"When you start to generate your own power, you get a better feeling how much you are using," she said. "It's much cheaper to save energy than to buy energy."

Mrs. Menard said the system has been working well. Her husband recently adjusted the trackers that move the panels to keep them positioned for optimal sunlight.

"They were facing more southerly. Now with the sun higher in the sky, he moved their position more to the north," she said.

Other measures have been taken at the farm to improve efficiency, Mrs. Menard said. They include cleaning the ventilation fans that keep the cows cooler and using fluorescent lighting.

"These are things that people can do (to conserve energy) without solar energy," she said.

dheath@pressrepublican.com