BlankI am some what new to the group. I have just been watching the email and enjoying the various comments. I am a farmer at heart. I have learned that I am pretty organic in my production methods. We use no pesticides, fertilizer and very few if any chemicals in general. (I have honey bees)
The real reason I joined the group is because I found rapeseed grows on my farm here in Oklahoma and grows very easily. I planted rapeseed the first time for many different reasons other than oil production. I thought it was pretty. I used the plants for bees and honey and to feed wildlife. This year I planted more. I love it. Right now it is thickly scattered across 70 acres. I produce Arrow leaf Clover seed to sell. The combine will gather the rapeseed as I combine the clover seed. It is pretty neat. I first considered the rapeseed to be a real pain because I have to separate it from my clover seed. Reading your comments makes me think there is hope for the rapeseed. I have now built a seed cleaner that separates the two seeds well. Now that I know a little more about the plant and its uses, I am excited about the possibilities of producing biodiesel. Besides, I believe we need renewable energy. If all goes well I could have several thousand pounds of rapeseed by this fall and every year after this. There is a limited market for the seed in this region. I can only sell a little for seed for pasture.. My production cost are very low. The rapeseed is basically a by product to my operation. I need it for my bees in the spring. I need the bees for the clover pollination. I plant the rapeseed in the fall. So far it has over wintered well. Blooms in the spring. My actual cost are the seed I plant, the extra bulk at combining time, and the separation cost. My clover products enough nitrogen for the crop to grow well. I have been amazed. So if I could make some good use of the rapeseed it would just really be exciting. I do need for it pay its way. So, I have been reading about processing rapeseed for oil and about the process of making Biodiesel. If it is on the internet I have probably at the least looked at it. However, the two processes I know nothing about. What I know I am not understanding very well. So far I have not done anything. Like all other beginners I have many questions. For now, most of them can wait. Too ignorant to ask a good question. Too overwhelmed to understand a good answer. Be that as it may, My goal is to build a small scale system. Looks like I could have 10 ton of seed to start with. If I had something that would work well, there would be several neighbors that would join me. I am pretty creative and have lots of tools, but don't have lots of funds. What I put together needs to work. I want to build something that would be useful if I want to grow the process. We have cattle that could eat some of the rapeseed cake that is left from the processing. We have diesel, trucks, tractors, and combines to use the fuel. I do hope that within the group there may be someone that has used a small processing unit that might be willing to direct me through some of the steps so that I do as little experimentation as possible. I am pretty convinced that there could be a steady supply of rapeseed.. I am very visual and hands on. The pictures of systems are not making much sense to me. If there are some parts of the processing that are within driving distance from Oklahoma I would do well to watch the process. Right now the processes are tremendously overwhelming to me. I have looked at the pictures of the processing equipment. I have not been able to get a complete mental picture of the size equipment or process.that I might need to be gathering. Thought perhaps that if I identified myself and my fears there might be help. It will be July or August before I will have my own seed ready to use. I could buy enough seed to test the a system. I would to love to start putting something together this winter. I need to do all the cheap stuff first I want to try to process by this time next year.. If there is someone that has the time and interest to get me started, I will appreciate it . Thanks Do I need to learn to process vegetable oil before I start on the rapeseed oil? I will want to know where to buy what I need at competitive prices Best Regards Larry Little [EMAIL PROTECTED] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://archive.nnytech.net/index.php?list=biofuel Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark Printer at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada. http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511 http://us.click.yahoo.com/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/FGYolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/biofuel/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
