Hundreds of sheep are hard at work this spring in central Minnesota — not on a farm, but beneath solar panels.

At the Serco Solar Array in Clear Lake, more than 600 sheep are being used to manage vegetation around the 1,200-acre site. 

“We have 600 mews and all of them are with lambs, by the end of the summer we will have 1500 adult sheep and by the end of the project 7000 sheep,” said Briana Beck with Minnesota Native Landscapes. 

Part of a growing relationship between Xcel Energy and MNL. 

The sheep graze between rows of solar panels, keeping grasses trimmed and allowing native prairie plants to thrive –— all without using gas powered equipment or herbicides. 

“Its really important for the health of the prairie, to get rid of that vegetation build up and also on solar sights for fire mitigation,” said Beck.

The sight itself is home to dozens of native prairie plants and flowers, one of which is essential to an endangered species.

“Sundial Lupine, that’s a legume species. It is the only known host plant for the Karner Blue Butterfly – Which is an endangered species,” said Beck. “Its fantastic to see the lupine blooming out here.”

“MNL provides the seeds for the pollinator mix that we are using at the Sherco project,” said Luke Molus, Head of Operations at Sherco Solar Array.

The goal of the cooperation is to protect vulnerable prairie lands and animal species. While also keeping the land fertile for any future farming uses.

“The top soil is pretty thin. Restoring the native prairie back to this area,” said Molus. “It’s actually going to help the topsoil become thicker and more healthy so that if the solar project gets decommissioned in say 30 years – If farmers do choose to come back, they’ll actually have better soil to grow on,=.”

In the meantime, the field is part of Minnesota’s broader effort to move away from fossil fuels. The Serco site will eventually try to replace the energy output once generated by the near-by Sherburne County Coal Plant.

“Serco solar one is the first phase of the Serco solar project that Xcel is building to replace the Sherburne County Coal Plant,” said Molus. “All three Serco projects will be a full replacement for the coal plant that retired back in 2023.

Molus says that Serco Solar Array one is providing energy for 150,000 customers. 

Xcel Energy could expand the grazing project to other sites across the state in the coming years.

Minnesota Lynx (5-0, 4-0 Western Conference) at Phoenix Mercury (4-1, 2-1 Western Conference)

Phoenix; Friday, 10 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Minnesota Lynx takes on the Phoenix Mercury after Courtney Williams scored 23 points in the Lynx’s 82-77 victory against the Seattle Storm.

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Phoenix went 10-10 in Western Conference games and 10-10 at home during the 2024-25 season. The Mercury allowed opponents to score 84.8 points per game and shoot 43.1% from the field last season.

Minnesota finished 14-6 in Western Conference play and 30-10 overall during the 2024-25 season. The Lynx averaged 82.0 points per game last season, 12.2 on free throws and 28.5 from deep.

INJURIES: Mercury: Kahleah Copper: out (knee), Natasha Mack: out (back).

Lynx: None listed.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

The International Wolf Center in Ely, Minnesota, will soon show off its two new wolf pups, and the public’s help is needed to name the duo.

The pups, both males, were born on April 22, about one year to the day the center lost its ambassador, an 8-year-old Arctic wolf named Axel, to severe kidney failure.

The pups arrived in Ely on May 3, and beginning on June 3, the center will begin offering 15-minute viewing opportunities.

“We strive to maintain a socially cohesive unit of wolves that act as ambassadors of their species,” the center said. “The 2025 pup introduction is a significant investment in our pack’s future.”  

Although the pups will make their debut next week, they won’t officially join the exhibit pack until August. The center says they wait until pups are about 3 months old and about 30-plus lbs.

You also have a chance to help name the pups online, with voting closing on June 6 and the final names revealed on June 9.

The center, located in the Superior National Forest, says pup viewing opportunities are included with the cost of admission and will take place outdoors, weather permitting, at 9:45 a.m., 10:45 a.m., 12:45 p.m., 1:45 p.m., 2:45 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. The center is open daily between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from late May through mid-October.

More information on tickets and the center’s pup livestream can be found on its website.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says as of 2023, there are about 2,700 wild wolves in the state. 

Minnesota’s northeast corner “once sheltered the last remaining wild wolves of the lower 48 states,” the DNR says, before the Endangered Species Preservation Act passed in 1966.