Small-scale organic farming conjures bucolic images of days spent under blue skies doing honest work and living close to the land.

All that, says Uxbridge farmer Tony Neale, is true.

But it’s hard to enjoy nature when you’re riding on the back of a clunky diesel tractor whose engine can be deafening and exhaust can be noxious.

“It’s just as loud as you’d think,” Neale said. “You can’t hear anything. You have to wear ear plugs. And even then you’re still breathing diesel fumes all day.”

Surely, Neale thought, in the 21st century there’s got to be a better way. If there are electric cars on our streets, someone must be making electric tractors for our fields.

After a bit of internet searching, Neale was able to find examples of farmers who had stripped down old tractors, added electric motors and batteries.

Read more:

High-tech remote farming takes root in Canadian agriculture

Opinion | Jennifer Wells: Why Canada's farm industry is ripe for change

Scientists say they’ve found a mineral to help capture carbon dioxide naturally, and it came from mine tailings

But one engineer in California had taken his tinkering to the next level and produced the world’s first purpose-built electric tractor prototype — and Neale knew instantly he wanted one.

After making contact with Steve Heckeroth, who received a grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation to commercialize the production of electric tractors, Neale flew down to help assemble one of the 10 Solectrac prototypes produced in 2018.

The tractor went through a month of rigorous field testing before being shipped to Ontario in August, giving Neale enough time to set the second part of his plan into motion.

By borrowing money from his customers who supported his move to low-carbon farming, Neale was able to install 10kW of solar panels on his farm, enough to charge his tractor in four to five hours.

When the tractor isn’t charging, the electricity flows straight into the grid, Neale said, providing him with extra income.

“It’s beyond proof of concept. We’re past that. This is proof of commercial viability,” said Neale, who believes his tractor is the first purpose-built solar tractor in Canada.

“It’s not just a dream that one day you’ll be able to farm without fossil fuels. It’s real. It’s here.”

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

On a recent snowy day, Neale pulled the tractor out of its parking spot in an insulated shipping container and shifted into gear.

The electric motor is nearly silent as the tractor’s massive wheels squeak through the freshly fallen snow. Neale parks in front of his solar array and opens up the hood. There’s no radiator, no oil. Just a small computer that manages battery use.

He invites a reporter to take a spin and shows off the cruise control that sets a constant speed through the fields that can be slow enough to sow seed by hand out the back.

“I wanted to invest in this technology for environmental reasons. But using it, I was blown away by the experience of driving,” Neale said.

“It’s silent. There’s no exhaust. You can hear the birds and talk to people working in the fields. You can feel the wind on your face and smell the fresh country air.”

The tractors — which have the equivalent power of a 40 horsepower diesel engine — run for five to eight hours on a single charge and will eventually retail for around $40,000 (U.S.), which Neale says is a similar price tag to a new diesel tractor.

“But the operation is 10 times cheaper,” he said. “There are no fuel costs and little to no maintenance.”

The electric motors only have one moving part, unlike diesels, which have over 300, says Heckeroth.

Neale has been running Wheelbarrow Farm since 2008, selling much of his organic produce at farmers markets around the GTA.

He knows his customers appreciate the fact that he is both local and organic. Now, he’s got an additional feature: Low carbon.

He’s hoping other farmers will be inspired by his solar tractor and follow suit. Not only for the marketing potential, but because it’s a better way to farm.

Organic farming can be seen as a throwback, using ancient methods of crop rotation and permaculture. But it can also be the future: allowing farmers to avoid pesticides and herbicides and keep shipping distances to a minimum.

“We have the most ancient tools and the most futuristic technology,” he said. “We still use the wheelbarrow every day.”