SHUNIAH, Ont. – A local ski hill is using goat power to get its runs ready for the upcoming season.
Goats from Giantview Farms have been hitting the slopes at Mount Baldy Ski Area, providing a natural approach to tackle brush that has grown on the hill.
Freddy Hortis, the co-owner of Giantview Farms, said having the goats chow down is more environmentally friendly than using herbicides or fossil fuel powered tools.
“We are reducing the brush load on the ski hill so there’s less snow for them to have to make throughout the snow making season and hopefully get their membership on the ski hill sooner,” Hortis said.
“It also mitigates having to use crews of brush saws and have the goats do the work.”
A group of 20 goats have taken up temporary residence at the hill, with another 30 set to join that herd.
Hortis said the goats have cleared more than four acres over a 10-day period.
“Goats are pretty much designed and built for mountainous, dry air type of areas,” Hortis said. “They can go places that ourselves, we have extreme difficulties going. Plus, they are a browser and not a grazer. They prefer broad leaf, deciduous type plants and it’s basically what we have going on here.”
Mount Baldy owner Jason Kardas said he thought using the goats was a super idea.
“Since buying this three years ago we’ve done some weed whacking and whipper snipping. The amount of hours involved in actually doing the man hours is crazy,” Kardas said. “It’s hard work. The bugs are getting you.”
“It’s working out really well. It’s unbelievable, actually.”
With the goats taking care of brush clearing, Kardas said that has freed up time for cutting more runs and other improvements for the hill.
The goats on the mountain caught the attention of Lakehead University instructor Laird Van Damme, who on Friday brought a small group of students with an interest in alternatives to herbicides.
“It seems a little bit more abstract but now that I’m here I see it’s really useful,” said fourth-year student Emma Cameron. “They don’t erode the land as much. They’re feeding the goats at the same time. It’s really awesome they’re getting two jobs done at once.”
