Appel Family Dairy
  • Home
  • Why Farm?
  • Get to Know Us
  • Our Farm
    • Our Calves
    • Our Cows
    • Our Fields
    • Our Environment
    • Our Products >
      • Appel Farms Cheese
  • For Kids
  • Myth Busting
    • Vegan Dialogue
  • Tours
  • Contact

The Building of a Lagoon

2/24/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Manure is a valuable resource. Our lagoons are valuable tools used to store our manure until we can use it properly, safely and productively. The vast majority of lagoons are built to NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Services) standards.
Lagoon Considerations:
 - Fertilization Requirements
 - Number of Cows
 - Manure Distribution Method
 - Existing Facilities

Keep reading for Storage period, site, & geological considerations plus lagoon specifics, permeability standard, clay liner requirements and more. 

Storage Period Considerations
 - Weather
 - Crops
 - Growing Season
 - Labor Requirements
 - Management Flexibility
 - Available Equipment
 - Soil Conditions

Site Considerations
 - Proximity to farmstead
 - Prevailing wind direction
 - Management requirements
 - Economics
 - Resource concerns
 - Geological Investigation which includes
      - seasonal high water table
      - soil bearing capacity
      - seismic & liquefaction 
     - archaeological investigation

This is all before we even get a permit to start building!

Lagoon Specifics
 - Side slope ratio of 5:1 for safety, stability and erosion prevention
 - Clay liner - prevents leakage to ground water
     - Permeability standard of less than .000001 centimeters of water per second. 
    - The manure will also form a seal at the bottom, adding an additional reduction in permeability.
    - Minimum of 1 ft. thick 
    - Permeability is tested at lab.
    - compaction is tested on site

Periodic inspections are done through out the whole process.

Grass is planted around the edge of the lagoon and on the outside slopes to prevent erosion.  A fence and safety signs are added.

When a lagoon is properly built and maintained, it is a benefit to the environment. 

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Ann Appel

    Growing up, I told my farmer friends, I would never marry a dairy farmer. Little did I know that God had other plans for me! 

    Now, I am married to a dairy farmer and I love it!

    Because I wasn't raised on a farm, I knew very little about farming. What I did know, was only from when I helped friends do their chores. 

    Now I am learning by asking my dairy farmer questions and sharing the answers with you! 

    You can also follow us on: 
    FB - Appel Family Dairy
    Instagram - Appel_Dairy

    Archives

    January 2019
    December 2018
    January 2018
    March 2017
    February 2017

    Categories

    All
    Cow Care
    Environmentalism
    Fake News

    RSS Feed

Home

Our Family

Cheese

Our Farm

Contact

  • Home
  • Why Farm?
  • Get to Know Us
  • Our Farm
    • Our Calves
    • Our Cows
    • Our Fields
    • Our Environment
    • Our Products >
      • Appel Farms Cheese
  • For Kids
  • Myth Busting
    • Vegan Dialogue
  • Tours
  • Contact