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Waste not: Kootenay brewery leftovers feed the local food chain

Spent grains from the Trail Beer Refinery are donated to local farmers and growers, none go to waste
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Matilda the nanny, Petunia the pig, and Eeyore the mini-donkey, are just a few of the animals growing strong and healthy at Rainbow Recovery Farm thanks, in part, to the forward-thinking people running the Trail Beer Refinery.

That香蕉视频直播檚 because ever since the brewing began, all the spent grains have been donated to the Casino farm, as well as to other growers and producers in the area.

How it works, is every few Fridays, Rick Malcolm makes a trip into town from his recovery farm in Casino and parks behind the Refinery, outside the bay door. From the huge beer-making vats, he fills up wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow of steaming grains then rolls the bounty through the back of the brewery and unloads it into the box of his pick up.

香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 no alcohol in the barley (grain),香蕉视频直播 he began. 香蕉视频直播淲hat happens is the heat draws out the sugars, but there is about 40 per cent left in there, and it香蕉视频直播檚 still nutritious. So it香蕉视频直播檚 a supplement that we mix with the feed, and all our animals really enjoy it.香蕉视频直播

While he香蕉视频直播檚 in town, Malcolm also stops by the Rossland Avenue food bank to pick up the pantry香蕉视频直播檚 old bread so instead of that going into the garbage bin, it gets fed to the animals as well.

To show his appreciation, he brings in his honey and bacon for the Refinery folks to enjoy, and Malcolm donates his meat products back to the food bank and other non-profits like Sanctuary, a free after-school care program for kids ages 8-12.

香蕉视频直播淪o when you think about it, this barley goes a long way throughout the community,香蕉视频直播 he reflected.

This valued eco-enterprise between business and community has been going on for a few years now, quietly benefiting so many.

So in recognition of Earth Day 2019, which is actually Monday, April 22, the Trail Times chose this unassuming relationship as a fitting example of how eco-smart actions reap huge rewards that reverberate throughout the city year-round.

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香蕉视频直播淲e started with our first batch,香蕉视频直播 says the Refinery香蕉视频直播檚 Mike Konkin. 香蕉视频直播淲e have never let even one bucket of spent grain go to the garbage.香蕉视频直播

And that doesn香蕉视频直播檛 mean the farmers are offered just a few buckets, or wheelbarrow-fuls, every few weeks.

Sometimes there is up to 1,000 kilograms of used grain that, if not given to producers and gardeners, would end up where it shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 be - in the landfill.

香蕉视频直播淚t is a massive amount of waste if not used in some other fashion,香蕉视频直播 said Konkin. 香蕉视频直播淧igs love it. It can be used as fertilizer, and we even have someone making dog treats from it.香蕉视频直播

Even Konkin香蕉视频直播檚 mom stops by on the occasional brewing day to pick up a few buckets of spent grain for her garden. She finds her flowers come up even brighter when the grain is mulched in with other composted organics.

香蕉视频直播淢y husband figured that one out,香蕉视频直播 said Gail Konkin, with a smile.

On a bigger scale, there香蕉视频直播檚 another waste reduction project - called organics waste diversion - that is picking up steam in the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB).

Over the years, locals may recall hearing about the plan for curbside pick up of certain food scraps. This would mean that countless kilos of organics could be re-purposed - like a big regional compost - instead of being dumped in the landfill and left to rot alongside household garbage that may not have re-use value.

Last week the regional board approved, in principle, 香蕉视频直播渢he partnership with the Regional District of Central Kootenay in that the RDKB will supply and/or direct collected organic food waste from the McKelvey Creek Watershed to the Central Landfill facility once the organics processing infrastructure is constructed and operational and by no later than the end of 2022.香蕉视频直播

What does this mean in laymen香蕉视频直播檚 terms?

香蕉视频直播淭he committee just approved a two- phase plan,香蕉视频直播 clarified Trail Coun. Robert Cacchioni, the city香蕉视频直播檚 regional director.

香蕉视频直播淥ne is to update the Grand Forks facility to accommodate all the (organic) waste from the boundary area,香蕉视频直播 he explained.

香蕉视频直播淭he second phase is to partner with central Kootenay with an application to provide organic diversion to the East End.香蕉视频直播

This recommendation will be going to the board on April 24.

香蕉视频直播溝憬妒悠抵辈ウ diversion will eliminate about 40 per cent of the waste going into the East End landfill and this will extend the life of the landfill by 40 per cent,香蕉视频直播 Cacchioni said.

香蕉视频直播淭he committee has done considerable work and has committed to moving the project ahead as soon as possible. It香蕉视频直播檚 something the residents have asked for for a long time 香蕉视频直播 the extension of the landfill lifetime will save millions of dollars for future residents not only of the East End but of the entire regional district.香蕉视频直播

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22. Worldwide, various events are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day now includes recognition in more than 193 countries.



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16496891_web1_190417-TDT-rick
Rick Malcolm, owner of Rainbow Recovery Farm in Casino. (Sheri Regnier photo)
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Helping to unload spent grains is one of the many jobs for Sheri Konkin on brewing days at the Trail Beer Refinery. (Sheri Regnier photo)
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Instead of going into the garbage bin, old bread from the Trail food bank literally goes to the pigs instead. (Sheri Regnier photo)


Sheri Regnier

About the Author: Sheri Regnier

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