Stopped in Missoula, MT to stretch our legs and found some local arts & culture. Cool little town.
The Bellwethers Trending Toward Sustainability
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Missoula & the Last Forage
Thursday: Montana
Woke up to a new day at the Dude Rancher in Billings, Montana. The Dude abides! Goat foraging at a rest area just outside the city, mindful of the sign that read "rattlesnakes have been observed in this area"...I guess Minerva is staying in the truck for this one!
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Wednesday: South Dakota
Our first night in a motel spent in Chamberlain, South Dakota on the banks of the Missouri River. First stop, the Derby Coffee Shop in town, where in addition to excellent lattes and frappes, we picked up some 1919 Root Beer on tap and an Amish linament that has expanded our ability to drive Johno (my truck) comfortably.We stopped at a rest area just 26miles west of Chamberlain to forage the boys on prairie grass. The usual tether craziness ensued but they are brilliant animals and are already adapting to our road life. Even though this also includes Rodin maintaining a singular obstinacy about getting back in the truck, even when the other four have dutifully jumped in on their own. Deirdre and I have had to physically man-handle him in, horns first, of course. No doubt he's thinking he should be riding up front in the cab with us...all according to caprine hierarchy!
Urban Foraging & New Friends
Started the day with a visit to an awesome urban outpost for sustainable living in Madison. We were invited to forage the boys at Sue Hessel's 3/4 acre urban lot that has a lot going on: food forest building, vegetable growing, starts hoop house, applying for urban agzoning status, and more. The goats were much obliged, diving into many new invasive species, including some that had set seeds already. We departed in the afternoon with 5 full-bellied goats and a couple of wonderful sandwiches for ourselves, wishing we could have stayed longer . Big thanks to Sue for sharing her place and vision with us. Deirdre did a video interview, look for it to be posted soon. In the meantime, enjoy this visually delicious, lush greenery as much as the goats did!
Hidden Treasure in Suburban Sprawl
We arrived in Madison, WI on Monday evening and were greeted by friendly faces and a beautiful woodland oasis amidst large housing developments that seemed to take up most of the neighborhood. The goats were eager to explore and were not disappointed by what they found to munch on, including plenty of buckthorn, honeysuckle, and other delicious goodies. As the goats chowed down and I struggled to weave in and out of tangled leashes and horns, Yvonne conducted an educational program on the bellwethers and sustainable weed control, the invasive species they are known to eat, on the care and housing of small goat herds, and the use and process of mohair fiber. We were very grateful that Karen, who owns the property, invited us and our fibrous boys to stay the night. Thanks Karen!
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Bellwethers' Breakfast in Ohio
We were very lucky to find possibly the most goat-friendly rest stop, located just east of Toledo, to spend our first night on the road. In the morning we found a nice little patch of green for the goats to have their breakfast (see video: https://plus.google.com/app/basic/105448462321416541637/posts?cbp=1d40ranxs3j1f&sview=25) before hitting the road for the day. As the goats grazed, a man on a lawnmower drove by on the other side of the fence. "Can you have them mow that side for me?" He yelled, jokingly. If only he knew the legitimacy of that request!