Goats are considered an ecologically-friendly way to help clear brush and invasive weeds.
© JUAN CARLO/THE STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK
(New Rochelle, NY) – Landscaping is hard work. Weeding in particular is back-breaking and not very fun. People like to enjoy a well-maintained yard, but not always the effort that it requires from a maintenance perspective.
In Westchester County, officials have got the right idea. Let the animals do it! Well, specifically — employ the goat. Not the greatest of all time. Actual goats! New Rochelle has brought in herds of goats to a park, where they’re being used to clear out invasive weeds.
Goats will eat almost anything green, and thankfully Fat and Sassy Goats in Rhinebeck are happy to offer their services. Describing itself as a “goat grazing services company dedicated to restoring land to a better ecological balance,” the company’s goats are similar to living, breathing, bleating lawnmowers/weed whackers.
The herd has been munching away at Ward Acres Park — working 12 hours a day — consuming the invasive vegetation that’s take up residence there. Goats stomachs ferment the food they eat, killing the seeds in the process. And as an added bonus their pellet droppings are rich with nitrogen and can be used as a fertilizer.
