In their distrust of big tech, a Kentucky mother and daughter turned down a combined $26.48 million offer from a major artificial intelligence company to buy half their 1,200-acre family farm.
Telling representatives to “kick rocks and don’t come back,” the self-described “country hicks,” Ida Huddleston (82) and Delsia Bare (54), rejected the bid — which was about 10 times the local farmland rate — to preserve their priceless heritage farmland from the massive tech hub.
Despite the offer of $48,000 per acre (463 acres) to Delsia, and the $60,000 per acre (71 acres) offer to her mother Ida, after learning their Maysville, Kentucky, generational land would be used to host a data center, their stance against the corporation’s threat on local resources, water systems, power grid, spiritual accountability, and promises for economic prosperity stemmed from Huddleston calling it “a scam” stating that the $26 million could not replace their history, memories, and home!
With the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure sparking nationwide controversy in 2026, Maysville’s backlash and community division is no different. In fact, Bare and other opponents have filed lawsuits challenging data center development, temporarily halting purchase agreements, and causing friction with neighbors wanting lucrative deals to go through.
I close with lyrics from Talking Heads 1983 song “Burning Down the House”: “Here’s your ticket, pack your bags/Time for jumpin’ overboard/Transportation is here/There’s got to be a way/Fightin’ fire with fire/Burning down the house!”
Rick Knight
Henrico, Virginia