Re: Off topic question regarding Goat Weed Eating Business

[Guest guest]

We do this with a herd of 44 at this time, plus the llama. It is not

the size of the herd that matters but the amount of space you give them.

Depending on density my herd goes through about 1/3 of an acre in 2

days. We charge by the day starting at $130/day with increases for

slope/difficulty in getting the netting up.

We focus on the smaller acreages as there are others in the Seattle area

that have the larger herds for the larger acreages and our customers are

usually homeowners with only smaller areas to cover.

Feel free to email me if you have other questions.

Carol

Akyla Farms

> To be effective you need a pretty good sized herd relative to the size

> area to be cleared. 5 head/acre will not get the job done, you need

> 20/25 head/acre. You must have a way to fence the goats in and

> predators out, or sleep on site. Water and shelter are of concern

> also.

>

> It is organic and most charge (from what I understand) about 75-80% of

> the cost of bulldozing. Incidental weed control in pastures with

> cattle is another story entirely.

>

> Bill Dunlap

> Roseboro, NC

[Guest guest]

Carol, I have a question.

1) We have a big problem with Lyme's disease here. I have five acres of

which 3.5 is wooded.

Since goats will mow down the longer grasses, I was thinking if they

will have a positive impact in reducing the ability of ticks to use the

higher grasses as launching pads.

I had Lyme's twice already and developed rheumatic problems as a result

which I successfully counter with furious exercise.

I currently have it yet again.

I am now starting to landscape my property and spraying it with organic

tick'ticides.

Spraying 5 acres is fine and I bought a large tractor to do so

effectively and landscape the remainder, but I was just wondering if

having 4 or so goats to keep mowing the taller brush would not maybe

make it very difficult for remaining ticks to use high grass and brush

off as we know that is crucial for their ability to get to a host.

2) Does anyone know if drinking raw milk somehow helps with immunity

against Lyme's as the goats will most definitely also get it, but they

are known to be quite unphased by the bacteria and might pass helpful

antigens through their milk. Dont know, just a guess so I ask.

Carol wrote:

> We do this with a herd of 44 at this time, plus the llama.

[Guest guest]

Depending on the vegetation the goats may or may not mow down the grass.

With ours if there is ample vegetation they just eat the seed heads and

leaves, leaving the stems. For maintenance, I have heard that you need

2 goats per acre, but do not know if that just keeps everything in check

and if other livestock can be factored into that number.

For ticks, I have heard the best animal is guinea fowl, if you can

handle the noise.

As for the raw milk and antibodies it would not surprise me as people

say that it works for nettles.

Carol

Akyla Farms

[Guest guest]

Our goats leave the tall weeds--not grass really--and concentrate on the

Russian Olive trees and whatever we put in the bucket.

My husband has to mow the goat pens once in awhile.

Then we plant Pasture in a Bag (he calls it) and in future we hope

they'll keep it down. Actually they've done pretty well in the pens

that were mostly grass to begin with.

We have ticks, too, and some of us have had Lyme disease. We've had

guinea fowl twice but both times they've flown the coop. You have to

let them out carefully and after I've explained this over and over, my

treasured family still, both times, just let them all out. But between

the chickens and the mowing, the ticks seem to be getting less.

This year the cats have been getting really tiny black ticks, I think

from the mice that they've finally figured out how to catch. They

cluster around the cat lips and eyelids. Gross.

I would like to think that goat antibodies might protect us from Lyme

disease. I'd be really happy if the milk made me tolerate poison ivy

somehow, though! But no one but me drinks the milk, and this is our

first year with milk. So time may tell.

I'm drinking five quarts a day now, almost through my first month of the

" raw milk cure " .

So far my blood sugars are somewhat better. Not great, but better.

Blessings,

[Guest guest]

Around here we need at least 5 per acre to keep things maintained. Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.‎"When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty."Kurtis Stavenwww.wildthingorganics.ca Depending on the vegetation the goats may or may not mow down the grass. With ours if there is ample vegetation they just eat the seed heads and leaves, leaving the stems. For maintenance, I have heard that you need 2 goats per acre, but do not know if that just keeps everything in check and if other livestock can be factored into that number. For ticks, I have heard the best animal is guinea fowl, if you can handle the noise. As for the raw milk and antibodies it would not surprise me as people say that it works for nettles. Carol Akyla Farms