Muskegon County Wastewater is headed into the fall.

Fall is a busy time at the Muskegon County Wastewater facility.
The crops are ready to harvest, the lagoon levels are being dropped in readiness for winter snows, plans are being made for the amount of grain we are able to dry and store on the facility and bids are coming in fast and furious for the standing crops in our fields.

Plus the farm managers are planning for the huge task that takes place over the winter or repairing and replacing the sprinkler heads, tires, motors, bearings, parts and pieces that keep those big rigs running from the last frost in the spring to the first frost in the fall.
All the water treated at our facility will finish it's final step to clean water thru a sprinkler, with Mother Natures final blessing of the earth's natural cleansing that we carefully support with our crop rotation, then back into the river after a freshening of oxygen that has been lost in the first treatment processes.

I was out on Friday with the DNR banding ducks.
After that I set out to see what else was happening since my last visit, I was not disappointed.

First I was given a tour by Scott Decker on the algae harvesting from the algae bloom on the east lagoon Wow, they are looking into the possibility of using it for pharmaceutical use.

The algae bloom is in full swing, it has no smell and is a beautiful deep green. They extract as much water as possible without killing the algae, weigh it and bag it. It is then refrigerated to almost freezing then transported to their test facility, exciting possibilities for this byproduct of our facility.

I did some research on algae and found this " In recent years, some research studies have shown that algae can reduce fever, diminish inflammation, prevent cancer and thrombus. It has been proven that algae have antibacterial, ecbolic, hemostatic and diuretic properties. Phycolloids extracted from algae is often used to treat injuries. It is also an ingredient in medicines used to treat ulcer, to help enhance the formation of connective tissue, to treat hemostasia, to help lower cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure." 

The field behind the grain dryer and silos is being chopped so I stopped to watch. They don't waste any time, they chop in high gear. The semi drives right next to the chopper (or is pulled when the ground is so they have trouble on their own), keeping the correct distance so the grain is picked, chopped and blown up and into the semi as the chopper and semi move in tandem up and down the rows. A steady stream of trucks has been coming and going from this field since I have been able to see it.

This truck is full of corn and was leaving when I pulled up. 

 This truck is just pulling out of the field all filled up.

 You can see by the dust he is stirring up, he is not

wasting any time.

 

 

 

Here he is at the weigh station, last stop before he heads to the farm to drop this load and come back for more. They usually work until dark, but I have seen them work with lights after dark too.

 



  Above a semi is being pulled by a tractor along side a corn chopper that is pumping corn up and into the semi trailer as they move along together.

 Above as they get to the end of the row the tractor unhooks the

semi and will follow at the turn along with the next semi for a seamless transfer with minimal loss of time or grain.

The chopper waits while the semi makes the turn and lines up, followed but the next semi in line.

Ready set go!!

 

All of that fast paced harvesting made me want to just slow down and enjoy the rest of my time at the Wastewater,

so that is just what I did.

Here are some of my favorite reasons this is one of my favorite places in the whole county to relax and

just enjoy the real natural beauty of Muskegon County.

 

 

I didn't stay for the sunset but they are spectacular at the Wastewater, I am including a few of my favorites just so you will know how beautiful they can be, I know you will want to see one for yourself.