Day 8: Back to the basics: biology, chemistry, methane, and poop

Today was our first day at Vermont Technical College (VTC). Dr. Chris Dutton is our lead instructor, and he is a man passionate about the scientific processes around food production. In basic terms, he spent the day speed-teaching us this cycle: Plants take nutrients (elements of the periodic table) and water from the soil --> Plants transform the nutrients into carbohydrates, fats, and proteins --> Plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen via photosynthesis to produce glucose, while they also take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide during respiration to fuel their own functional processes --> Animals eat plants, while digesting hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin, to make plant nutrients more digestible for human consumption (when we eat animals) --> Food waste and manure go back to the soil.

Methane digester tanks, which are filled
with manure/waste and methane gas.

He then taught us about VTC's methane digester, which takes cow poop, beer waste, and pre-consumer food waste, among other wastes, and aggregates it in a stable environment (giant tanks) where bacteria feeds on it and breaks the bonds of the carbs, fats, and proteins. The bacteria leaves behind methane gas (CH4), which goes through a process to create electricity and give off heat. We literally were learning about and witnessing poop becoming electricity. Talk about renewable energy! But actually, I asked Dr. Dutton why methane digesters aren't more common, and the essential answer is the same as why solar and wind technologies aren't more mainstream - they're expensive, there aren't enough critical policy conversations, and our country is too committed to what it knows: oil.

Nicolle feeding young cows their dinner.

Later in the day, we did farm chores with a great group of VTC summer students. I have to admit that even though the first time I touched a cow was only two days ago, I had so much fun milking cows, feeding calves, and driving a skid-steer. It was definitely smelly and messy - I had my fair share of cow poop on my shoes and hands/arms. Milking was my favorite part, but the cows could tell I was not an experienced milker. I'd say three out of the eight cows I milked kicked me, which is probably not a great ratio. The girls in the parlor were incredibly patient with us, though, and I could tell they loved being in such an educational farming environment.

In typical VTC student-to-student
fashion, I attempted to teach Chantal 
how to maneuver the skid steer.

Even though I don't think I'll ever be a farmer, I really enjoyed the hands-on experiences VTC loves to offer, and as VTC President Dan Smith explained, there are real people and real work that goes on behind food and agriculture upper-level policy conversations.