Solar energy has become a significant topic in my rural Virginia county, where I serve on the Board of Supervisors. During our discussions, the issue of food production has come up a lot. While I understand people’s concerns about maintaining a resilient food supply, they often overlook the amount of farmland that is abandoned and rendered unusable for crop production.
I see it happen all too often, farmer dies, kids don’t want to do anything with the land so it sits growing up becoming unusable. The rate at which farmers are either retiring or passing away far exceeds the rate at which agricultural land is being converted to solar farms. For many farmers, this transition has become a valuable secondary source of income and allowed them to continue or expand their operations.
>>I see it happen all too often, farmer dies, kids don’t want to do anything with the land
Often they've moved away to The Big City and don't have any connection or the skills, and often too there just isn't a meaningful return in the crop to justify the lifestyle change or added responsibilities of management.
>>For many farmers, this transition has become a valuable secondary source of income and allowed them to continue or expand their operations.
I think every American should read the book The Crazies by Amy Gamerman that was just published, that talks about this issue. Illustrates a lot of what's really going on in our country.
I feel guilty because the house I grew up in and the house I currently live in were both formerly farmland (cherry orchards and grain fields respectively). I wonder why are we paving over prime farmland while simultaneously dedicating 5% of all US territory to growing field corn. Sorghum, field corn, and cotton are grown around here, depending on market conditions.
Building solar on farmland is genuinely psychotic. Why isn't the play to first cover all urban/suburban and let nature regenerate. If you are going to cover something, cover the deserts in Arizona.
Oooooh, you're one of today's 10,000, and I get to be the person who tells you about Agrivoltaics - combining farming/ranching and solar panels.
You don't completely cover the land in solar panels - you work with the idea that the sun (and resulting shadows from the panels) moves throughout the day, so space them out a bit, and mount them high enough to stay out of the way of the agricultural activity.
I first saw this going on in southern Germany. The cattle were all in the shaded areas, eating the grass that was growing better than in neighboring uncovered fields - this year was really dry here until a few weeks ago.
[+] [-] cprayingmantis|7 months ago|reply
I see it happen all too often, farmer dies, kids don’t want to do anything with the land so it sits growing up becoming unusable. The rate at which farmers are either retiring or passing away far exceeds the rate at which agricultural land is being converted to solar farms. For many farmers, this transition has become a valuable secondary source of income and allowed them to continue or expand their operations.
[+] [-] poulsbohemian|7 months ago|reply
Often they've moved away to The Big City and don't have any connection or the skills, and often too there just isn't a meaningful return in the crop to justify the lifestyle change or added responsibilities of management.
>>For many farmers, this transition has become a valuable secondary source of income and allowed them to continue or expand their operations.
I think every American should read the book The Crazies by Amy Gamerman that was just published, that talks about this issue. Illustrates a lot of what's really going on in our country.
[+] [-] 0cf8612b2e1e|7 months ago|reply
[+] [-] burnt-resistor|7 months ago|reply
[+] [-] wagwang|7 months ago|reply
[+] [-] 0cf8612b2e1e|7 months ago|reply
California is also largely desert itself. Such farming is only possible through unsustainable levels of irrigation.
[+] [-] MandieD|7 months ago|reply
You don't completely cover the land in solar panels - you work with the idea that the sun (and resulting shadows from the panels) moves throughout the day, so space them out a bit, and mount them high enough to stay out of the way of the agricultural activity.
I first saw this going on in southern Germany. The cattle were all in the shaded areas, eating the grass that was growing better than in neighboring uncovered fields - this year was really dry here until a few weeks ago.