June 2010

June 8, 2010 - Post by John Pumilio

Today, I took some photos of the willow plot. Click here to see them.

Here is an overview of what I observed:

• The field was full of weeds/plants including thick growth of wild strawberry, raspberry (in places), wildflowers, some quack grass, and other types of vegetation I did not identify.
• The willow were heavily browsed. It appears the deer are targeting the willow and leaving most of the other plants alone. This creates a double-whammy as the willows are forced to complete with weeds while undergoing selective browsing by the deer.
• The average willow plant appeared to be between 1-2 feet high (a few may have been approaching 2.5 feet.
• The willow were attempting to branch outward (bush-like) but in a few places it appeared single stems were growing. This may be in response to try and out-reach all the competing weeds/plants.
• In some places it was difficult to find willow plants. They may not have taken or they were completely overwhelmed by other growth.

June 8, 2010 - Reply from Dennis Rak to John Pumilio

There was a very good population of willow there this spring when we coppiced. There had been a lot of deer browsing last year but I thought that they could outgrow it this year. I did not expect the plot to be weed free but with the browsing the plants cannot get ahead and shade anything out. Let me ck my schedule, I may have to come up and try to do some mechanical tillage to set the weeds back until the willow gets ahead of it.

June 25, 2010 - Dennis rototilled the plot
Today, Dennis Rak came with his rototiller and uplifted the weeds between the rows that were competing with the willow shoots.
We'll need to apply Stinger in the next week or two to get further deal with the rest of the weeds.
Dennis is concerned about the deer browse (said he has never seen anything like it!) and left us some deer deterrent to spray on the field. Dennis even said deer were eating on one end of the plot while he was rototilling the other.

For more information on the Willow Biomass project and sustainability, go to Colgate's main renewable energy website at: http://www.colgate.edu/about/sustainability/renewableenergysystems

Spring 2010 - Coppicing

March 25, 2010
I spoke with Dennis Rak this afternoon and he is going to try and bring his sickle mower towards the end of next week. Colgate will have to get the tractor. Dennis will call me back to confirm date.

April 5, 2010
Talked with Dennis Rak today and he will be out this week to cut willow shoots. He will bring tractor and sickle-bar mower.

April 6, 2010

Based on the weather and schedule we are going to come out and coppice on Friday. Ken Blitz will drive up Thursday night so he can get started early Friday and get the job done. He will also be able to do an assessment of the field at that time and decide if we need to do any tillage or herbicide work. He will be bringing the tractor and sickle bar mower so we will not need anything from you.

The early spring has made us scramble a bit here but we are dealing with it. I am actually going to come along with Ken Blitz and work with him on the coppice and may do a bit of inter planting if necessary. If we coppice a little higher that will not be a problem. Since the plants are growing it is too late for pre-emergence herbicides but we can do some tilliage or post emergence work if necessary. We will also want to fertilize this spring in the next few weeks.

I expect to be at the field by 8am on Friday (April 9).

-Dennis J Rak


April 9, 2010
The field was coppiced!

April 22, 2010
My suggestion would be to apply Assure II herbicide at a rate of 12 OZ per acre. There is also a surfactant called for on the label. This should be applied when the quack grass is 6-10 inches tall. For Fertilizer I would apply 200 lbs of 46-0-0 per acre in the next few weeks. That should take care of the primary week problem and get the willow growing rapidly so it can overtake any other weed competition.

-Dennis J Rak
www.doubleavineyards.com
www.doubleawillow.com

April 22, 2010I, John Pumilio, called Tom at Carovail, Waterville, with the label for Assure II and they will come to campus early next week to apply the herbicide. I will have to call them again (mid-May) for the fertilizer application.

April 30, 2010
Tom from Carovail applied Assure II herbicide to kill off the quack grass.

May 19, 2010
The willow plants themselves are regrowing and leafing out after the cutting. They range in height from about 3" - 12". I'm going to move ahead with an application of fertilizer.

May 19, 2010

Today, Carovail applied fertilizer (46-0-0) to our willow plot.

November 2009

Ian’s summary of Willow Plot planting based upon GPS observations (November 25th, 2009)

• The double row parallel to and closest to Hamilton street is 650 feet long.
• The full-length double row parallel to and farthest from Hamilton Street is 580 feet long.
• The right side of the field extends less far back than the left side, and in general the double rows are in some places rather difficult to distinguish amidst all the other competing growth. Moreover – and this is big – the identifying markers that were placed by Dennis Rak on the right side of the field to distinguish the 3 varieties have disappeared. I had difficulty distinguishing the dividing lines between the three species in their absence, although I could return to attempt that task (it will be obvious in the spring). I BELIEVE that the 3rd of the field closest to the road consists of Fish Creek willow, the second 3rd of SV1, and the 3rd farthest from the road of Tully Champion (this is based on the receipt and memory).
• Walking from the right side row closest to road to the right side row farthest from the road there are, to my best count, 106 rows (53 double rows).Walking from the left side row closest to road to the left side row farthest from the road there are, to my best count, 126 rows (63 double rows).

Next steps: I think we need to create a map/diagram of the field, as well as to re-identify the species and number of rows devoted to each species. We should also reconfirm the numbers (the foot-length measurements are solid).

September 2009

I talked to Dennis Rak this afternoon (September 10th, 2009). He will be sure to make it to campus in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, he reiterated his confidence that the willow is established and our plot is in good condition (despite the growth of weeds).

August 2009

On August 18th, 2009, I called Dennis Rak to get his input on next steps for the willow plot. He was on vacation on the West Coast. He will be back in town in a couple of weeks and will come and visit the plot. He didn't seem overly concerned about the deer browse or weed growth but wants to see the plot for himself to be sure. I inquired as to whether or not I should just go forward with the cultivation but he said a couple more weeks wouldn't make a big difference and it would be ok to wait.

July 2009

July 10, 2009

Stinger Herbicide Application

Spoke with Will at Carovail, Waterville. He is interested in spraying the willow field with Stinger. We will work out exact date for spraying sometime next week.

July 15, 2009

Stinger Applied on Willow Field

Today, Will at Carovail applied Stinger to the willow field.

July 17, 2009

Site Visit after Stinger Application

This afternoon, I (John Pumilio) took Ede Walker (a local farmer from Smyrna, 10 miles from Colgate) to the willow plot. She currently grows willow - mainly for the florist trade (curly willow) - but expressed interest in possibly growing bio-mass willow varieties on her 159 acres. She has upwards of 70 acres that could be used for willow biomass to support Colgate's energy needs. We had a nice visit and will keep in touch as to the development of our plot and a possible relationship sometime down the road.

This was my first visit to the willow field since June 25 and have not seen the property since the application of Stinger was applied (two days ago). Three things were obvious:

1. the weeds were pervasive and covered the entire plot (dense and forming a blanket in some sections). They were wilting since the spraying a couple of days ago but it is clear that the second spraying of herbicide was a necessary step in this process. [We were considering pulling weeds by hand with volunteers but this would have been a herculean task given the spread of the weeds].
2. Deer browse was on all three strains (they chewed off the tops) covering the edges and parts of the interior of the plot. We'll have to keep an eye on this to see how problematic it becomes.
3. The willows that we hand planted on June 25th were growing leaves and appeared to be doing quite well.

July 23, 2009

Site Visit with Dr. Timothy Volk and Dr. Thomas Buchholz of SUNY ESF

Tim and Thomas met John Pumilio at the willow plot this morning. Here are the key observations/recommendations from our visit:

• The Tully variety was the most heavily browsed by deer. This variety was quite stunted and is facing serious competition from other weeds.
• The Stinger application (from July 15) has wilted the goldenrod and is having a serious impact on this potentially troublesome plant (for our purposes). Stinger is not slowing down the milkweed, wild carrot, yellow mustard, and grass. As long as the willow stays above these weeds and continues to build a solid root system we should be ok. Tim was most concerned about the grass and the yellow mustard as they can grow fast and take over the site.
  

Next Steps:

1. watch and wait: need to keep an eye on the weed growth and the amount of browsing.
2. invite Tim and Dennis Rak to re-visit the plot in early August
3. Tim suggested that we consider mechanical weed control sometime in mid-August. Any farmer with a cultivator should be able to dig up the weeds between rows.

Second Planting (Manual) of Willow Cuttings

John, Ian, and Ben Taylor (Class of 2010) planted a few hundred willow cuttings to fill in the gaps from the original planting. This was done to add more yield to our plot, and more importantly, to fill in sun lit gaps to prevent the spread of weeds. We spent approximately 2 hrs and planted all three varieties. (June 25th, 2009)

Post-Planting Site Visit with Dennis Rak (Double-A-Willow)

A few days after the first Post-Planting Visit John and Ian met with Dennis Rak of Double-A-Willow, on June 19th, 2009, and are going to have to arrange one follow-up spraying of "Stinger" herbicide to cut down on the Queen Ann Lace, Goldenrod, and Milkweed. Ian will be in touch with Mike Jasper concerning the follow up spraying. It's an intensive process up front, but starting in year two and thereafter the willow should largely take care of itself. Dennis (and Tim Volk of Suny ESF, with whom we and Tim McCay met the other day at the site) both say the plot is shaping up extremely well. Our plot has the potential to be a “textbook” plot in the words of Dennis.

Dennis provided us with willow cuttings for all three varieties (approx 500). He suggested that we plant them as soon as possible. Then, within two weeks (by first week in July) to blanket spray Stinger herbicide. The ratio should be 20 gals of water per ½ pint of Stinger per acre.

Dennis said Stinger has a relatively low rate of persistence (8-12 months) and is cohesive with the soil so it should not be problematic with the surrounding watershed.

Post-Planting Site Visit with Tim Volk (SUNY ESF)

Today, June 16th, 2009 Ian Helfant, Tim McKay, Tim Volk, Ben Taylor, and John Pumilio made a visit to check on the progress of the willow plot and to get Tim Volk’s impression and feedback. Here were the take home points:

• The site looks good, and overall, is in good condition
• There were weeds (goldenrod, milkweed, white ash) that were growing throughout the plot and this could present problems down the road as they will compete with the willow and effect their growth
• There were gaps in sprouting willow that could be problematic. This presents a problem because with the open space will be a place for weeds to take route and spread. Tim Volk suggested planting shoots in the gaps to cover the spaces. The longer the time goes by before doing this, the shorter the willow will be in comparison to the other plantings.
• There seemed to be a difference between the three varieties of plantings. The strain closest to the road (fish creek) was least developed and the one furthest away seemed to be in the best condition. The difference could be the strains and how they were planted using Dennis’s planter or the difference could be that Dennis and his crew became better at planting (more evenly spaced, more accurate).
• If we get 80% of the plants to sprout and grow – that is considered success.
• Deer can be a problem especially in smaller plots with a lot of edges. Deer will browse close coverage.
• Tim Volk suggested that the herbicides would not be a problem for the surrounding watershed. Prowl and Grow cling to the soils (esp in the case of ours where it is clay-based) and do not move downward very far. Furthermore, there was no evidence of soil movement down slope.
• Would we have to use herbicides after every cutting? Not sure – it is a wait and watch proposition. Once the willow takes root and begins to grow tall, they will shade out weeds.

Planting

On May 13th, 2009 Dennis Rak of Double-A-Willow and his team of four arrive on site at about 8:30am. After a slow start due to a broken drive belt and misplaced bushing, they are able to fix their planter on site and plant about 60,000 8-inch cuttings. Plantings are made in double rows that are 2 1/2 feet apart with a 5 foot gap between each double row. They finish the planting at about 6:00pm.

Immediately after the planting, Dennis sprays the field with a pre-emergent herbicide and finishes at about 7:30pm. These herbicides (prowl and goal) are sprayed immediately after the planting. The reason why they don’t kill the willow is because they stick close to the surface and do not penetrate very deep. They also adhere strongly to the soil, avoiding contamination of wetland located about 400 yards away.

John Pumilio and Ian Helfant (Sustainability Council Chair) both conduct quick interviews with Anthony Adornato (Colgate University) and Glenn Coin (The Post-Standard) on site. Ian also takes a tripod-mounted video of the planting process once the planter is back up and running, as does a Colgate videographer. The video and story are posted on Colgate's website the following week.

To view the video click here: http://offices.colgate.edu/Video_Console/Console_email.asp?VideoID=458

During the first year, the willow will grow in straight shoots (4-5 feet tall). At this point, we will cut them to only 1 or 2 inches above the surface. This causes the willow to grow outward (bush-like) maximizing the rate of growth and the total biomass. By the end of the second year, the willow may be eight feet tall. Again, this all is dependent on the soil, weather, willow-types, and overall conditions. By the third year, we should be ready to harvest. We can expect about 15 dry tons/acre (30-40 wet tons/acre) of biomass. This will give us about 100 tons of fuel every three years. For comparison, Colgate currently burns about 100 tons per day of woodchips during the winter months. This is why the plot is only ‘experimental’ – it is not a significant supply to meet our heating needs. It should also be known that we will be able to repeat cuttings every three years for 6-7 harvests in a row. Therefore, the work we are doing now will allow us to harvest about 735 dry tons of biomass in total over a 20-year period.


Other information that might be useful:

• We tested the pH of the plot. It was 6.65 (Point 1) and 6.88 (Point 2). These are nicely within the optimum range listed in the willow report (5.5-8.0) and jive with the USDA source listed in their report.
• The herbicides Prowl and Goal were used after planting. This is a necessary evil because the biggest threat to the willow field is weeds.
  

May 8, 2009

Assoc. Director of Buildings and Grounds Mike Jasper arranges for second discing with a local farmer.

May 5, 2009

Dennis Rak (Double-A-Willow) comes to look at the site. He suggests that it be disced one more time upon observing large clumps of soil and persistent roots.

April 18, 2009

A team of Colgate faculty, staff, and students, along with a frontloader, clear the 7½-acre plot of most rocks larger than fist-size.

Field Preparation

Beginning in October of 2008 the Colgate work crew led by Assoc. Director of Buildings and Grounds Mike Jasper, clears the field of shrubs and excessive vegetation and sprays with Roundup.

The Field is plowed and disced by local farmer for 1st time in November. Discing is intended to loosen soil and tear apart persistent root systems.

Environmental Studies Program (ENST 480)

In the Spring of 2008 Students in the ENST senior seminar study ecological and economic feasibility of growing willow as an energy source at Colgate. Their recommendations include planting an experimental plot to learn more and test whether it is possible to grow our own willow.

Later in the Spring of 2008 and continuing into the Summer, the Environmental Council (Now the Sustainability Council) supports student recommendation of Hamilton Street as the site for the pilot project, drawing upon the Fall 2007 Stewardship Plan for Colgate's open and forested lands.

Willow Conversations Begins

Five years prior to 2008 Colgate faculty members including Paul Pinet, Peter Babich (Colgate Engineer), and Tim Volk (SUNY ESF) initiate conversation regarding willow biomass possibilities. Willow Conservations begin.