A Visit from Fat & Sassy Goats
Here come the goats... to Cantitoe Corners.
Recently, a herd of goats from Fat & Sassy Goats, owned and operated by Jenn Balch and Donald Arrant, visited my Bedford, New York farm to forage through a small patch of woodland - naturally clearing the area of invasive plants and unruly weeds. From their trailer, the young Kiko goats trotted straight into the temporarily fenced in space and went to work - eradicating lots of the unwanted underbrush and fertilizing the soil with manure. Goats can forage on flat land, hillsides, steep slopes, and hard-to-access terrain. It was amazing to see what they could do in such a short time.
Enjoy these photos. You can also learn more about Fat & Sassy Goats on my new show, "Martha Gardens," on Roku. In this series, I'll share what it takes to keep up with more than 150 acres of gardens, pastures, and woodlands. "Martha Gardens" premieres tomorrow, Friday, October 14th, and in the first episode, I'll show you my new living maze and how I selected and planted the first specimens for this giant and fun project.
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- This area is just off the carriage road leading through the hayfields and back toward my woodlands. We selected this patch because of the vegetation and its accessibility to the road. Everyone was so excited to meet the goats.
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- Fat and Sassy Goats covers the Westchester, New York area. Owners Jenn and Don are professional goat graziers who actively manage a herd of more than 75-goats to reduce undesirable vegetation. Before the goats were released, Jenn and Don put up a temporary fence to keep the goats enclosed and safe.
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- Once I opened the trailer door, they all came out running – 23 Kiko goats from New Zealand, known for their aggressive foraging skills. (Photo by Marty Toub)
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- The goats went to work right away – eating brambles, weeds, and other unwanted plants.
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- 10 goats can clear an acre of unwanted vegetation in 30 days. The process takes awhile, but it is done without the use of any chemicals. Plus, the animals fertilize the area, leaving good, natural manure behind.
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- Goats are able to reach the weeds up on this tree. They actually enjoy the plants that are up high. They also like poison ivy, but beware, a human can still be affected by touching the fur of an animal that has touched poison ivy.
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- Jenn and Don also explained that the goats will choose what plants to eat when, sometimes saving their favorites for last.
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- Here are some goats working on the ground plants. And do you know what a group of goats is called? It’s known as a herd, a tribe, or a trip of goats.
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- Most of these goats are just over a year old. When working, they travel together in their same herd and are always protected from predators with a temporary fence.
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- We all admired the markings on the goats. This goat is named “Justin.”
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- Most of the goats in this herd are males. A male goat is referred to as either a “buck” or a “billy” goat. Female goats are called “does” or “nanny” goats.
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- The goats are very intelligent, curious, and alert – exploring all corners of the enclosed space looking for their vegetation of choice.
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- They are also very friendly. This goat came right up to the fence line to say hello.
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- More goats are at the tree looking for what’s left to eat.
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- Justin was very interested in our crew – he came right up to us for some pats.
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- The practice of using goats and sheep for weed and vegetation control has been around for several centuries. During World War I, the White House implemented sheep grazing to maintain the expansive lawn because the nation was reserving the necessary manpower for the war efforts. However, once the war ended, faster gas-powered lawn mowers and weed whackers were used instead.
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- It’s important to note – goats also require alfalfa hay or other high nutrient foods to supplement their forage. Jenn and Don provide other necessary foods to keep their herds as healthy as can be. Goats can live up to about 12 to 15 years.
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- Goats are social animals and prefer the company of other goats. They also form bonds with their offspring as well as their human caretakers.
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- When out foraging, a goat can eat up to one to three percent of their body weight in a day – that’s a lot of plants. These goats are about the size of a large dog.
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- And here they are just watching all the activity around them – the sights and sounds of Cantitoe Corners. What a wonderful herd of friendly and hardworking, “hard eating” goats. Thanks for the visit, Fat & Sassy Goats. And please look out for more Fat & Sassy Goats on “Martha Gardens” on Roku. Remember, the first show premieres tomorrow!
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