Cutting-edge biofuel and oilseed-crushing workshops are coming to farmers in four Southern states from February 17 to 22, 2010. Biofuel continues to be a prime opportunity for small-scale family farmers to make their own fuel or add value to their crops. In addition, the crushing of oilseeds to make valuable food grade oils (such as flax seed or sunflower oil) is growing in popularity among savvy farmers.

“The 2010 biofuel & seed-crushing roadshow” will feature a team of expert professionals offering workshops at rural locations in Alabama, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. The classes in Georgia, Florida and SC are free; the classes in Alabama are a part of the Tuskegee Farmers Conference. The workshops will be conducted by Piedmont Biofuels Coop, one of the leading community-based biofuel producers in the country. (More information on Piedmont Biofuels at www.biofuels.coop.)

The workshops are three hours long and include an overview of small-scale biodiesel production, as well as an introduction to oilseed crushing machines and techniques. The Piedmont Biofuels mobile training lab includes a biodiesel reactor and a German-made Momfort Komet seed press. The organization has conducted dozens of workshops across the nation in recent years and is in high demand.

Rachel Burton of Piedmont Biofuels said, “We are so pleased to be coming to communities to meet farmers and anyone who is interested. We think every rural community can benefit from this type of hands-on training.”

The team will make enough biodiesel at each stop to fuel its own pick-up truck for the tour.

The 2010 roadshow will continue in March with planned visits to Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia.

The 2010 Biofuel and Seed-Crushing Roadshow is coordinated by the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, based in Pittsboro, NC. Funding is provided by the Risk Management Agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, through a grant to the non-profit National Center for Appropriate Technology.

For general information about the tour, contact Fred Broadwell at Carolina Farm Stewardship Association at 919-542-2402 (office) or 919-943-1068 (cell). Site-specific contacts are below.

Roadshow dates and locations*

ALABAMA

Wed. & Thurs. February 17, 18

At the 118^th Annual Tuskegee Farmer’s Conference, Tuskegee, AL

Hosted by the Tuskegee Institute

Biofuels/seedcrushing workshops both days.

www.tuskegee.edu (click on “Outreach” for conference registration)

Contact: Barrett Vaughn  (334)727-8527or (334) 552-1152

GEORGIA

Friday February 19

Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, GA

10:30 AM  – 2 PM

Contact: Leon Porter, porterl@fvsu.edu, 478-987-2028, ext 245

Also Friday February 19

Koinonia Partners, Americus, GA

Call for time.

www.koinoniapartners.org

Contact:  Sarah Prendergast, sarah@koinoniapartners.org, 877-738-1741

FLORIDA

Saturday February 20

Wildwood Farmers Market, Wildwood City Hall, Wildwood, FL

Hosted by UF/IFAS Sumter County Extension Service

9 AM to 12 noon

Contact:  Susan Kelly, sakelly@ufl.edu, 352-793-2728

Monday February 21

Crescent Moon Organic Farm, Sopchoppy, FL

Hosted by Florida A&M University Statewide Small Farm Programs

Call for times.

Contact: Jennifer Taylor, Jennifer.taylor@famu.edu, 850-412-5260

SOUTH CAROLINA

Tuesday February 22

Low Country Council of Government offices, Yemassee, SC

Hosted by Clemson University Cooperative Extension

1:30 to 4:30 PM

Contact: York Glover:  yglover@exchange.clemson.edu, 843-812-2909

*Note:  More dates are planned in March in Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia.

7^th Annual Biodiesel Summit Redefines Sustainability

Join Piedmont Biofuels at the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association’s 24th annual conference. The event will be held December 4-6, 2009 at the Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain, NC. The event provides educational workshops for beginning gardeners, advanced organic farmers and folks interested in sustainable living. The movement’s most respected organic educators will be with us at the Blue Ridge Assembly, a retreat center amidst 1200 acres of Appalachian mountains and home to hiking trails, mountain streams, historic buildings, and a crafts center for the kids! Conference meals will feature local and organic farm food, including breakfast both days. Representatives from Piedmont Biofuels will be two workshops on Sunday, one on oil seed crops and crushing for oil extraction and another on small scale biodiesel production.

Biodiesel Comprehensive 5 Day workshop

From humble beginnings as a biodiesel co-op to commercial biodiesel production, PB has first hand experience with all scales of sustainable biodiesel production. They are the smallest bq9000 certified producer in the world recognized nationally as fuel quality experts and internationally for their biodiesel education programs. Come experience life in a local economy and spend 5 days learning about production, plant design, methanol recovery and glycerin refining, fuel quality testing, regulatory and safety, and the fundamentals of the biodiesel business.

Register here:

http://theabundancefoundation.org/biodiesel-workshop/

Workshop dates: October 26-30, 2009 –

$650 – Pre-Registration & Payment by August 30
$700 – Registration & Payment from September 1 to October 1
$750– Registration after October 1

Join us for the Fourth Annual

Collective Biodiesel Conference

July 31st – August 2nd, 2009, at American University in Washington, DC!

3 Days, 3 Tracks, More than 20 Speakers!

KEYNOTE: a special advance screening of FUEL, the full-length biodiesel documentary

With director Josh Tickell, author of “From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank” and “Biodiesel America”

REGISTER | SCHEDULE | FAQs

The Collective Biodiesel Conference, originally held at the Colorado School of Mines, is a technical conference for small scale biodiesel and B100 users. It’s THE national conference for the homebrew community.

Biodiesel Production, Feedstocks and Usage are this year’s workshop themes. Talks will also cover Safety, Regulatory Compliance, and Fuel Quality.

The CBC brings people with all levels of biodiesel experience together to share secret tips, innovations and best practice methodologies. Whether you’re a newbie or a die-hard home-brewer, a B100 user or just looking, come learn more about biodiesel production and consumption from some of the community’s heavyweights!

Participants will also get to meet with legislators, take biodiesel buses to a Saturday night bonfire at beautiful Calleva farm, and tour the Pogoil farm-scale biodiesel processing facility.

The last day of discount ($150) “Medium Bird” registration is July 15^th. After that, registration is $175 until July 30^th, then walk-up registration is $225. You can also sign up for on-campus housing at our website for both nights of the conference for just $50 per night, and also buy one of our sharp conference t-shirts for just $15.

Learn more about this year’s conference and REGISTER TODAY!!

Thanks,

Web:  http://CollectiveBiodiesel.org

Email: biodieselconference@gmail.com

About the Collective Biodiesel Conference

The Collective Biodiesel Conference was held in Golden, Colorado the last three years. It is a non-profit effort, volunteer-run, and dedicated to building the biodiesel community.

Special thanks to American University’s Department of Facilities Management for hosting this year’s conference.

Our grease collection business began to grow about a year ago, when Moya showed up from Kentucky.  She took a leap of faith, jumped off the stage which was her life, and we caught her.
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It is with great sadness that we announce Mark Estill’s death.

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Pittsboro, N.C.-On Monday, October 6th, 2008, Piedmont Biofuels will cut the ribbon on the newest wing of their biofuels facility, known as the Bio-Refinery.

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