PONTIAC, ILL. (RFD-TV) — As solar energy projects expand across rural America, one Northern Illinois business is finding a way to keep livestock production part of the landscape.
Solar Shepherds uses sheep to manage vegetation beneath solar panels, creating another opportunity for livestock producers while helping maintain the land.
Founded by Kyle and Natalie Blum alongside local farmers, the Drendel brothers, the business provides solar grazing services to solar farm operators.
Turning Vegetation Management Into an Agricultural Opportunity
Natalie Blum said the idea grew from conversations about making solar farms serve more than one purpose.
“He’s always been a chatterbox,” she said of Kyle. “We’d be driving cross-country, and he’s like, ‘Why are we not putting that to use? I mean, let’s make this dual purpose.’”
The opportunity came together as they learned more about solar grazing and the training available for livestock producers.
Kyle explained that solar operators traditionally use mowers or tractors to control vegetation beneath panels. Plants must be kept from growing high enough to shade the panels and affect energy production.
With sheep, the animals graze beneath and around the solar arrays, helping control vegetation naturally.
“The sheep do a pretty good job on their own,” Kyle said. “They like to kind of get underneath everything and clean things up really good.”
Sheep Offer Benefits Beyond Mowing
Kyle said grazing sheep offers benefits beyond cutting vegetation. As the animals graze, their manure returns nutrients to the soil.
“With the traditional mower, you have all this thatch that you’re left with, this dead overgrowth stuff that just kind of mats out and makes it harder for the seeding to stay established there,” he said.
That buildup can also create opportunities for weeds to grow.
“When you’re using the sheep, they’re grazing through the system, they’re going through and they’re cleaning everything up and turning it into nutrients that can be cycled throughout the soil profile,” Kyle said.
He added that sheep are a good fit for solar arrays because of their size and grazing habits.
The approach also offers an alternative to running mowing equipment beneath panels. Kyle said the sheep are not producing the emissions associated with mowers or throwing rocks at the panels.
Keeping Agriculture Part of the Rural Landscape
For the Blums, solar grazing is about more than managing vegetation. They also want to preserve opportunities for agriculture as energy projects become part of rural communities.
Natalie said their interest in the future of the land extends to the next generation.
“We have our own generation to pass things on to now, and we know that their world is going to be totally different than our world,” she said.
She said the goal is to ensure the land remains useful for future generations, even when solar projects eventually reach the end of their operating lives.
“We want to make sure the land is there for them someday as well,” Natalie said.
Kyle sees opportunities for solar grazing to expand beyond sheep. He said dual-purpose landscapes could potentially accommodate cattle and other livestock, depending on the design and height of solar panels.
He also sees potential for solar grazing to create opportunities for younger people interested in livestock production who may not have access to pasture ground.
In the areas where the Blums farm, he said, pasture is limited, with much of the land devoted to crops such as corn and soybeans.
Solar projects could offer local livestock producers another place to graze animals while keeping agricultural activity on the land.
Communication Is Essential for Farmers and Developers
The Blums said successful solar grazing requires cooperation between farmers and solar companies. Developers need to recognize that livestock producers may want to manage vegetation, while farmers need to understand that managing animals on a solar site involves more than simply opening a gate.
Kyle emphasized the importance of access and communication, particularly when something happens to livestock.
“You need to have 24/7 gate access,” he said.
If predators enter the site, animals need attention or water needs to be addressed, the farmer must be able to get inside and care for the livestock as they would in a traditional pasture.
Natalie said working with solar companies can involve considerable coordination. Even when the fencing is in place and animals are on site, management remains necessary.
The Blums said solar developers should also look locally for agricultural producers who may want to expand their livestock operations.
Wet Weather Slows Harvest
Along with operating Solar Shepherds, the Blums continue to farm full time. This year’s wet conditions have made harvest slower than usual.
Kyle said the operation was behind its normal harvest pace after excessive rainfall.
“We haven’t gotten too crazy on the harvest stuff yet, just because we were so wet,” he said.
He said some sloping, more marginal ground had performed better than expected, while some of the flatter, more productive ground had disappointed because of the water.
“All in all, I would say some of the more marginal ground that’s got a little bit more slope to it is really surprising us,” Kyle said.
He added that excessive rainfall has challenged farmers across Illinois.
The Blums hope their work demonstrates how solar energy projects and agriculture can share the landscape. By using sheep to manage vegetation, solar operators can work with local livestock producers while keeping agricultural production part of rural communities.
LEARN MORE: www.solarshepherdsmidwest.com
