As we enter the heart of the fall season ski resorts across the great state of Vermont are firing up their brush hogs and weed whackers to clear their slopes of shrubs and grass for the upcoming ski season (except for Mad River Glen which uses scythes). Although we live in modern times, one ski resort in the north of the state is using an ancient technology to help tamp down the greenery….goats!
Vermont Public Radio reports Jay Peak Resort is currently employing about 150 goats and sheep who are grazing away on the Interstate Trail:
“The goats are great at the trees and the goldenrod and the other types of brush, but the sheep really do well with the grasses. So by mixing the two together, we get everything covered pretty well.” –Farmer Adam Ricci of Barnet, Vermont
Instead of using traditional electric fencing the goats and sheep wear special solar-powered collars that use GPS trackers pair with a boundary map drawn on farmer Ricci’s phone that he calls a “virtual paddock.” This system delivers an audible warnings when the animals stray from the virtual paddock and after a few of those alerts, they receive a light shock similar to a shock collar for a dog. The system allows the animals to be moved efficiently multiple times a day without having to reposition temporary electric fencing, preventing overgrazing and saving a ton of time.
Jay Peak has about 350 acres of ski trails that need annual mowing which gets quite expensive and requires a lot of diesel. Replacing some of this yearly mowing with sheep and goats is potentially more environmentally friendly than burning fossil fuel but the animals do produce potent greenhouse gas through farting and burping. The PR benefits are obvious as you currently reading an article about their efforts.
While grazing is a slower process than mowing, nothing at Jay Peak is too steep for the surefooted goats and sheep while even mild inclines can pose challenges for wheeled mowers. This is just a pilot program Jay Peak and they are learning from the experience:
“The total acreage that we were hoping to hit through this, we’re probably not going to hit it, but that’s okay. If it’s something we do in the coming years, we’ll have learned a lot this year, and next year will be better.” -Andy Stenger, Director of Mountain Operations
Love to see working animals at ski resorts other than avalanche dogs. Lets hope this trend catches on a we see goats and sheep on ski resorts around the world.
Related: You’ve GOAT To Be Kidding Me…
