Solar Energy Projects & Spiders in the NW

Solar Energy Projects & Spiders in the NW plus Food Forethought. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report. Solar energy is getting its day in the sun so to speak as Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger yesterday announced two major solar projects on public lands in California. This is the first time public lands are being used for this kind of energy generation. SALAZAR: Today we are announcing two solar energy permits on public lands including one of the largest solar energy projects in the entire world the Tessera Solar/Imperial Valley Solar Project and the Chevron Lucerne Valley Solar Project. It is a day that I as Secretary of the Interior am very proud of. My wife and I were doing some yard work the other day and it seemed everywhere we turned there were all sorts of 8 legged, creepy, crawly spiders. As the weather turns cooler the spiders will seek shelter and that just may be in your home. Spiders in your yard and garden are great at keeping other pests away but many folks resist the idea of sharing their living spaces. Of course you should use extreme caution if you choose to use a pesticide in your home. Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Lacy Gray. Twenty-five years after the first Farm Aid concert Willie Nelson is still going strong and continues to be a strong advocate of family farms and conservational agriculture; as he and several of his peers who joined him proved at the most recent Farm Aid concert this past week. Contrary to your typical rock concert, the Farm Aid concert goers concert experience includes an educational twist which provides them an opportunity to learn about and meet the very people their ticket money is going to benefit, family farmers. Even the concession stands at this year's concert featured foods from local farms. Since that inspirational Live Aid concert in 1985 where Bob Dylan uttered the words that started it all, "I hope some of this money goes to farmers", roughly fifty million has been raised to help family farms. Today it is more important than ever that we know where our food comes from, and become aware of the very real faces of our nation's farmers. These are real people, the very ones who provide the milk, and cheese in the dairy case, the meat at the meat counter, and the produce in the produce section of your local supermarket or grocery store. Thanks Lacy. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.