By Blake Jackson
Are you a fruit, vegetable, poultry, livestock, or bee farmer struggling to find affordable land in the Ithaca area? Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County (CCE Tompkins) invites you to explore an innovative opportunity to access farmland through the Yellow Barn Commons Project a new cooperative farm concept tied to a proposed 1,100-acre solar development in Lansing and Groton.
CCE Tompkins is working to connect local farmers with land surrounding solar panels, where agricultural production and renewable energy can coexist. Farmers can earn hundreds of dollars per acre each year managing land around solar installations.
While sheep are commonly associated with this practice, a wide variety of crops can also thrive in these spaces.
To help build a shared vision for the cooperative farm, CCE Tompkins is hosting an informational meeting for interested farmers.
This meeting held in person at 615 Willow Avenue, Ithaca, and available via Zoom will cover several key topics:
- An overview of the Yellow Barn Commons Project and a virtual property tour, including maps, site layout, soil data, and photos.
- Insights into farming under and around solar panels, including successful crops, required equipment, expected yields, and considerations for maintaining access to solar infrastructure.
- Details about vegetative management contracts with solar companies, such as per-acre compensation, equipment sharing, insurance, and safety training requirements.
- Discussion around shared resources, such as housing, barns, and marketing space, as well as interest in on-site living.
Next steps, including potential farm tours of both agrivoltaic operations and the proposed site.
This initiative is a creative solution for farmers seeking land access and offers the potential to join a collaborative, sustainable farming community. Participation is free, but registration is required.
Register at: https://ccetompkins.wufoo.com/forms/zkfonow1g5l8ie
For questions, contact Crystal Buck, Farmland Protection Educator, at cb258@cornell.edu or 607-272-2292 ext. 126.
Photo Credit: pexels-jan-kroon
Categories: New York, Crops, Energy