Elk County, Kan., rolled out a rich tapestry of agriculture last week for its annual Livestock-Conservation Tour.

A good crowd of local farm and ranch folks caravanned through the western part of the county, exploring a wide range of topics from Boer goats to wind energy.

Matt Gilhousen of Trade Wind Energy delivered an update on his company’s Caney River Wind Project which is planned for a site 10 miles west of Howard on the north side of Hwy. 160.

Gilhousen stopped short of calling the project an absolute certainty but emphasized that plans are moving forward and he fully expects construction to begin late this year with the project going online as soon as October, 2010.

The Lenexa-based firm constructed the Smoky Hills Wind Project along I-70, west of Salina, Kan.

The Elk County wind farm would harvest 200 MW of wind power—enough to supply electricity for 70,000 homes—and would connect to the Westar transmission line running through the county.

Gilhousen said it is yet to be determined how the power will be sold. The project itself, however, would have immediate economic developments to Elk County, he said. The project would create 15-20 permanent jobs as well as roughly 200 more during the construction phase.

Additionally, since wind energy is exempt from county taxes, the company would make an annual payment to the county, estimated to be around $1 million.

Approximately 10 landowners and 15,000 acres would be involved in the project which would utilize about 140 wind machines. Although there are various ways to determine payment to landowners, Gilhousen said an annual payment in the $20/acre range would not be uncommon.

He also asserted that Kansas is well-positioned to benefit from the potential harvesting the wind holds.

“Wind has the potential to provide up to 20 percent of the nation’s power,” he said, “and Kansas is smack-dab in the middle of the wind belt. There are challenges, such as transmission infrastructure, but this is a resource that offers clean energy that is cost-effective, renewable and locally beneficial.”

Kate Perkins, DVM, of Perkins Creek Ranch, shared the family operation’s experience with Boer goats which provide an opportunity to control unwanted range species and produce meat for a growing market.

She explained that increased demand, particularly in ethnic communities, has resulted in the U.S. importing a big share of the goat meat it consumes. That, Perkins said, creates an opportunity for producers who can realize brush control benefits and produce a saleable product without reducing cattle stocking rates.

The primary challenges for goat production, she noted, are parasites and predators. The ranch uses pasture rotation and the FAMACHA eyelid test as parasite control tools. Although Perkins Creek has tried both llamas and donkeys for flock protection, they have settled on dogs as the most effective means for their operation.

The family is in the eighth year of incorporating goats into its ranching enterprise, which also markets some club goats for local 4-Hers.