[CERTS-CENTRAL] Morrison County Wind Turbine Project

[Kristen Blann]

June 1, 2005
Little Falls, MN

May 31, 2005. A groundbreaking ceremony for the Morrison County Fair wind
turbine project was held Tuesday, May 31 at the Morrison County Fairgrounds
in Little Falls, MN.  The Morrison County Agricultural Society, with
assistance from David Winkelman of the WATER Foundation (www.bogfrog.com)
and Kristen Blann of the Sustainable Farming Association of Central
Minnesota, successfully obtained a $20,000 grant from Minnesota Power to
put up a wind turbine on the Morrison County Fairgrounds, site of the 5th
annual Windy River Renewable Energy and Sustainable Agriculture Fair.  

The wind turbine is a 20 kilowatt Jacobs system with a 31 foot rotor on a
120 foot tower, which will produce enough electricity to power a small farm
(estimated 15,000 to 20,000 kilowatt hours per year) (www.windturbine.net).
 The total installed cost for this system is $50,000.  With proper
maintenance, the project will pay for itself quickly and produce that
power/income for The Morrison County Ag Society for many decades, as proven
by Jacobs since 1930. The groundbreaking ceremony was held 5-31-05, at the
Morrison County fairgrounds at 11am.  

The turbine will be installed in time for the Windy River Renewable Energy
and Sustainable Agriculture Fair (July 27-30, 2005), held in conjunction
with the Morrison County Fair.  The tower tip-up ceremony will be on July
20 at 11 am.  Media are welcome.  The Windy River Fair (www.windyriver.us)
is designed to showcase a range of real-world, successful, readily
available, financially viable, and innovative solutions in agriculture and
energy that simultaneously address environmental, social, and economic
problems.  Sustainable agriculture and renewable energy systems --such as
organic and low-input agriculture, as well as solar, wind, and geothermal
power--help keep farm families on the land, reduce air and water pollution,
increase Minnesota's food security and energy independence, provide
healthier food and sustainable independent livelihoods for producers, as
well as reduce the use of nonrenewable carbon-based fuels, thereby
addressing climate change as well as the mercury emissions from coal-fired
power plants that pollute Minnesota's lakes, waters, and fish.  The Windy
River Fair is hosted by the Sustainable Farming Association of Central
Minnesota, with support from major donors and sponsors including the
Initiative Foundation, the Minnesota Department of Commerce's Energy
Information Center, the WATER Foundation, Hunt Utilities Group, and
Minnesota Power, as well as a host of exhibitors and workshop presenters.  

Morrison County Fair will be the first county fair in Minnesota that will
have a permanent wind turbine on their grounds. The turbine will feature
educational signage on its base explaining the basics of the technology,
the costs of getting electricity from the wind, the financial benefits for
the homeowner or farmer and the pollution reduction benefits for all.  The
Windy River Fair website will display the actual production and income
earned from the wind turbine, updated regularly.  Visit www.windyriver.us
often for updates.  

contact: Kristen Blann 218-330-9612
Windy River Fair coordinator
Sustainable Farming Association of Central Minnesota