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Hillcrest Saylor Family Dairy Farm Methane Project

Hillcrest Saylor Family Dairy Farm Methane Project

Four generations of the Saylor family have developed the Hillcrest Saylor dairy in Rockwood, PA about 30 miles east of Pittsburgh. Richard Saylor and sons, Sam and Shawn, now operate the farm, started in 1910 when Sam's and Shawn's great grandfather milked five cows. The family currently milks 600 cows, farms more than 1500 acres and employs more than 20 people. The Saylors have worked closely with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture improving soil conservation practices and manure handling techniques. They provide annual educational tours to Boy Scout groups, school tours, teachers, elderly groups and other farmers. Their highest aspiration is to be a farm of the future, producing high quality food while also generating renewable energy from waste and employing environmentally friendly practices.

Shortly after the start-up of the farm's new high-efficiency milking facilities in 2002, Shawn Saylor began investigating use of an anaerobic digester to improve their manure management system and also control operating costs better for the dairy. In January 2003, NativeEnergy offered an upfront purchase of the RECs and other carbon offsets to help fund the project. With this proposal in-hand as a significant part of their required matching funds, the Saylor's were able to secure an Energy Harvest grant from the PA Department of Environmental protection. Shawn Saylor began his own digester design in late 2004, and construction started in 2006.

The Hillcrest Saylor anaerobic digester, now operating in its early commercialization stage, powers a 130 kW engine-generator, which provides power for all farm operations and helps to control energy costs. The Saylors will also be selling surplus generic electricity to their power provider. The digester is already greatly reducing manure odor and pathogens and creating a safer organic fertilizer to apply to their fields. The separated solids from the digested manure are so low in harmful bacteria that the Saylor's have improved animal health by using the solids for bedding material for the cows in place of purchasing wood shavings.