September 12 – 21, 2020
Between OHAC Pool and the Amphitheater, at the NE corner of the Thurston schoolyard
Goatscaping
Thurston Nature Center rented goats from Twin Willow Ranch!
Why? Because:
- We are stepping up our efforts to control the highly invasive buckthorn and honeysuckle that have taken over large areas of the nature center.
- Goats LOVE eating buckthorn and honeysuckle (poison ivy too!).
Every spring, invasive plants send energy up from the roots to make leaves and new shoots. The leaves create energy from the sun, some of which is sent back to the roots to be stored. By removing the leaves, the goats interrupt that process, weakening the plants. It can take several years of doing this to reduce the amount of energy in their roots enough to kill the plants. Alternately, you can follow up by cutting the remaining stalks (which you can see and maneuver around, once the goats have eaten much of the foliage), and treating the base of the plants with herbicide.
Our “goatscaping” this year is part of a longer-term project. We have picked a couple high priority areas that we want to return to a more natural state, with native flowers and grasses that support the life cycles of butterflies, bees, birds and other animals. Our primary tool will be controlled ecological burns, with goats being used where burns are not practical.
Please Help By Making a Donation
These efforts to control invasives, and replace them with native plants, are expensive, and we need help to do more of this in future years. We rely on tax-deductible donations for our habitat restoration.
We hope that you enjoy watching these goats’ antics enough to want to bring them back in future years, and that you are looking forward to the native plants that will eventually follow.
We would greatly appreciate any financial support you can provide for our restoration work.
CLICK HERE to donate. Any amount helps!
Just $9 rents one goat for one day, or buys a half pound of native Wild Rye seed or an ounce of Bottlebrush Grass.
Guidelines for Visitors
- Please social distance
- Don’t touch the fence – it’s electrified
- Don’t touch or feed the goats – you could get poison ivy
- Dogs must be on a leash, and removed from the area if they disturb the goats
Meet Our Goats
Thimble
This young 5-year-old Boer goat mix was born premature. Thimble hardly had any fur on her ears or body. She was very tiny and delicate but strong. She was successfully raised by her mother Lacy.
(ear tag #0125)
Sandlewood
Sandlewood is a Boer goat mix and is a legacy at Twin Willow Ranch. Sandlewood is the great-great-granddaughter of Split Ear who was one of the original Boer goats that started our herd.
(ear tag #0106)
Mandy
Mandy is another legacy from the original goat heard at Twin Willow Ranch. This 2-year-old paint is a beauty, and she knows it! (Notice Curly the Buck in the background).
(ear tag #0104)
Olive
Olive is a strong-willed Boer goat mix and is probably the most stand-offish goat in this group. Her mother’s name is Sweet Pea. They both like hamburgers… but only the buns!
(ear tag #0105)
Little Red
Four-year-old Little Red is a full-blooded Boer goat. She got her name because she was born mid-January in Michigan. Since it was cold outside, she wore a little red coat all winter. Now she is showing her daughter Ruby Red how to earn her keep on the farm.
(ear tag #0029)
Ruby Red
Ruby Red is the youngster in the group. She is a 9-month-old full-blooded Boer. Ruby Red is out here with her mother Little Red to learn the belly filling job of brush clearing.
(ear tag #0172)
Bling
Bling is a flashy girl and is a 3-year-old Boer mix. She is very friendly and likes attention. Her mother’s name is Diamond who is out here working alongside her daughter.
(ear tag #0126)
Diamond
When Diamond was born her ears glistened like diamonds. She is here teaching her daughter Bling some tricks of the trade.
(ear tag #0108)
Windy
Windy is a Boer goat mix who had gastrointestinal issues as a doeling (hence the descriptive name). She was a bottle-fed baby with an attitude. Her orneriness continues, as she likes to push the other girls around, but she can be very friendly when she wants to be.
(ear tag #0107)
Ms C
Ms. C is a full-blooded Boer goat. Her previous occupation was as a 4-H show goat. She is now a hard-working, brush clearing “employee” at Twin Willow Ranch.
(ear tag #1807)
CLICK HERE to donate. Any amount helps!
Just $9 rents one goat for one day, or buys a half pound of native Wild Rye seed or an ounce of Bottlebrush Grass.