Durham's newest lawn service a bleating good time
A new lawn service has opened up in the Bull City. And, hey, it's a great choice for our new post-gasoline South, given the out-of-gas reports coming in from Tennessee, Atlanta, even Asheville.
Because when you use "Goat Patrol," you don't need to gas up a mower to cut your grass.
Instead, the mower gets its fuel from the grass.
According to the firm's (herd's?) web site:
Goat Patrol offers an economical alternative to clearing crews, landscapers, machinery, and herbicides. You will be amazed by how much our goats can eat in a day. They specialize in plants that can be painful and difficult to remove like poison ivy and blackberry. They also love honeysuckle, kudzu, wild rose, sweetgum, thistle, and more.
We supply the fencing, the goats, and the watchful eye of a knowledgeable goat herd. You supply the jungle in your backyard.
Indeed, Goat Patrol comes to your site, erects temporary low-voltage electric fencing around the area to be cleared, then returns the next day with a trailer o' goats and a goatherd. The goats then get loaded up at the end of each workday and brought back to their farm.
There are plenty of good reasons to use Goat Patrol, according to their web site. After all, goats love to eat (up to 12 hours a day.) They're quiet, so no disturbing the 'hood. And -- naturally -- they're non-toxic and burn no fossil fuels.
Word from the listservs is that Goat Patrol will be out working in the 1500 block of Hollywood St. in Duke Park through the end of the day today if you want to sneak a peek at a lawn service that isn't exactly kidding around.
I've been trying to talk DH into us getting a goat for, like, ever. Maybe he will go for the rent-a-goat scheme.
Posted by: Valerie | September 24, 2008 at 06:54 AM
"a lawn service that isn't exactly kidding around."
Very clever Kevin. I got a chuckle out of that one.
Posted by: CG | September 24, 2008 at 09:44 AM
When I was a kid (no pun intended) in ENC my parents bought some goats to clear the underbrush in some wooded swampy acreage. Goats are very effective at clearing things out... but they will take it down to the bare bones if you're not careful. Sometimes they got out and they always went for Mom's prized roses & cameillas or worse the neighbor's prized flowers. Their droppings are great fertilizer but beaware... when billy goats get hot in the the summer they will urinate on themselves to stay cool. Not a pleasant smell. Valerie, don't tell your hubby about that part. ;) Yes, more than you ever wanted to know about goats.
Posted by: tina | September 24, 2008 at 10:32 AM
Whoaa...these goats ain't cheap!!
1. Fencing: $25 per hour for setup. Most sites can be fenced in one hour or less.
2. Grazing:$140 per day.
3. Transportation: $0.50 per mile, roundtrip between farm and grazing site.
Interesting idea though.
Posted by: Tinomuvonga | September 24, 2008 at 12:04 PM
WRAL has now picked up this story: http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/3604397/
And I'm betting that they found out about it here.
Posted by: David McMullen | September 24, 2008 at 05:42 PM
This is very cool! The WRAL story has a video. Maybe we can set these goats loose on some of Fireball's overgrown vacant lots!
Posted by: SteveG | September 24, 2008 at 08:45 PM
Huh -- the H-S picked up on this on Thu. morning, too. (http://heraldsun.southernheadlines.com/durham/4-992462.cfm).
Posted by: Bull City Rising | September 25, 2008 at 04:46 AM
We actually heard about it on Tuesday from the listserv traffic, most likely the same time place and time Kevin did. The folks in charge elected to have a reporter and photographer visit the site of the "clearing" on Wednesday, hence the Thursday publication.
Posted by: Ray Gronberg | September 25, 2008 at 09:34 AM