We love our environment!
ALL ELECTRIC PRINOTH eMotion HUSKY GROOMING: New in 2024 we’ve added a full size all electric snow cat. Two tracksetters, tilling, and rubber tracks make this machine a thing of beauty on both the outside and inside. 3 hour runtime, 6 hour charge time. Quiet, efficient, and no diesel exhaust make this a very exciting addition to Sleepy Hollow.
EV CHARGING STATION: We’ve installed 2 x Level 2 chargers in the main parking area at Sleepy Hollow. Top off your car whether you’re here for a wedding, skiing, or mountain biking! $2/hr payable at inn.
SOLAR PANELS EVERYWHERE: Exciting news…. Our solar arrays are starting to really add up. We have 10 separate solar installations now around Sleepy Hollow & our family’s houses! We now have just over 100 kw installed capacity.
- 15kw array near the inn in Oct. 2019… 5 year payback period.
- 15kw array just down the road near Molly’s house (also in Oct. 2019). 5 year payback period.
- 4 kw solar array (Sept. 2018) on the porch of Sleepy Hollow Inn.
- 6 kw solar (Oct. 2018) on Dave & Sandy’s barn roof.
- 10kw fixed solar array near Eli’s house in July 2017. This new array is right next to two 8 kw Allsun tracker arrays we currently have in operation since 2009.
- 15kw (Aug, 2016) in Jane Meadows along Sherman Hollow Rd. 5.5 year payback period.
- 24kw (Dec, 2012) solar panel installations located at Jane Meadows (1 mile from inn). 6.2 year payback. Note this array is already paid back and producing freeeeee energyyyyyy!!
- 8kw Allearth trackers ( 2 x 4kw arrays) installed partway up Ski Lodge Drive back in 2009. 16 year payback period
- 2kw on Eli’s roof (installed between 2006-2018)
- 3kw on Sandy and Dave’s roof (installed around 2008).
Whew! Lots of solar. We’re excited about these systems for a few reasons. This should produce enough electricity to produce 100% of our electric needs at Sleepy Hollow, including our snowmaking operation (we’ll know for sure after a year of operation). It should provide enough electricity to also power our family’s 3 houses on the property as well. We did most of the install on our own to keep costs down. Construction costs of our new 15kw array were $17,000 (after state and federal rebates). In 2012 our 24kw array costs were $31,250 (after state and federal rebates). This makes a payback period of approximately 6.2 years (24kw array) and 5.5 years for the 15kw array. Not too shabby.
HEAT PUMPS IN EVERY GUEST ROOM: In 2017 we installed heat pumps in each guest room. We still have oil as backup heat, but 95% of our inn’s heating and cooling now happen by those heat pumps.
SOLAR HOT WATER: Since 2012 we have 3 solar hot water panels. This will save us up to $2000 per year in heating costs. The system is designed to store water during the week. We have 240 gallons of hot water storage, when our inn is not as busy. When the weekend rolls around we’ll have plenty of hot water for all our inn guests! Check out the panels on the roof of our inn the next time you visit.
GREEN LAWN MAINTENANCE: New for 2024 we’ll have a 54″ fully electric zero turn mower to mow all our lawns. We also have an electric battery powered chainsaw for trail maintenance. Most recently in 2021 we replaced our gas powered backpack leaf blower with an electric model. Not only do we do our lawn maintenance with it, but also our mountain bike trail leaf blowing as well.
BATTERY BACKUP: We installed a Sol-Ark 15k hybrid solar inverter and battery backup for the inn. This replaces our old propane generator. The new Sol-Ark can power the inn on both solar and batteries, making for a reliable and earth friendly way to back up Sleepy Hollow.
Our Goals and Our Choices:
- We will seek to educate and promote earth friendly practices with our guests at Sleepy Hollow. This includes an emphasis on recycling, reuse of towels, turning off lights when not in use, and more!
- We will manage our 877 acres of woodlands using the most modern, conservation-oriented forestry techniques. We are currently enrolled in the state Land-Use forestry program. This ensures responsible and sustainable silviculture techniques are used to harvest forest products from land. (The tax breaks help keep this land from being developed, too.). We’re also enrolled in the Family Forest Carbon Program, which grows carbon in our forests.
- We seek to use renewable energy whenever possible. We have solar hot water panels helping to heat our domestic hot water, and a majority (hopefully all) of our electricity will be made by our solar arrays.
- We will use energy efficient fluorescent and LED lights as much as possible. Currently our inn has been 100% converted to LED or fluorescent lighting, while our round barn is almost entirely fluorescent (except for the dimmable lights).
- We encourage guests to reuse their towels, resulting in fewer washes. This saves energy, water, and detergent. Also our towels are colored, which reduces/eliminates the need for bleaching.
- We use our woodstoves as much as possible for heating the Inn and Round Barn. The wood is cut sustainably from Sleepy Hollow.
- We pledge to be chemical free in our groundskeeping. We also added an electric zero turn mower in June, 2017.
- Our maple sugaring operation uses part of the Sleepy Hollow property. Running Saps Mapleworks is certified organic, and operated sustainably on Sleepy Hollow land providing tasty breakfasts here at the inn. Cert.
Future Projects:
- Install 30 kw more solar… ‘Cause we keep expanding snowmaking operations and buying electric cars… Mission accomplished Oct. 2019
- Install air source heat pump for both cooling and heating in the Inn…. Mission accomplished Fall 2017
- Install 3 x 80 gallon heat pump hot water heaters to replace current oil fired hot water…. Mission Accomplished December 2016
- Add 15kw solar panels & increase snowmaking firepower… Mission accomplished August 2016
- 24kw solar electric panels! mission accomplished December 2012
- Solar hot water for the inn! Mission accomplished January 2012
- Install energy efficient snowmaking system. Mission accomplished 12/26/12
