About Mirasol

Mirasol Agrivoltaic

Owns and operates the 1 MW agrivoltaic solar installation. Holds the interconnection agreement with local utility, DMEA, and the Power Purchase Agreement. Receives power purchase proceeds and disperses energy cost savings to subscribers — with participation weighted toward low- and moderate-income farms, farmworker households, and rural businesses. Also coordinates applied research, educational programming, and the CSU Rogers Mesa research partnership.

Thistle Whistle Farm

A diversified 17-acre working farm in Hotchkiss. Mirasol leases five acres from Thistle Whistle Farm under a long-term agreement for the agrivoltaic installation. Thistle Whistle team will maintain active crop production beneath and around the solar array, making the farm a central demonstration site for agrivoltaic research and education in the North Fork Valley.

Mark has been running Thistle Whistle Farm for the past 21 years, combining market farming and education on a 16-acre diversified family farm. Thistle Whistle aspires to grow the best tasting food it can manage, focusing on crop diversity, exceptional flavor, and culturally meaningful varieties, while providing a unique farm experience to visitors and staff. The farm includes vegetables, culinary and medicinal herbs, fruit, dairy goats, poultry, and bees, and is developing a 5-acre community agrivoltaic solar array. Before founding Thistle Whistle, Mark farmed in Pakistan, California, Montana, and Massachusetts.

Angie Fike has spent the past three seasons working and growing at Thistle Whistle Farm in the North Fork Valley, where she now serves as Administrative Director of Mirasol Agrivoltaic. Her work moves between watering seedlings and harvesting crops, to managing the CSA, hosting potlucks, and helping shape a project that brings together food, sustainable energy, and community. Originally from the Bay Area, Angie has worked in California and Colorado in environmental justice, affordable housing, food access, and rural health projects.

Pete is a longtime conservation, climate, and rural leader based in Delta County. As director of Colorado Farm and Food Alliance, he served as captain for the winning Community Power Accelerator Prize team that helped propel the Thistle Whistle Community Solar project forward. He now works through his consultancy, Fulcrum Rural Solutions LLC, where he remains committed to supporting Mirasol and this project's success.

Jill Cliburn is a technical advisor assigned through the National Community Solar Partnership+ at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. She has spent her career focused on best practices and innovation at the nexus between utilities and the communities they serve — spanning renewables at every scale, storage, load flexibility, and energy efficiency. Jill helped pioneer community solar nationwide, with particular focus on rural communities. Jill is a former board member of Solar Energy International in Paonia and a current Fellow of the American Solar Energy Society.

Kay (Kathleen) Howe has lived in the North Fork Valley for six years. She spent many years living in Southern Utah and calls the Southwest home. Kay spent many years as a researcher and educator in Hawaiʻi — a scientist, teacher, gardener, and beekeeper. She holds a B.A. in place-based education from Antioch University and an M.S. in Tropical Conservation and Environmental Science from the University of Hawaiʻi, and has been involved with the Mirasol Agrivoltaic project since August 2024.

A cidermaker and orchardist with 30 years of nonprofit experience in the arts, land and water conservation, and land use planning. Jay joined the Mirasol board out of conviction that small family farmers are an endangered species who need new approaches — ones that meld agriculture, solar energy, education, and research.

A business and investment analyst with a background in journalism, marketing, and PR — and deep roots in farm country. A Colorado resident for 15 years, Brandy brings a whole-systems perspective and strong opinions about good soil. Her board work with The Learning Council reflects the same orientation: farm and food literacy as a foundation for resilient communities.

A solar industry professional since 2015 with experience spanning construction, design, and project management from residential to utility-scale across the Americas. Now a Senior Consultant at Solar Tech Collective, Alex focuses on codes and standards for solar, storage, and EV infrastructure. He is a NABCEP PV Installation Professional, PMI Project Management Professional, and CELI fellow.