Back to Iowa

I dropped Alastair off in Omaha on Thursday and headed back to Iowa. I went to Iowa State University to catch up on some of the research they are doing there on integrated farming systems. 25 000 students had justed started back after the summer break. The place was buzzing. A little bit different to my uni days at Dookie Ag College.

I was also lucky enough to get a personal tour of an ethanol plant. After looking at corn for the last week I thought that I had better go see what it is all used for. I just drove in and asked if

someone could show me around. Thinking I already knew the answer, surprisingly they said yes. So I spent the next hour on my own guided tour through the plant. This was a plant a group of farmers built as a co-operative. The furtherest supplier is only 30 miles away. Some of the farmers also buy back the by-products such as DDGs - dried distillers grain and corn syrup for their feedlot rations. One thing to remember - 1t of corn produces 33% ethanol, 33% DDGs and 33% carbon dioxide. The CO2 can also be sold to companies like Coke-a Cola for use in the food chain

As I drove back towards Minnesota I spotted this machine. 'Curiosity killed the cat' they say so I went and had a chat to them. Turns out this was a proto-type attachment to collect corn stovers after harvesting for energy production or whatever else you want to use them for. Good idea I reckon. I got to see it working (@40% moisture) and it did a good job.

The farmer was one of the most interesting blokes I have met on my travels. Turns out he was also part of the brains that started the enthanol plant I had justed visited. Bill Couser, Couser Cattle Company have a 4000 head feedlot, grow seed corn and soya beans as well as commercial crops. They also have the contract to harvest all the seed crops for either Pioneer or Monsanto (I can't remember I was that overwhelmed). And they obviously do some testing for John Deere as well. A very impressive business that I would love to one day go back and spend some more time with.