Gardening with Goats

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Goats are so useful for a variety of jobs around the homestead. And one that is incredibly helpful is in the garden. I’m sharing our best ways to get started with gardening with goats.

How to Use Goats in the Garden

We’ve been using our goats to help us with some big tasks like brush clean up on the ranch. Getting to those hard to reach areas that the tractor or other equipment can’t reach is no problem for the goats!

Plus, it is a green alternative. Using goats in the garden saves from having to use harsh chemicals to kill weeds.

And the best part of all. It saves energy. I absolutely love to spend time in the garden, but I have rheumatoid arthritis. Sometimes my hands, or my entire body doesn’t want to cooperate.

Goats save the day! They help clean up weeds and brush that I don’t have the strength or energy to do.

I’m telling you, use your animals to help you with tasks around the homestead!

Goats to Clear the Garden before planting

Goats are natural browsers. They are great for clearing the land and getting rid of unwanted vegetation.
I use my goats in the garden pre season to clear up any weeds, grass, or anything else that has popped up.

It really makes the start of garden season so much more easier to handle.

using goats to clear up weeds around the garden

Using Goat Manure

Goat manure is literally garden gold. I’ve had the best yields and strongest plants by using goat manure in the garden.

Before I plant my seeds or garden starts, I mix the manure in the soil that has been composting.

They also leave fresh manure while helping to clean up the garden.

garden starts with goat manure in the soil

Cleaning Up at the End of the Season

And just like using goats to clean up the garden before growing season, I like to do this at the end of season too.

They help clean up little remnants of plants that are left over in the garden.

Disposal of Unwanted Veggies

When you have unwanted vegetables from the garden. Things that are slightly spoiled or not something you’d personally eat.

Instead of just pitching it to the compost pile, feed them to the goats. It makes a nice treat for the them.

And it will save a bit of the feed costs too.

gardening with goats using electric fence

Goat Garden Set Up

Ready to move your goats over to the garden? If your garden isn’t fenced in, you’ll want to set up a little grazing area for them with temporary fencing.

We use electric fence and we rotate the goats around the garden. This is the electric fencing that we use.

Goats are great helpers and will make the gardening season a little bit easier.