probably should have jumped on that train

@@bp4170 money is not everything in life.

You sir are a fool or full of BS

@@mcleodfarmer5208 call us what you want but we own the land and it is not for sale or lease so people can get better WiFi or phone service.

@@MillerFamilyFarms Did they build it at your neighbor's?

I don't see why it can't be both. Like he said, agrovoltaic fields work. Why can't we start incorporating them as well as coming up with new systems? That's full on permaculture right there.

So, we should have subsidized or tax credit fuels doubling corn growth vs. what people actually want instead?

I’m a neighbor down the road from you. Thanks for calling attention to the issue, and for expressing your opinion and explaining it.

Ive got a commercial green house going in within 6 miles of my house. I live 20-25 minutes outside town. Due to this green house, increased traffic flow, there have been half a dozen wrecks in 2 months. Not only is this increasing traffic, but now we have lost road tractors roaming roads that cannot support the weight or size of these trucks. On top of that one person has died due to the extra traffic. Commercial green house means commercial traffic. It should be located in a spot that already has the infrastructure to support the traffic and electrical needs. Just like the solar farms. From what I can see in Pete's video the roads are not built to support the increased traffic.

Yea but they are never going to allow it if they pushed people buying solar panels and putting them on there houses the big electric companies would have to buy that power which would cut into there profit margin they can easily predict how much power is going to come in nowdays and can throttle power plants in response but they end up losing money that way as they have to buy the public's power at a smililar price to what they can sale it for so there is less profit per megawatt

Consider yourself very lucky and buy those farmers a beer whenever you see them!

I live in Wood County Ohio - some of the richest soil in the country. If they try to pull this off here, there will be h*ll to pay... it’s criminal.

Nate Seiler Lucky for you. We have a solar company around my area that has already taken in about 1800 acres. They just submitted the application not to long ago to the opsb. The thing is, all the landowners that signed up for it all live a long ways off. If this would go through, I would lose almost 400 acres that I rent. This whole area is very high productive farmland. I just dont understand why these solar companies always seem to go after the best farmland.

They came to randolph county indiana with lots of promises of good. Our property values went down and our property taxes increased. To make matters worse, we have to look at this ugly project and our electric bill actually went up. Only land owners will benefit. The so called environmental friendly grass they were supposed to plant, is nothing but field weeds. Riverstart solar park. Come check it out. See your future

@@billcarver6539 the government wants to slowly eliminate the food supply for control. Sounds crazy, but look how many politicians are buying up farm ground

Blame the State governments for providing the tax credits. Panels should be covering parking lots and shading sun-belt buildings, not covering farms.

@@pedro97w Covering farms accomplishes the secondary goal of depleting our food production capability, thereby forcing us to be reliant & therefore subservient to other nations. There goes our independence on the global stage.

Fear the bureaucrats

The counter argument is that farming heavily subsidized by the tax payer. @@pedro97w

But it is is your land you would want to do what is best for your family. Which normally means you want more money less work.

@@a-a-rondavis9438 Feed your family and providing for them is paramount

@@salmonhunter7414 It depends on how far into the future one is able to look. Reminds me of the old quote 'If violence must come, let it come in my time that my children might know peace.'

I am weighing doing this as well. We have 40 acres that they want. It would provide a good income for my aging aunt who has dementia. We have a sub station less than 100yds from us so they are paying well. Downside is there is a farmer that has farmed the land for years that would lose income.

The country needs to feel hunger pains again

It’s your land to do what you want with it after solar lease is done land will go back to what it once was for your children to decide what they would like to do with it. Other option is it will be sold to developers sooner or later and put and packed full of houses bringing in more people within the next 10!yrs

Plus the if the trend of reducing available farmland continues it could raise food prices increasing the profitability for those who are still producing food.

@@garethbaus5471 Reducing farm land is a constant issue. Far more land is turned into subdivisions then solar. This is not a concern.

Sorry to hear that farming was such a chore for you

@@garethbaus5471many food items have already doubled. So your okay with only the rich eating.

@@kimjones2056 At the moment our ability to produce adaquate amounts of food isn't what is raising the price of food. Food needs to be made accessible, but producing even more cheap corn is an extremely inefficient way of bringing the prices down.

The land under the panels would remain arable. At this point, we have nutty things like growing twice the corn that we need to go into a program (ethanol and then subsidies for the corn), often leading to marginal land being irrigated. That doesn't make sense to me. We're growing corn in areas where groundwater won't last in the long term so that we can burn it for fuel that nobody wants in the first place. I have no dog in the fight here. We sold our farm a couple of years ago (we being my parents - I wasn't ever intending to do anything with the land once they were gone) to another farmer who will be farming it (an amishman). Who knows, maybe he'll sell to solar developers. AT the time we sold, for a while, the only buyers for our land were solar companies, but the township squashed the whole idea. The land that we had was marginal and will always be (red shale). The amish can live on less output unlike a typical overextended BTO, but solar on the farm would've made sense. What we had was a bunch of NIMBY types saying they wouldn't want to see solar from their front porch, which is pretty stupid. I've heard complaints from other farmers about the subsidy to solar panels and "government money being thrown around". When you're talking to someone who is getting supplement payments, paid not to plant in some years, subsidized insurance and who has a subsidy-created system on the back end to buy corn that nobody really wanted in the first place, it's a bit odd to hear about "the government money" going into solar. I believe that at this point, it's about 1/6th or so of the cost of the project (or more or less, 5 cents a kw hour or so is needed to compete in the local market for generation and 6 is what the solar installations needed the last I heard to be profitable - but they may be profitable without it at this point, or at least break even). I just looked up the potential electricity - 357 megawatt hours per year per acre from a typical solar setup. If corn average 175 bushels, that's about 490 gallons of ethanol (completely ignoring the enormous amount of energy used to grow the corn and haul it, etc). google tells me 5.89kw/hr from each gallon of ethanol. At a 175 bushel average yield (yes, I know there will be superfarmers here talking about 275 bushel proven averages, but our farm on marginal land never averaged even 175), that's 2.9 megawatt hours by my calculations. The net energy production from the panels each year after setup is 123 times *greater* than the ethanol energy *Gross* prouduced by the corn. I used google while making this post, so any of the numbers above could be revised by someone who knows what's up with this stuff. Like I said, our farm went to an amishman (Actually, it was too big for one, so two cousins split it and bought the parts after they divvied up what they want). It seems to me that with our enormous energy needs, our "dirt farmer land" would be better in panels. Dirt farmer is what people made fun of my grandfather being "you'll never make a living on that. you'll just be a dirt farmer". 123 times more energy for society. That's a hard number for me to overlook. Our farm had gone to rent decades ago. I always felt like we were freeloading off of society because the renters pretty much wanted to grow corn on corn on corn to sell into the market where half of it goes for ethanol. It seemed beyond unethical. Way worse than putting in panels. I hope the channel owner addresses this as the reality is, we'll never have all of the farm land covered with panels - we don't use that much energy. Just guessing at output, I think per acre, the solar arrays will gross about $20k a year in generated electricity. an acre of maintained solar panels seems like a lot to me - I don't know how much they cost to install but it must be ten times that, but the ability to take marginal land out of the corn on corn on corn rotation and put in panels just seems to make sense to me, especially if they could be made in a way for chickens and such to run areas around the panels.

@@daw162 Opposing converting arable land into solar fields does not require advocating for using arable land for ethanol production... The latter is also harmful - monoculture farms raping the soil with chemicals to produce an output that nobody wants, except the government & 'green peace types' who don't think past step one.

@@daw162 the ethanol production is just another government boondoggle that wouldn't exist without taxpayer money. Don't blame the farmers for growing what there is a market for. As for your obvious disdain for "dirt farmers" I come from a long line of them and I am one and damned proud of it. So go screw yourself.

In US , 140,000 sq miles area is used for growing corn. Out of which 30% is used for growing corn for ethanol. That is about 40,000 sq miles of area for growing corn for ethanol. Majority of ethanol is used for blending with gasoline. Gasoline is blended with 15% vol7me of ethanol. It’s not blended for Diesel. We are just wasting 40,000 sq miles of land, growing GMO corn, using fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides and a huge amount of water to produce corn. Then extract sugar from corn and ferment it make ethanol. This ethanol distillation is extremely complex process. Then, think of huge amount of corn waste coming out in this process, and that will be produce huge amount of this. This runaway fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides get into waterways polluting everything downstream. This is happening every year for decades. To supply electricity to entire US through solar, we need only about 10,000 sq miles of solar panels, which one fourth of the land used to produce ethanol for gasoline. What a waste of land, if we stop ethanol production, that is basically of 15% blending with gasoline we will not be running for electricity. Think about how green house gases and pollution this will eliminate. The corn lobby is powerful and they will never stop corn for ethanol production, which is a total waste. If we have more EVs, we don’t need gasoline blended with ethanol. We eliminate both gasoline and ethanol. Also, agrivoltaics, is not like the image he showed, which just full of solar panels with no land. There are several better implementation that’s getting popular. Solar panels has about 25 years of life, after that that can be completely recycled and get back, 90% of metals and glass. It’s not happening now since don’t have enough end of life solar panels. Also, if farmers give out some portion of land for solar, that will hedge them against losses they may face due any potential crop losses. Main thing, is reducing the land for ethanol and installing solar farms will help in multiple ways

You should watch Ice Age Farmer. If we are heading into a greater cooling environment with less sunshine the people might start appreciating farmers much more. I'm in Australia and we can farm all year round but Denmark only has a limited number of farming days. Cover most of that with solar and wind and you reduce your ability to feed your own people.

PS... I'm first generation Australian born from Danish parents. I hope I haven't left it too late to visit my relatives.

@@cathymadsen2930 Our ag production is amongst the most efficient and less CO2 emitting in the world. Yet tree hugger organizations have managed to make the impression that we are polluting more and more and taking up more and more land even though the opposite is the case. Ask them where the food should rather be produced and you don’t really get an answer. The answer seems to be just elsewhere out of sight.

@@cathymadsen2930 Of course you should come here some time. I hope you are not affected by the flooding we hear about.

@@olepedersen3260 we are not even allowed to leave Australia yet. Might be another 12 months or more before they grant us the privilege of holidays overseas.

ABSOLUTELY. Look at a satellite photo of the DFW airport. Where it is not uncommon to see 90 consecutive days of plus 100 degree temperatures. There are SQUARE MILES of warehouse roofs that could be put in the shade of these panels.

It's not only a good idea but companies are putting solar on warehouses. Unfortunately, most warehouses aren't built strongly enough to carry the weight and increased wind load of a solar roof. That's why Solyndra made their lightweight collectors. They worked so well that fossil-funded politicians killed them off.

Amen to all you are talking about!! I agree with you. We lose all our farms and there goes our food. From North Carolina!

Usually the solar company pays the taxes for the land they lease. It is at a higher rate than the Ag. Exempt rate, so the county and school districts bring in more tax revenue, than they would if the land remained farmland.

Pete, I really hope you will look at your love and desire and choose to go the route of fighting evil…no matter what. I would, 100% support you in that and come join you on your farm to make sure..of a beautiful and lovely outcome!!!!!

It's not more complicated. You just change the meter to one that reads in two directions. The infrastructure is already in place because when you go solar you're a producer as well as a consumer. You're turning an existing one-way street into a two-way street.

There has not been a cash market for wool in decades & sheep do serious soil compaction if not removed prior to early spring/fall rains.

It’s so fascinating and I love the ideas! I wish the best for everyone testing the waters!!

Where are you located?

In the United States in the state of Virginia

Excellent idea, also much former factory land has much ground pollution due to chemical contaminants so disturbing same would be at a minimum

Hey pete for a bigger loader tractor. You could go with another brand instead of farmall. We all know how much you love those but what if you got a massey Ferguson or anything different than a farmall. It would bring some variety to the tractor line up.

And a truck idea for the old truck you have. Make it your towing truck. So say you buy another tractor or some animals. It would be better suited than your tacoma

Nobody talks about the heat that comes off of these panels

Yeah same!

@@eltsennestle998 true

@@eltsennestle998 more like they're driving it off a cliff Mount Everest size cliff and I fear there's no turning back it's gone too far.

They could always just pimp out their wives and daughters too

Tell that their land has been polluted by these solar companies

Sorry i dont believe you.what mess is left behind from a wind turbine? And why would they walk away when the infrastructure is already built

@@bruceevennett955 Bruce maybe you should do some homework before calling someone a liar. Here are a couple of articles. www.americanexperiment.org/it-costs-532000-to-decommission-single-wind-turbine/ and www.wind-watch.org/news/2020/01/02/the-trouble-with-wind-farms/

@@bruceevennett955they have done it in the past

Didn't germany create tax incentives to promote personal, independent PV installation on rooftops with a guaranteed wholesale KWH price buyback from the 'big companies' like RWE, Vattenfalls, etc.? Seems more like the opposite of 'big company' taking the money of the little guy to me.

@@zarroth Well said!👏🏻🙂

The owner of the land has to sell to the likes of Bill Gates!! There is greed on both sides of the fence as far as I am concerned!!

@@jimcour291 Indeed, but some people can’t pass up the money he offers! Approx. 12k for every Acre

@@zachwiz4709 As Pete has said, if you can't pass up the money, maybe your farming practices need to be reviewed

@@zachwiz4709 Family farming is a labor of love, in many ways.......not just working for the all mighty dollar. We can all think of easier ways to make a good, even better living..........we do this because it is in our bones

Soilent Green

@@seriouslyconfused1 I came here to post this. I'm starting to think that the only way for this all to end is for productive people to shrug...

“I didn’t touch anyone inappropriately” -Cuomo Just like you didn’t send Covid patients into nursing homes resulting in thousands of deaths. WNY’er here.

Get out of NY while you still can. Stop sending your hard earned water into the swamp.

@@katieandkevinsears7724 if we leave they win , we must stay and fight , Governor Pataki

Pataki was Republican , there is hope

It would be more moral to regenerate the marginal land and put the panels on roofs, parking lots, roads etc.

The panels would shade the ground and give a poor crop at best. To graze you need grass, and grass doesn't grow well in the shade. These solar projects should only be allowed on marginal or poor ground only. They should never, ever, be allowed to take over viable farmland.

It would still block the sun from reaching the grass. Put them over parking lots so people can park in the shade. Site them so they shade buildings in the sun-belt and reduce air-conditioning costs

@@pedro97w That's an awesome idea.

@@pedro97w This is the real answer.

I understand why you think panels would completely shade the ground if packed together. In real solar installations, tho, they're not packed that tightly together. We also have 'see through' panels now that if packed together would act like shade cloth. They keep the ground cooler, reduce evaporation, and actually increase grass growth.

Your farm will not be destroyed. After your lease it will be returned to farmland. Why should the rest of us in America pay record farm subsidies so you can farm? If you grow solar energy you won’t need subsidies!

@@goodguy6352 I'm not American and I don't get any subsidy's

But wind farms don't prevent crop farming except for about 1/2 acre per turbine. The rest of the land can go back to crops or cattle after construction is finished.

@@calamityjean1525 Have you seen the ground compaction from heavy equipment, water tables, farm drainage and more problems? Guess not. Takes years to recover from compaction, so yields are lower.

@@ronaldlee2376 the yeilds aren't typically lowered enough to make the net profitability lower.

@@ronaldlee2376 Land that can support gigantic modern tractors can support wind-turbine installing equipment.

@@calamityjean1525 You are out to lunch on that theory, you are comparing apples to oranges. We just ended an 8 year battle to stop wind turbine invasion . A GLORIOUS VICTORY FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THEY ARE DONE, PACKED UP & GONE !!!!!!!!

Get Brave browser - no ads...

Actually part of the money comes from NYS subsidies that the solar companies receive. Idk what subsidies the companies get from Washington.

The these companies, it's a bottomless pit of money coming from Uncle Sam. Just imagine if they actually this stupid Green New Deal that AOC wants.

@@greggergen9104 I gave Eric a like also. 😀

I dont think you understand how renewables work. Unlike coal or natural gas, you don't have a fuel cost with solar...

Thank you!

Think about where your foods coming from while those solar panels are deteriorating slowly

That would be interesting & definitely a current issue. I like the channels host take on it. Imo we the people should put the panels in ourselves so we the people can share the benefits. Corporations tend to want to control us and enrich a few. The same thing is happening in a lot of states that are legalizing cannabis. I looked into starting a grow with family from a neighboring state, but the costs were so high & the regulations so long & numerous. It's designed to keep a few corps & people with connections in the $. It cost 11k just to apply and you could be turned down for any (or no) reason. I don't remember how many applied, but 95% where not accepted. Well....their 11k was accepted. Seems like solar as some similarities. Where I live, they make it almost impossible for the avg person to get solar & tie it to the grid. My county outlawed personal wind generates being tied to the grid. They should be encouraging these things, but they want to sell us electricity, not buy it from us. Anyways. Good luck & PEACE!

@@jupitercyclops6521 the whole point that you made about corporations it's going to be the fulcrum of the whole work. What I would like to point out is that, as stated in the video, we should really start working towards a future where we make ourselves as self sufficient as possible, but that's exactly the opposite of what corporations and government want.

Do it! A multi-varied problem. Lotta research.

@@Andrea-ef9qm That sounds exactly right on. U would love to read it when you finish it, but i don't use my email. There should be pleanty of info for you. You might check out the channel of.......(can't remember his name...he's a brit.....I'll get back to u on it) But the way corporations are sniffing out small farms , hog operations and so on. I guess Bill gates is now the largest land owner in US or something. He's buying up farm land. Rustle Brand I think is his name. Anyways, good luck to you!

@@jupitercyclops6521 I am actually subscribed to Russle's Brand channel on YT. Thank you tho