Sheep from Illinois Solar Grazing at a solar site in Will County, Illinois
Meet The Farmers
Chauncey Watson IV, Vice President of Operations
Chauncey is a sixth-generation farmer who oversees sheep, solar grazing, mowing, and spraying operations at Illinois Solar Grazing. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Farm Management with a minor in Animal Sciences from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and brings hands-on experience in both livestock production and crop management. At Watson Farms, Chauncey is committed to improving flock genetics through selective breeding, with the goal of raising high-quality lambs that provide exceptional farm-to-table options for customers and strengthen local food systems. In addition to managing the sheep flock, he also raises cattle and enjoys beekeeping as an amateur apiarist. Chauncey is an American Solar Grazing Association Certified Solar Grazier, a member of the American Sheep Industry Association and Illinois Lamb & Wool Producers, a supporter of the American Lamb Board, and a member of the Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition.
Brooke Watson, Vice President of Business Development
Brooke is a first-generation farmer who manages new partnerships, inquiries, scheduling, and contracts for Illinois Solar Grazing. She earned both her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Recreation, Sport and Tourism from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and brings more than twenty years of experience in marketing and fundraising within college athletics and nonprofits. In addition to helping manage the sheep at Watson Farms, she is also a poultry enthusiast with a flock of 100 chickens. An American Solar Grazing Association Certified Solar Grazier, Brooke serves on the board of the United Agrivoltaics Heartland Alliance and represents farmers on the Illinois Stewardship Alliance’s Livestock Farmer Caucus. She is also an active member of Wild Ones: Rock River Valley Chapter, Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE) Chicago Chapter and the Illinois Farmers Union. Brooke is the founder of the Illinois Agrivoltaics Network, which connects farmers, solar graziers, solar developers, and researchers to share resources and advance conversations about agrivoltaics. She is passionate about land stewardship and champions the role of solar grazing in improving soil health, supporting biodiversity, and complementing native plant and pollinator habitats.
Watson Farms - Illinois Solar Grazing & Mowing
Watson Farms is a dynamic family farm team with expertise in livestock production, crop management, commercial mowing, commercial spraying and commercial snow removal. Brooke and Chauncey Watson IV are Certified Solar Graziers by the American Solar Grazing Association and operate Illinois Solar Grazing, the largest solar grazing operation in Illinois. Although their farm is located in DeKalb, they have grazed over 320 acres across nine community solar sites in Cook, Grundy, Livingston, Kankakee, Stephenson and Will counties. Several of these sites participate in Illinois Shines.
Illinois Solar Grazing also provides commercial mowing and in addition to exterior mows at the sites they solar graze, they have another 100 acres that they mow across three community solar sites in McLean, Whiteside and Winnebago counties.
A sixth generation (and soon to be seventh) family farm that has been on the same site in DeKalb County since 1856, they are proud to have over 30 years of experience in the sheep industry. In addition to livestock, they also have a fully insured commercial mowing business that specializes in the removal of noxious weeds for housing developers, as well as a commercial snow removal business.
Their experience in both commercial mowing and sheep management is unique in the Midwest. With a flock of 500 ewes (and counting), they are ready to partner and deploy their services to meet the demand for solar vegetation management and will continue to scale up to meet the needs of their energy partners at additional community and utility scale sites. With over 30 years of experience in both the sheep industry and commercial mowing, they are uniquely positioned to assist with vegetation management of solar sites throughout Illinois.