Minnesota sheep farmer finds agricultural opportunity grazing flocks on solar farms

Summary

Mark Schleski, who grew up in the Twin Cities but developed a passion for farming on his grandparents' Renville County farm, has found a path into agriculture through an innovative partnership: grazing sheep on solar farms. The sheep provide natural vegetation management for the solar sites, replacing gas-powered mowers, while allowing small-scale producers like Schleski to enter agriculture without needing to purchase expensive farmland. The arrangement benefits both the solar industry (which gets cost-effective, eco-friendly land maintenance) and local sheep producers (who gain access to grazing land). The article explores how this agrivoltaics model is creating new opportunities for beginning farmers in Minnesota.

Source

bskyMinnesota sheep farmer finds agricultural opportunity grazing flocks on solar farmswctrib.com