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Grass Pellet Demonstration Workshops! 10:00 am & 1:00 pm (for Wayne & Carbon only)
​Register online or call (570) 379-2971!
September 10 - Wayne Conservation District, Honesdale
September 17 - Carbon Cty Environmntal Ed. Ctr, Summit Hill

1:00  pm only:
September 18 - The Lands at Hillside Farms, Shavertown

See Workshop Photos & Pellet Slides (click here)

On Farm Pellet Production Workshop Funded by USDA Grant

​A grant to provide education and demonstration of how to use local grasses to make pellets for use as biofuel across its ten-county region has been announced by the Pocono Northeast Resource Conservation & Development Council (PNERCD). This grant is targeted at farmers and rural businesses, although individuals interested in heating their buildings with grass pellets may attend. Howard J. Grossman, Chairman of the Council, made this announcement.
 
From July through October this year, PNERCD expects to hold ten events across its region. They will consist of an indoor presentation on how grass pellets are made, types of equipment needed, costs, results which can be expected, and potential government support available to help with equipment acquisition. This will take about 60-80 minutes.
 
Then a demonstration will be held outdoors that will actually make pellets using equipment which can be purchased locally. This will take less than an hour. Dates, locations and times are being finalized now. They will be announced as they are established. They will also appear on the Council’s website at www.pnercd.org.
 
Attendees will leave with an understanding of the grass pellet process, familiarization with the equipment used, and information on how to get grants and/or loans through the REAP program of the US Department of Agriculture.
 
The chief presenter will be Mr. Will Brandau of Woodcrest Farm in Wapwallopen, Luzerne County. He has been making grass energy pellets for his own use since 2006. His practical experience in this field, as well as his personal efforts to advance the use of warm-weather grasses for energy, make him uniquely qualified to present these sessions.
 
PNERCD has carried out an assortment of environmentally-related programs since its establishment in 1976. Renewable energy has been a priority for the Council for over a decade.
 
“We are very excited by this new grant because we can show farmers, rural businesses and other interested people an economical way to make grass pellets which will heat their buildings with a minimal initial expenditure,” said George Kauffman, Executive Director of the Council. “And, assistance is available from the US Department of Agriculture through the REAP program which could provide grants and loans to help acquire the equipment. All of this will be explained at our sessions.”
 
The project offers an alternative approach to that which the Council has used for the last five years – the development of a large mobile pelletizer which would be moved from farm site to farm site.

Renewable Energy & Clean Water Photos:

Sustaining Members Needed

PNERCD has been in operation for forty years, carrying out many, many environmentally-related projects. Some recent examples of those include: Conservation Reserve Enhanced Program (CREP), Consortium for Scientific Assistance to Watersheds (CSAW), Fuels for Schools, Storm Water Management Workshop, Mobile Pelletizer Project, Benton School District Biomass Heating System, Native Grasses for Energy, Orchard Limestone Drain Project, Dry Hydrant Project, Rain Barrel Project, Rural Well Revolving Loan Fund, to name a few.

In 2011, the Council lost its Federal funding which had been the major source of income for us, even though we are a private, non-profit charitable organization. We have adapted and continue to do and develop important environmental programs.

We continue to seek and obtain government grants and contracts, but they always leave a portion of our costs uncovered.

Now is the time for funding from private sources to fill the need. So, we are asking for support from foundations, businesses and individuals to keep our programs and solutions going.