EarthDance Organic Farm School in Ferguson is adding solar power to its list of sustainable practices.
The 13-acre farm is three weeks into using a new solar array that is providing it with 87% of its power needs.
“We’re all about good stewardship and wanted to extend that into our energy use,” said Molly Rockamann, founder and CEO of EarthDance. “As a place that welcomes thousands of visitors annually, we're excited to be able to showcase this way of having renewable energy.”
In addition to holding classes to teach future farmers and gardeners, the organic and regenerative farm grows vegetables that are sold at the Ferguson Farmers Market, at an on-site farm stand that charges on a sliding scale, and distributed through other community programs.
Rockamann said the increased power is already allowing the farm to add a new walk-in cooler to store produce.
“Walk-in coolers, of course, take a lot of energy. And so having this solar array is enabling us to actually upgrade,” she said.
The 30 kilowatts of solar panels are on the roofs of two buildings at the farm. The total cost of $80,000 was paid for by the farm through donations, but the farm will get a quarter of those funds back through a reimbursement program that is part of the federal Inflation Reduction Act.
Advocates for the provision that helps nonprofits buy solar panels and other renewable energy equipment are lobbying Congress for it to continue into the Trump administration.
“I'm actually hopeful that some of these provisions will stay in place because they are being used and they're being used in states all over the country,” said Emily Andrews, executive director of the Missouri Gateway Green Building Council. “It’s being used in red states, blue states, and they are economical and they’re based on the bottom line.”
In the meantime, Rockamann said the focus is on the farm’s mission and promoting sustainability to Ferguson.
“There's a lot of wonderful things that are happening here in the community, and we're excited to be a part of that ourselves and be a demonstration of a way you can do things really looking for the next generation's benefit,” she said.
