FEATURED STORIES & LAND STEWARDS

The Moore Family | St. Croix Farm (Valley Falls, NY)

St. Croix Farm is a fourth-generation family farm dedicated to raising high-quality beef cattle and working in harmony with the local ecosystem. Integrating dual-use solar provided the farm with a stable, predictable revenue stream—enabling financial resilience alongside their traditional cattle business.

They chose to put solar on their worst productive land, and now graze chickens and sheep underneath their array.

Today, the farm is operated by Eva and Emily Moore following the passing of John Moore, whose legacy of land stewardship continues through a dedicated young-farmer mentorship scholarship.

Josh & Rebekah Pierce | J&R Pierce Family Farm (Fort Covington, NY)

First-generation farmers Josh and Rebekah Pierce have built a thriving agricultural business centered on solar grazing. Their sheep herd manages vegetation around solar arrays across northern New York, providing cost-effective land management for developers while adding to the region’s agricultural economy. Beyond the pasture, Rebekah is an author and freelance writer whose book, Agri-Energy: Growing Power, Growing Food (Princeton University Press), explores the intersection of clean energy and working landscapes.

Evan Carpenter | WideAwake Farms (Hubbardsville, NY)

WideAwake Farms, a fourth-generation family operation, faced severe financial strain after losing its long-standing dairy contract. Partnering with a solar developer to lease non-prime acreage generated the steady revenue needed to stabilize the farm's finances and keep the land in the family. Today, Evan maximizes the dual-use potential of the site by actively grazing sheep and poultry directly underneath the solar arrays.

The Martens Family | Lakeview Organic Grain & Penn Yan Farms (Penn Yan, NY)

Operating since 1957, Lakeview Organic Grain produces a wide variety of organic crops. To offset high energy demands from grain drying and on-site processing—previously powered by costly diesel generators—the Martens installed high-clearance solar arrays paired with battery storage. By elevating the panels, the farm maintains full access for field equipment, preserves crop yields, and creates shaded microclimates where forage grasses thrive for grazing livestock.

Rutgers Agricultural Experiment Station (Rutgers University)

Researchers at Rutgers University lead multi-year agrivoltaics research designed to support farmers with rigorous, field-tested science. Focusing on flexible system designs—such as high-clearance racking and customized panel spacing—Rutgers demonstrates how dual-use systems can fit seamlessly into existing farm operations without disrupting crop production or machinery access.

American Farmland Trust (AFT)

American Farmland Trust works across the United States to align renewable energy growth with farmland protection. Through its "Smart Solar" principles, AFT advocates for prioritizing non-agricultural sites like rooftops and brownfields whenever possible. When solar development occurs on farm acreage, AFT promotes dual-use practices and soil health protocols to safeguard agricultural productivity for the long term.