Farmer shares experience growing vegetables under and between solar arrays
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EmailDual-use solar is one tool that can be utilized to keep farms sustainable.
Michigan farmers interested in learning about growing vegetables around solar arrays are invited to participate in a webinar featuring Gina Thurn on Wednesday, February 26 from 7-8 p.m. Gina and her husband, Loren, own and operate Our Kids Farm near Exeter, Rhode Island. Our Kids Farm is a 5-acre farm consisting of seven greenhouses and outdoor growing areas. They grow vegetable transplants and fresh produce for wholesale and retail sales. They also sell homemade pickles, jams, cheese and eggs at the farm. Through innovation and challenging themselves, the couple built up their business. In 2019 they installed a 0.15-acre solar array on their farm.
What makes them unique is they grow vegetables underneath and around the array. Gina will share their experience in growing vegetable crops under the array, in the inter-row spacing, and on the fence line of the array. She will also talk about how they countered arguments to deny permits to build arrays because people said it took valuable farmland out of production. She will share how this has not been the case on their farm and how dual-use solar is one tool that can be utilized to keep farms sustainable.
Growing vegetables around solar arrays may be of particular interest to urban farmers. For most urban farmers, land availability is the limiting factor in expanding their farming operation. This issue can be resolved when solar developers and urban farmers work together to maximize the benefits of soil and sun.
Due to the generous support of Michigan State University Extension, this event is offered to participants at no cost. However, attendees must register to receive the necessary Zoom links. With free registration, you will gain access to attend as many sessions as you want and even switch between tracks, making it easy to tailor the conference to individuals needs and interests. RUP and CCA credits will be offered for several of the sessions. More information can be found at: https://www.canr.msu.edu/miagideas/
