Barre knows the central irony of her situation: Just because she and her mother are refusing to sell their farmland that doesn’t mean the data center won’t be built. It might even mean that they will soon be living near one but receive no compensation for the burden of doing so. “On the Judgment Day, I’m only called to account for what I was supposed to be responsible for,” she said. “That’s the only way it can go on Judgment Day. What were you responsible for?”

Excerpt from Erich Schwartzel, A Kentucky mother and daughter turned down a life-changing offer for their farmland. The ensuing drama has left the town divided, WSJ, Aug. 15, 2026