Goats from Goats for Hire tend to the lawn at Trinity Lutheran Church in Grand Rapids Township (June 24, 2024).
GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — The owner of Kalamazoo-based Goats for Hire said his services, including removing weeds and unwanted plants, are in high demand this time of year.
These 50 goats work for food and make their own rules.
“I just get them to the job site … and they do the work,” said Philip Schwartz, owner of Goats for Hire.
Their job is to eliminate invasive plants.
“It’s very gentle on the soil, leaves a low footprint, turns plants into fertilizer and enhances the soil ecology, helping more desirable plants flourish,” Swartz said.
Swartz said the animals have been busy.
“We need more goats. It’s very popular. We’ve been surprised by the demand this season,” he said.
Their latest work site is Trinity Lutheran Church in Grand Rapids Township.
“They work 24/7…you couldn’t ask for anything more,” said Lisa Mead, a gardening volunteer at Trinity Lutheran Church.
Mead said the church didn’t want to use chemicals or machinery to get rid of the unwanted plants, so instead they hired Swartz and his team to help with the forest management program.
“This is a multi-year vision to restore, heal and care for this land, including removing the encroachments that have filled the land,” she said.
The job covers four acres, and Schwartz said it will take the goats a week or two to clear it.
“It just depends on how fast they move through the vegetation,” Swartz said.
They eat, nap, eat, nap, and repeat. Even the little goats, called baby goats, are fast learners.
“They start nibbling on plants. I’ve seen it as early as a week after they’re born, or even shortly after they’re born,” he said.
The scene is in the busy area of Robinson Road and Glenview Drive, but the goats aren’t alone: Two dogs, Gus and Mekiana, are here to protect the goats.
Schwartz says he’s here most nights, keeping an eye on the goats throughout the operation to make sure they’re healthy and not overeating.
“It’s amazing to watch them go to places we can’t access. They just go at it, they go nonstop, it’s pretty thrilling,” Mead said.
It’s easy to get them excited about their work.
“Essentially, they’re born to do this,” Swartz said.
