from these animals are getting bigger and bigger. For horse owners with sufficient land on which to spread their manure, or the space to compost it, these piles present no problem …
Read More