Guests to Susquehanna College in Pennsylvania could be stunned to discover a flock of grazing sheep. However the animals present greater than a pastoral scene. They assist keep the school’s photo voltaic array by consuming the grass and weeds that develop beneath and round it.
Owens: “In some way, it’s a must to hold the grass down, the grass and the weeds, it’s superb how tall they’ll get. I’ve footage of weeds towering over photo voltaic panels, and anytime you shade a photo voltaic panel, you compromise the manufacturing.”
That’s Caroline Owens. She and her husband David hold a part of their flock on the college from April till November.
She says grazing sheep have many benefits over conventional mowing.
Owens: “Considered one of them is a philosophical benefit. You’ve put up this inexperienced power manufacturing plant, after which it simply flies within the face of what you’re doing to be mowing it with a gasoline-powered machine.”
She says the sheep additionally do a greater job.
Owens: “They graze not solely the grass, however additionally they stand up to these I-beams and nibble the grass across the I-beams, which is the place you would need to ship anyone in with a weed whacker when you needed it performed that carefully.”
So she says the rising photo voltaic trade offers new and thrilling alternatives for shepherds.
Owens: “It’s one thing that’s such a pure match.”
Reporting credit score: ChavoBart Digital Media
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