Photo voltaic Array and Conservations Initiatives at 3 Porch Farm  — The Grime

On Oct. 31, 2022, Georgia Organics hosted over 25 contributors at 3 Porch Farm in Comer, GA, for a farmer discipline day.

The occasion centered on the various advantages of on-farm photo voltaic vitality and conservation initiatives for local weather change resiliency. Mandy and Steve O’Shea, homeowners of the farm, jumped proper into issues. Knowledgeable by their expertise, they shared the way to finest supply and set up photo voltaic panels on a farm. The O’Sheas additionally lined how the USDA Rural Power for America (REAP) grant and the Federal Tax Credit score offset the price of their photo voltaic set up. The farm homeowners even shared their breakdown of related prices and financial savings to element how farmers in attendance might observe the method.

Mandy and Steve mentioned the various conservation initiatives 3 Porch Farm has carried out with the help of the Pure Assets Conservation Service (NRCS). Particularly, we mentioned how the Environmental High quality Incentives Program (EQIP) was a worthwhile useful resource for the farm. NRCS agent, Bryan Barrett, was additionally readily available to elucidate this system and the way to apply.

We organized the sphere day so attendees would go away with the next:

• A greater understanding of solar-power advantages for a nine-acre, Georgia farm

• How this solar-based sustainable operation does/doesn’t translate to their farm

• Examples of actual on-farm photo voltaic initiatives, funded by means of the REAP grant

• An overview of concerns, prices, challenges, and finest practices for putting in photo voltaic

• The best way to apply for the REAP grant & Federal photo voltaic tax credit score

• Examples of on-farm infrastructure, funded by means of the EQIP grant

• An understanding of EQIP’s Excessive Tunnel Initiative

• Realizing in the event that they qualify for EQIP and, if that’s the case, what initiatives to pick out