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Solar Gain & Land Analysis

West Kill, NY — 42.21°N, 74.28°W — Catskill Mountains

Parcel 160.00-1-46.1 SWIS: 194000 Municipality: Lexington Full Market Value: $165,435 Assessed: $125,400 Uniform %: 75.8

Site Parameters

10°
15%
20%

Annual Solar Metrics

Peak Sun Hours (avg/day)
Annual GHI (kWh/m²)
Annual POA Irradiance (kWh/m²)
Effective Solar Gain (kWh/m²)
Total Energy Yield (kWh/yr)
Solar Access Rating

Monthly Irradiance (kWh/m²/day)

Direct beam Diffuse Total POA

Sun Path Diagram — West Kill, NY

Summer Solstice (Jun 21) Equinox (Mar/Sep 20) Winter Solstice (Dec 21)

Monthly Solar Gain (kWh/m²)

Seasonal Summary

Winter (Dec–Feb)
Spring (Mar–May)
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Fall (Sep–Nov)
Best Month
Worst Month

West Kill sits in the Catskill Mountains with moderate cloud cover. Winter months see reduced output from short days, snow cover, and lower sun angles. Snow albedo can partially offset losses on tilted surfaces.

Annual Rainfall & Precipitation

Monthly Precipitation (inches)

Rainfall Snowfall (water equiv.)

Precipitation Summary

Annual Rainfall ~50–55 in
Annual Snowfall ~65–80 in
Total Precip. (incl. snow water equiv.) ~56–62 in
Wettest Month Jun (5.2 in)
Driest Month Feb (2.8 in)
Days w/ Precip. ≥ 0.01 in ~155/yr

Orographic lift from the Catskill escarpment increases precipitation 20–40% above Hudson Valley levels. West Kill valley receives among the highest rainfall in New York State. Heavy summer thunderstorms and nor’easters contribute to peak months.

Monthly Breakdown (inches)

Data derived from NOAA 30-year normals (1991–2020) for the Catskill Mountains region at ~1,900 ft elevation. Higher elevations on this parcel may receive 5–10% more precipitation.

Soil Profile & Characteristics

Typical Soil Profile — Catskill Mountain Till

0–4 in
O / A Horizon — Dark organic leaf litter and humus; acidic forest duff from northern hardwoods (beech, maple, birch)
4–12 in
B Horizon (Bw) — Channery silt loam; yellowish-brown; moderate structure with sandstone/siltstone fragments (20–35% coarse)
12–28 in
C Horizon — Very channery loam; dense glacial till matrix; 40–60% rock fragments; firm consistence
28–40 in
R — Bedrock — Devonian sandstone & siltstone (gray); fractured to massive; depth varies 20–40 in across site

Dominant Soil Series (Greene County Survey)

Primary Lordstown–Oquaga
Secondary Arnot (shallow)
Valley positions Willowemoc
TextureChannery silt loam
Drainage ClassWell drained
Depth to Bedrock20–40 in (mod. deep)
Hydrologic GroupC/D
Parent MaterialGlacial till over sandstone
Slope Range3–35%+ (variable)
PermeabilityModerate to moderately slow
AWC (Avail. Water Cap.)Low–Moderate (3–6 in)
pH Range4.5–5.5 (strongly acidic)
Frost-Free Period~100–130 days

Soils formed in acid glacial till derived from Devonian sandstone and siltstone. The Lordstown–Oquaga association dominates mid-slope positions throughout the Catskill High Peaks. Rock outcrops and very stony phases are common. Shallow Arnot soils occur where bedrock is within 20 inches. Willowemoc soils (very deep, well-drained) may be present in lower colluvial positions. Verify exact mapping units via USDA Web Soil Survey.

Native Species Planner

Parcel Zones

Select one or more micro-habitat zones on the parcel. Species recommendations are matched to each zone's light, moisture, and soil conditions for the Catskill Mountains region (USDA Hardiness Zone 4b–5a, pH 4.5–5.5, elevation ~1,900 ft).

Filter by Type

Biodiversity Metrics

Shannon Diversity Index measures species diversity accounting for both richness and evenness. Values above 3.0 indicate high biodiversity. Functional group coverage tracks how many ecological roles (canopy, understory, ground cover, pollinator support, erosion control) are filled.

Recommended Species (0)

Farm Activity Log

Track daily tasks across all 12 acres. Filter by field zone, activity type, or date range.

Recent Activities
Date Zone Activity Notes
2026-03-30 Zone A Soil amendment Lime applied — 2 tons/acre
2026-03-28 Zone B Fence repair Replaced 40ft section, NW corner
2026-03-25 Zone C Cover crop seeding Winter rye & crimson clover mix

Crop & Planting Tracker

Planting windows, expected harvest dates, and yield tracking for the current growing season. Dates based on USDA Zone 4b frost calendar (last frost ~May 15, first frost ~Sep 25).

Crop Zone Planted Est. Harvest Status
Garlic (hardneck) Zone A Oct 2025 Jul 2026 Overwintering
Sugar snap peas Zone B Apr 2026 Jun 2026 Planned
Potatoes (Yukon Gold) Zone C May 2026 Sep 2026 Planned
Winter rye (cover) Zone C Mar 2026 May 2026 Growing

Inventory & Supplies

Seed stockAdequate
Fertilizer (10-10-10)~200 lbs
LimeLow — reorder
Fencing suppliesStocked
Fuel (diesel)~30 gal

Track consumables to avoid mid-season shortages. Items marked in red need restocking.

Financial Snapshot

Season-to-date expenses$2,840
Seed & starts$620
Soil amendments$1,180
Fuel & equipment$540
Labor$500
Projected revenue$6,200

Input costs vs. projected yield revenue. Updates as harvest actuals come in.

Irrigation & Water Usage

Water sourceSpring-fed + rain collection
Collection capacity1,200 gal
Current reserve~680 gal
March usage (est.)320 gal
Last irrigationN/A — dormant season

Paired with rainfall data above. At ~52 in/yr natural precipitation, supplemental irrigation is primarily needed Jul–Aug.

Alerts & Reminders

Frost advisory — Overnight low 28°F forecast Apr 2. Cover tender starts.
Lime restock — Current supply below threshold. Reorder before May application.
Soil test due — Last tested Nov 2025. Schedule spring pH & nutrient panel.
Pea inoculant — Apply rhizobium inoculant at planting (mid-April).
Equipment maintenance — Tractor oil change & blade sharpening before spring tilling.