Food Solutions New England

Food Solutions New England (FSNE) is a regional food systems learning-action network dedicated to advancing a sustainable New England food system. The FSNE network is organized around four interrelated activities:

A New England Food Vision, a bold vision that calls for our region to build the capacity to produce up to 70% of food that is produced in an environmentally and socially sustainable manner, that promotes health and is accessible by all New Englanders by 2060; New England state food planning initiatives; annual New England food summits and topical workshops; and related analysis, communication and visualization.

The UNH Sustainability Institute serves as the backbone organization for FSNE. Since its inception in 2006, FSNE has advanced its mission by linking a common agenda, shared measurement, continuous communication, and synergestic activities.

Open Shop Tools
Stage: Ready to Build
Type:
"Smart Farm" tools
# of Topics: 70
Last Tool Wiki Update 09/03/2015
# of Wiki Edits: 24
Stage: Concept
Type:
# of Topics: 3
Last Tool Wiki Update 10/14/2013
# of Wiki Edits: 5
Forum Topics from Organization's members

Some Design Principles for Open Farm Tools and Questions to Consider

Some design principles for open farm tools and questions to consider (and modify, discuss and add to)

Biology before steel and diesel – is there a way to approach this problem by using biological systems that add to soil health – such as cultural practices like cover cropping, mulching, crop or animal rotations etc.

Holistic approach – does this tool make me enjoy working with it as much as getting the job done faster?

Forum Comments from Organization's members
dorn's picture

Funny you should ask about more documentation. There is a LOT more documentation coming for this tool really soon. I have detailed process flow diagrams, parts lists with major suppliers and will be doing a video with operational instructions which I hope to complete this summer. I also have performace data and will be able to post the arduino based temperature data logs up and running again in its new fancy enclosure. I will also be building a new modular processor which I will swap out for the existing static mixer/tank. This change should drastically reduce the price of the whole unit by eliminating the need for the co-generation unit for heating the oil and running the air compressor. The new unit will be a smaller diesel direct drive air compressor and hydraulic power unit to run the air operated pumps and two metered hydraulic drive pumps for a cavitator type processor which should work at ambient temperatures. Thanks for your interest and will post more as soon as I can!

It would be great to see this system built at different scales and variations.