A Personal Story from a Man Who Grew up on the Proposed Wind Farm Area
Payson B. - standing on the family land with Prescott National Forest and Yavapai Ranch in the background
My name is Payson. I’m a diesel generator mechanic who travels across Arizona keeping things running, but that’s not what defines me. What matters most is my lifelong connection to this land. I was born in Prescott and grew up right here outside Seligman, on the very border where our fenceline meets the Prescott National Forest and Yavapai Ranch checkerboard. That forest and ranch have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. Standing here today, looking out at those same tall pines and rolling ridges, I feel the weight of what’s at stake with the proposed wind farm.
Me when I was little standing with my Dad
From the time I was little, this place shaped who I am. Here I am at about five years old with my dad, both of us in cowboy hats, standing in the rolling forested mountains right next to what’s now the proposed wind farm site. My family taught me early on to appreciate and respect the land, the nature, and the wildlife. Our property sits just 800 feet from the Yavapai Ranch northwest gate, so the forest was basically our backyard. We learned to love it by living in it.
Me and my older brother Shawn
My older brother and I are standing high on a ridge with the Prescott National Forest and the Yavapai Ranch in the background. My brother, sisters, and I spent countless days exploring these forests and climbing to the highest ridges where we could sit and take in the incredible views. The wildlife here is amazing - deer, elk, and all kinds of animals you’d see during the day or hear moving at night. Our parents even let us sleep outside under the stars, and sometimes we'd watch bats fluttering overhead. These mountains and forests weren’t just scenery; they were our classroom and our playground. When my dad first told me about the wind farm planned for this very area, my immediate reaction was, “Why? Why here of all places?” It still doesn’t make sense to me.
Me and my brother and sisters
This photo shows me with my siblings in the place we all loved so much. My older brother Shawn had come home on leave from the military, Sedona was 16, I was 14, and Sabrina was 12. All of us went to school in Seligman together, graduated from there, and went on to serve in the military. Sadly, my older brother (who served in Afghanistan) and my youngest sister didn’t survive. I did my own tour in the Middle East. Those experiences only strengthened my appreciation for the wild places back home that gave us peace and perspective. Seeing this land threatened now feels deeply personal.
Me and my sisters on leave from the military
Me and my sister Sabrina and friend Blake as FFA officers
My sister Sabrina (RIP) and I stood at this very podium representing the Seligman FFA chapter, wearing our blue jackets with pride. That same respect for the land and community was instilled in us through our family and our time in the forest. My grandfather owned and still owns large ranches in Wyoming and Colorado - he would never have sold out and turned wild land into an industrial project. He taught us to keep places as natural as possible. Yavapai Ranch becoming an industrial wind farm makes no sense if you truly understand the vast forest and rich wildlife here. I also strongly disagree with any implication that the Prescott National Forest sections belong to the ranch - those lands belong to all of us, the people. We must protect them.
We are all expected to respect, conserve and protect the wildlife - shouldn't Triple Oak power and the owner of Yavapai Ranch be expected to do the same?