At Flood Brothers Farm in Clinton, Jenni Tilton-Flood calls it “black gold.” Dairy farms produce a lot of manure — and they’re looking for new ways to make use of it. With 1,800 milking cows, Flood Brothers is Maine’s largest dairy farm. It also has 4,600 acres to grow food for the cows eat. Each mature cow produces 100 pounds of manure per day, most of which is now used to build in nutrients in the crop fields. But the circle of life could go beyond that. As a producer of methane, black gold can also be a fuel source. That’s why ABC member Summit Utilities Inc., a privately held natural gas provider based in Littleton, Colo., has partnered with Flood Brothers and other central Maine dairy farms on ways to produce biogas, which can be converted to electricity or a heat source for cooking and other tasks. More >>
