Keep the weeds down. Hire a goat.
How many of you remember driving down Foothill years ago, before all of the stores and condos were built and watched the sheep herds move through the area up to the hills eating all of the grass and dried weeds before they caught fire....Well now Chino has brought back the animal fire control beasts but this time in the gize of goats.
More than 200 chomping and stomping goats made their annual visit on Friday as they helped the city prepare for the fire season by eating dry brush......When open areas are cleared of shrubbery, a wildfire can be slowed or stopped because the fire will not have fuel......Grazing sheep have been used for weed abatement in the city's open space since 2000, and three years ago goats became part of the program.
Just west of Rock Springs Drive on the north side of Chino Avenue, the goats were guided on the steep hill in Rolling Ridge where they were expected to clear 14 acres of brush behind a neighborhood of houses......The goats were expected to satisfy that requirement by eating vegetation from where city property begins behind the homes to about 300 feet outward, otherwise if the goats were not there the city would be required to hire a weed-abatement crew and noisy machines.....The residents prefer the quite eating of the goats to noisy machines.
City officials report that the goats eating habits have already saved one housing area a couple of years ago, when a wild fire burned down to the area where the goats had already eaten and the fire just went out since it did not have any fuel to feed off of.....The goats continue to keep the area clear and save the city nearly $10,000, the cost of a weed abatement crew for just this area.
Pedro Indacochea, owner of Indacochea Sheep Ranch, contracts goat and sheep grazing at very low cost to the city....He said his 200 goats can clear about an acre a day, and he has never lost a goat to Union problems.
The goats are enclosed in a fence when they are not grazing, and a rancher stays with them day and night in a small trailer on the site.....A fire inspector for Chino Valley Independent Fire District, said the goats used for weed abatement are a great asset for reducing the spread of fires.....What the goats don't eat they trample down and mulch up, he said.....Either way it works good because you don't have the leftover dust.
The Goat Weed abatement program has worked....In the past 6 years there have two or three wild fires that have burned down to where the goats have eaten and the fires have stopped dead in there tracks.....Other cities, like Fontana, Claremont and Cucamonga are looking at sheep and goats as a cheap and efficient way of keeping the hill areas free of fires.
Gary Hall, the ghostpainter
Comments
Mitch
Mon, 03/02/2015 - 11:49am
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Secure -Lake Mathews Property for Goat housing -grazing
Hello - we have a secure 3.5 acres perfect for goats to be housed - lots of grasses and weeds to be had plus a secure pen! It's goat heaven and right off a country lane near cajalco expressway - located in Lake Mathews -
Let us know if interested - we only charge $195 a month for such housing - here to help - email us at: linejumpertalent@aol.com
Anonymous
Tue, 06/09/2015 - 10:20am
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Rent a goat
We live on an acre & have substantial weeds in some areas. Is it possible to rent a couple of goats? We are able to contain them safely at night. What is the cost & rental time? Please let me know if this is an option. Thanks!
Carri
602-478-2158
susanprior23@gm...
Sat, 06/13/2015 - 7:51am
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Goat Grazing
so would like to hire some goats to Grace down the vegetation on my property
Anonymous
Tue, 07/21/2015 - 1:31pm
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Any response?
I would like to hire a goat service to clear weeds and plants in my tract home yard. Has anyone got a response from this guy?
Anonymous
Sun, 08/16/2015 - 5:04pm
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need a goat for the back yard for weeds.f
Small back yard and need to get rid of weeds.
Can you help or know were I can go for help.
Anonymous
Mon, 09/07/2015 - 1:27pm
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rent a goat
do you have goat to rent in Martinez California area?
sarah martini
Wed, 04/20/2016 - 1:55pm
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goats needed
Do goats eat cactus? I have 14 acres that has some Cactus as well as other growth. In tenaja. I don't want them to get hurt by the spines. The land is not fenced. What about that? Problem?
Joe MC cann
Mon, 05/30/2016 - 7:53pm
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Goats
What is cost for 1 acre of weeds n live oak canyon
GERALD
Mon, 02/20/2017 - 2:57pm
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Rent some goats to remove weeds, 1/2 to 3/4 acres,Mira Loma, CA
Saw your ad, would like an estimate for weed removal with "goat power", about 1/2 to 3/4 acres.....
Sandy
Wed, 03/01/2017 - 7:47pm
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small back yard - lots of weeds
Our back yard has lots of weeds from the recent rains, but now the ground is too hard to pull them. I want to avoid spraying chemicals. Do your goats do small jobs?
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