MidAmerican’s Shenandoah Hills wind farm came online in late 2025. Now, landowners like Trevor and Mandy are enjoying the benefits of hosting wind turbines on their land.

 

Trevor’s family has lived on their land for four generations. On their farm, they grow corn, beans, hay and oats, and they also raise cattle and horses. Their farm in Page County is one mile away from the Iowa-Missouri state line. On the other side of the hill, Trevor and Mandy could see wind turbines outside their window from a wind farm in Missouri. So, when they were approached by a regional developer of renewable energy projects about hosting wind turbines on their land, Trevor and Mandy already had an idea of the benefits that would come with it.

 

“All of those turbines we’ve looked at for 15 years,” Trevor said. “We’ve seen what they can do for Atchison County [in Missouri] – the way they have benefited is amazing.”

 

Trevor and Mandy had heard about the massive community renovation projects over the state line that were made possible from wind turbine property taxes. They were excited at the prospect of seeing those same benefits come to their community.

 

“I really just felt passionate about the fact that this could really benefit us, seeing all the things that happened on the other side of the state line,” Mandy said. “I thought it was kind of foolish if we walk away from this chance when there is little economic activity and no meaningful tax revenue being generated.”

 

Mandy spoke at many public meetings in support of the wind project. Her strong passion for bringing the economic benefits of hosting turbines to her community went a long way to building goodwill toward making the Shenandoah Hills wind project happen.

 

“[The wind project] got me out there and speaking in public,” Mandy said. “I think that was empowering for me to be able to use my voice for good.”

 

“Mandy was always willing to speak up in favor of the project at county discussions, as this project went through several lengthy challenges,” Kelsy Ballard, MidAmerican’s director of project development, said. “Trevor and Mandy’s involvement really helped make our construction of this project possible.”

 

After several years of uncertainty about whether the wind project was going to move forward, MidAmerican acquired the project. After that, Trevor and Mandy said, everything happened very fast.

 

“It was fascinating to watch – if [the construction crew] needed something, it would just appear,” Trevor said. “If they needed another crane, there would be another crane. It’s amazing to watch the machinery and the manpower these projects have and how fast they can get stuff done.”

 

Mandy said that working with MidAmerican has also been a positive experience.

 

“Everybody has been very easy to get along with and make requests,” Mandy said. “You couldn’t ask for something better in a project this size.”

 

 

Now the Shenandoah Hills turbines are spinning, generating clean wind energy and bringing financial benefits to Page and Fremont counties.

 

“The economics have been great,” Trevor said. “Farming can be unpredictable, and this has stabilized things.”

 

The renewable energy from the wind project also benefits the entire state. With about two-thirds of Iowa’s total electricity coming from renewable sources, wind brings environmental benefits as well as protection from fuel costs that drive energy bills up.

 

For farmers like Trevor and Mandy, the positives of hosting turbines go beyond the financial. Farming itself has also gotten easier thanks to the access roads built for the wind turbines.

 

“We have better access to some of our fields now because of the turbine roads,” Trevor said. “Where before we had to haul equipment for over a mile, now I can drive a semi right up the field. Especially if it’s muddy, now you’ve got a nice rock road to drive on that you didn’t have to pay for.”

 

On average, each wind turbine and its access road takes up a half-acre or less. For those considering hosting wind turbines on their land, Trevor and Mandy say to go for it.

 

“It’s benefited us tremendously,” Mandy said. “There’s the financial aspect, the community benefits, plus the road sped up harvest.”

 

“It’s been a good experience for us,” Trevor added. “It really just made life so much easier.”