BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 17, 2021
At our farm, my family has used the sun to grow food for ourselves and for the animals we raise. The sun has helped us feed and support three generations on this land, and, in a few months, it will help us feed the fourth generation when our grandson is born. Our farm is using the sun in a whole new way to help provide for our family. We’ve converted about 10 acres of pasture to host a community solar power array that will provide clean, renewable power to our neighbors in the area. A new law passed last year opened the door. People who can’t have solar panels on their own property can now join together to be part of a community solar project, and participate in the benefits of clean and affordable solar power. And this new program has given Maine farmers a unique opportunity to stabilize our incomes and preserve our family farms. ~ Toby Whitman, Hidden Meadow Farm, West Paris