Sunovis Ranch

06/22/2026

06/22/2026

What a wonderful day at Sunovis Ranch! 🌱🐑

Last week, we had the pleasure of welcoming an incredible group of young professionals from the Resilient Indiana: Technical Assistance for SWCDs (RITA) program for a full day of learning, discussion, and professional development.

We spent the day exploring sheep management, solar grazing, agrivoltaics, renewable energy, soil health, and conservation—but we also spent time talking about something equally important: leadership.

One of our goals was to help these future conservation professionals think not only about the technical side of their work, but also about the relationships, communication skills, and leadership they'll need throughout their careers.

We came away incredibly impressed.

This group was curious, engaged, thoughtful, and eager to learn. Knowing they'll soon be serving communities across Indiana leaves us feeling hopeful about the future of conservation.

Thank you, RITA, for spending the day with us! It was truly an honor to host you, and we hope it's the first of many visits to Sunovis Ranch!

🐑☀️🌿

06/19/2026

Yesterday was a a truly exceptional day here at Sunovis Ranch! We LOVED getting to host the Resilient Indiana: Technical Assistance for SWCDs group for a great day of learning and professional development! We had such a great time! 🐑😀

05/28/2026

This spring has been BUSY here at the Ranch! 🌱

Earlier this month, Dana Bowen Cummings and Paul Cummings had the opportunity to spend the day in beautiful Madison, Indiana, presenting about solar grazing through the R-STEP program—and what a wonderful experience it was. ☀️🐑

We are very grateful for the invitation, the warm welcome, and the opportunity to be part of such thoughtful conversations around agrivoltaics, agriculture, and rural communities.

One of our favorite parts of this work is getting to connect with people across the great Hoosier state. And truly—what a gorgeous setting for it all. We always enjoy any excuse to spend time in Madison! 😀

Thank you again for having us!

05/24/2026

It’s lamb time here on the Ranch! 🐑🥰

05/24/2026

We’re grateful to see agrivoltaics and solar grazing continuing to be part of important conversations across Indiana. ☀️🐑

Last week, Dana Bowen Cummings and Paul Cummings had the opportunity to participate in the IU Center for Rural Engagement Conference in beautiful French Lick, where discussions focused on how agriculture and renewable energy can work together—not against one another.

At Sunovis Ranch, we believe deeply in the potential of agrivoltaics to help support working lands, rural communities, and the future of agriculture in our state. It was encouraging to see so much thoughtful engagement around these topics and exciting to be included in the conversation.

Thank you to WFIU Public Radio for highlighting this growing work and to everyone helping move these conversations forward.

📰 Read the story here: https://www.ipm.org/news/2026-05-19/conference-highlights-ways-farmers-can-use-land-for-both-solar-and-agriculture

Presenters showed how they manage vegetation and raise sheep around a solar development on their land.

05/21/2026

Sunovis Ranch was very proud to be among the excellent line-up of speakers at this week’s conference!

05/16/2026

🐑 May 16, 2026! 🐑

Today brought one of our favorite signs of spring at Sunovis Ranch… the first lambs of the season have arrived! 🐑🌱

One thing that surprises people sometimes is that we don’t lamb in the winter like many traditional sheep operations. For 4-H families, winter lambing often makes sense because lambs need time to grow before fair season rolls around.

At the Ranch, though, we have different goals. We choose to lamb in the spring so it lines up naturally with the return of fresh forage, greener pastures, and warmer weather for both the ewes and babies. It’s a slower, more natural rhythm—and one we’ve really come to appreciate. 🥰

There’s something pretty special about watching new life arrive out in the pasture on a spring day! 💚

05/11/2026

We’re excited to share that Sunovis Ranch will be participating in an upcoming webinar hosted by the University of Minnesota Extension: “Ewes and Utilities: Ins and Outs of Sheep Solar Grazing.” ☀️🐑

Dana and Paul Cummings will join industry leaders to discuss the practical realities of solar grazing, what we’re learning through our work at Sunovis Ranch, and why agrivoltaics continues to create exciting opportunities for agriculture, land stewardship, and renewable energy.

Best of all? The webinar is free and open to anyone interested in learning more — whether you’re a farmer, landowner, solar developer, student, or simply curious about the future of agriculture and energy. Join us!

📅 May 12, 2026
⏰ 8 PM ET
🔗 Register: z.umn.edu/eweutilities

Hear sheep solar grazing practical insights from Dana and Paul Cummings from Sunovis Ranch as well as Jess and Marcus Gray from Gray's LAMBscaping.

05/11/2026

A pretty great way to end the semester...! ❤️🐑☀️

On Friday, we celebrated the Franklin College Biology Department Sheep Research Team (SRT) after their final session at Sunovis Ranch for the year.

Pizza on the patio, sheep in the background, and lots of conversation about a semester full of learning, research, and teamwork. We’re proud of these students and excited to cheer them on as they head into summer!