Thousands of sheep recently took over the Hamilton Solar Farm for a number of days in August.
The sheep weren’t there for a protest, they were there to feast on acres of grass and brush – over 197 acres to be exact.
Matt Fleguel is from Prince Edward County and has grown up around sheep, taking over his parent’s sheep farm.
But in the last few years, a growing trend is taking place with sheep farmers.
Instead of traditionally getting lawn maintenance person’s to cut grass on solar farms, the sheep have taken over and are doing a great job!
The process is called solar grazing.
Fleguel has been transporting his sheep primarily in the Napanee and Kingston area with Northumberland County being the further west he’s traveled.
The sheep he uses for grazing are female Dorset.
“This is their little vacation away.”
“The 2,000 sheep can graze 10 to 15 acres a day depending on how tall the grass is.”
Sheep can graze grass as tall as a metre, but it helps to go in sooner so the shade doesn’t effect the 46,000 solar panels.
“Anywhere a weed wacker can get a sheep can get. It’s like having 2,000 weed wackers in there. They can get right under the panels and into the ditches and little places.”
A number of dogs are always with the sheep to protect them from coyotes during the evening and at night.
Fleguel said the fences work “reasonably well,” but if there were no dogs, “I’m sure the coyotes would find a way.”
Transporting the sheep is a family affair with Fleguel as he brother has a transport truck especially designed for moving the flock.
“I hire him and the two of us move the sheep from site to site when they need to move.”
With the green energy from the solar panels, sheep grazing on the land is an added bonus not having machines do the work.
“We’ve enjoyed it. It fits well into our yearly cycle. It allows us to have feed for the sheep in the summer when our pastures at home could have a break.”
The added revenue stream also helps being able to provide the service for the solar farms.
Fleguel adds, most importantly, the sheep are happy.
“The best way to tell when a sheep is happy is if you keep doing the same thing and it wants to do it.”
“So when we’re loading them up taking them to the next solar farm, they are actually pretty interested in getting on the truck. Quite a few of them have figured out they want to be the first ones to get the clover and the nice bit from the next panels.”
Once the sheep were done at the Hamilton Solar Farm which is owned by Penn Energy Renewables, they were transported to the Port Hope Solar Farm just south of Highway 401 and west of Wesleyville Road for another feast.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
