Solar power cuts energy expenses for an organic farm

An organic farm may be the first in the area to take advantage of solar resources but is among a larger trend across the country.

The decision offers cost advantages, as the owners of Segal Meadows know it takes a lot to run their organic farm.

“We were on irrigation,” said Wayne Eheart, an owner of Segal Meadows. “We have several outbuildings that we use for production chickens. We have commercial freezers and refrigerators for produce keep them stable.”

All that racks up a hefty bill. The business spends almost $300 a month for diesel fuel. It was only natural for it to look for other options, leading the Desoto County company to turn to solar. It uses almost 20,000 kilowatts of energy to replace fuel.

“We find that if you let nature take care of itself, it does,” said Andrea Segal, an owner of Segal Meadows.

Not only is it environmentally friendly, but it is also easy on the wallet. It is a move many farmers across the county are making to avoid having to pay high prices for commodities.

“It will be stable instead of variable because sometimes fuel is more expensive at different times of the year or when the fuel costs fluctuate,” Eheart said.

Segal Meadows receives about $17,000 in tax credits over 30 years. It said they are the first farm in Desoto County to strictly operate on solar, calling it the farm of the future. Its panel installations will be finished by Wednesday and ready to operate on full solar power in a month.