For this workshop, we took a closer look at solar grazing in the Southeast, where new solar development is opening up fresh opportunities for graziers.

We were joined by Bridget Hogan (White Oak Pastures), who shared her experience managing solar grazing operations in the Southeast. Bridget walked us through the realities of grazing utility-scale solar sites in the region, drawing on lessons learned since White Oak Pastures began.

We also heard from Dale Caldwell, Executive Director of the Center for Agricultural Resilience, who highlighted the center’s upcoming October Certified solar grazing training workshop and shared more about their broader regenerative agriculture education efforts.

During the presentation, Bridget covered the unique challenges and opportunities for solar grazing operations in the southeast. An extended growing season can lead to year-round grazing, potentially eliminating the need to remove sheep from solar sites, except during extremely muddy conditions. There is also intense vegetation growth, and the rapid regrowth seen during summer months requires strategic management beyond sheep grazing alone. The hot, humid conditions in this region create specific animal health challenges not present in cooler regions. In addition to these conditions, solar development is rapidly expanding in the southeast, though the region lacks established sheep production infrastructure compared to other regions.

Based on these opportunities and challenges, successful solar grazing in the southeast requires a hybrid approach, combining livestock and mechanical methods. For Bridget, this typically requires two mowing cycles annually combined with 5-6 grazing rotations. This scenario requires paddocks to be tailored to site configuration and grazing during the growing season.

This presentation covered site characteristics impacting management strategies. Above-ground cable systems require zero-turn mowers and limit paddock design options. Meanwhile, long, uninterrupted rows create challenges for creating appropriately sized paddocks. Previous land use, topography, and reoccurring wet areas should be considered.

The southeastern climate creates health management requirements, such as regular FAMACHA scoring, selecting for parasite resistance, and utilizing vaccination programs. Investing in portable handling systems allows for efficient monitoring and treatment at solar sites. Hair sheep breeds are also well adapted for the hot conditions in the southeastern region.

Graziers in the reason face seasonal considerations that further dictate management priorities. During the lambing season, animal nutrition should be prioritized over gestation control during late pregnancy and early lactation. The first mowing cycle falls in the early summer, following grazing, to reset vegetation height before peak growth. Grazing is maximized in the mid-summer to fall to potentially eliminate the need for a second mowing until October. In the winter, if there is extremely wet periods, graziers remove their livestock to prevent soil damage.