Barnyard Weed Warriors are clearing Shawnee County land one bite at a time

Keishera Lately, Topeka Capital-Journal
·3 min read

These warriors walk on four legs instead of two.

Goats from the Barnyard Weed Warriors began work Monday morning by chomping bine weeds, bamboo and other invasive plants in effort to clear the path to Lindbloom Park, which is south of S.E. 45th St. between S.E. Croco and S.E. East Edge Roads.

The goats are scheduled to do the work until Thursday at the latest, said Mike McLaughlin, communications and public information supervisor for Shawnee County Parks and Recreation.

A curious goat wanders around the Lindbloom Park access area as it eats away with other goats invasive plants and to clear the area Monday morning.
A curious goat wanders around the Lindbloom Park access area as it eats away with other goats invasive plants and to clear the area Monday morning.

Why use the Barnyard Weed Warriors to chomp weeds?

Lindbloom Park is a tract of land enclosed in a wooded area. It was donated by the Lindbloom family to Shawnee County Parks and Recreation.

"It saves on man power," McLaughlin said. "It's very environmentally friendly. ... In this particular area, there's a very steep hill, kind of steep drop, which is very difficult to get equipment in and difficult for men to work in. The goats being good at steep areas can just go in and take care of it."

McLaughlin said the recreation team has seen other parks use this method. After the area is cleared, staff will assess the land and see what might be done with it. McLaughlin said this is a "very preliminary" step.

Over 60 goats, known as the Barnyard Weed Warriors from Logton, take to an overgrown access area to Lindbloom Park, just south of Lake Shawnee between S.E. 45th St. between S.E. Croco and S.E. East Edge Roads Monday morning.
Over 60 goats, known as the Barnyard Weed Warriors from Logton, take to an overgrown access area to Lindbloom Park, just south of Lake Shawnee between S.E. 45th St. between S.E. Croco and S.E. East Edge Roads Monday morning.

How many Barnyard Warriors were out working?

Mary Powell, owner of the Barnyard Weed Warriors in Elk County, said she had 77 goats out doing work.

"The goats eat 3% to 5% of their body weight a day," Powell told The Capital-Journal. "Some of the small goats, of course, they don't weigh near as as much. I figured the goats are probably eating anywhere from 750 to 850 pounds of foliage a day."

Mary Powell, owner of the Barnyard Weed Warriors out of Logton, checks on two of her goats, Moonpie, left, and Mudpie, right, as they take a break from eating invasive species Monday morning by the Lindbloom Park access area. Powell and her goats will be here through Thursday clearing brush in the area for Shawnee County Parks and Rec.
Mary Powell, owner of the Barnyard Weed Warriors out of Logton, checks on two of her goats, Moonpie, left, and Mudpie, right, as they take a break from eating invasive species Monday morning by the Lindbloom Park access area. Powell and her goats will be here through Thursday clearing brush in the area for Shawnee County Parks and Rec.

Powell places fences around the land, so the goats can focus on one area.

"Goats are very hyper in a lot of ways," she said. "They're browsers and they'll go, 'Oh look over here!' then everybody runs over there. And then it's, 'Oh, back over here!' If you let them do that, then you have patches of cleaned up areas. So, the fences keep them focused."

Fences can be electrified for the goats to stay in bounds, Powell said.

High metabolism lead to busy days and nights for the goat Warriors

A goat with the Barnyard Weed Warriors finds an oak tree leaf to chomp on Monday morning.
A goat with the Barnyard Weed Warriors finds an oak tree leaf to chomp on Monday morning.

Powell said a person could sit and watch goats all day and learn something new. One thing they would notice is high metabolism of the animals.

"They do have rest periods where they have their union breaks," Powell said. "Usually between 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., they're pretty much laying around ruminating for the day. ... They take another break about 5-5:30 p.m."

Powell said if the skies are clear at night, the goats will get up and graze for a late-night snack.

McLaughlin said using the goats cost $350 a day.

"It's been a lot of fun to watch and learn about how the goats work," he said.

Keishera Lately is the business reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. She can be reached at klately@cjonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @Lately_KT.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Barnyard Weed Warriors clear invasive plants for Shawnee County Parks