Goat Dispatch!
On Wednesday November 13 we were treated to a presentation by Jake Langslag, Faribault native and owner of two businesses, Aqua Eden, an installation company specializing in ponds, waterfalls and streams, and Goat Dispatch LLC, a unique business of deploying goats to munch on troublesome vegetation. The goats are an alternative solution to eliminating buckthorn, raspberries, and other pesky vegetation. Jake is becoming an expert in this field. There are not many goat herders around but they do get together on occasion and problem solve and share what's working and what isn't. Goat Dispatch estimates how many goats it will take to tackle the number of acres that need to be cleaned up. It can take the goats 1-3 weeks or longer to munch, and typically the goats will need to visit the site 2 to 3 times to really clear out the invasive species and allow new grasses and plants to grow.
Goat Dispatch has around 800 goats and an app to track them all. Jake is about to start his biggest project yet by dispatching goats on about 200 acres near Cannon Falls MN. If you are looking for a fun and exciting side job, Jake needs goat wranglers, you can enjoy nature and the goats and some public events were families get to " meet the goats".
U of M students study Jake's herd and the plants they eat, and a local vet keeps an eye on the herd by doing regular walk throughs. To learn more about Goat Dispatch check them out at www.goatdispatch.com