Edible Toronto

Gaining Traction

• Photo by Tristan Peirce

  Tony Neale, farmer and owner of Wheelbarrow Farm, is seen driving his electric tractor, powered by solar panels. The tractor can put in a full day’s work on the farm in a single charge.

• Wheelbarrow Farm’s solar panels produce enough electricity to run Tony Neale’s tractor as well as cover the property’s daytime energy needs, such as lights, cooking and laundry.

• Any excess electricity generated is sent back into the grid. “We power everything, just from these two sets of panels,” Neale says.

• The electric tractor, which boasts 40 horsepower, has no radiator, no exhaust and no oil. Under the hood, a small computer manages battery use. The drive itself is quiet enough that Neale can hear the birds sing when he drives it.