Munching through the weeds: Martinsville ranchers use goats to clean one yard at a time

Christian Hambrick was looking for a way to make some money with his goats. Like many, he turned to Google, searching 'what can I do with my goats.' The results yielded the solution to his problem — Goats on the Go.

Goats on the Go, a national organization, provides an opportunity for goat owners use their herd to clean up pesky foliage. Indiana is notorious for invasive species such as honeysuckle and poison ivy can take over a backyard in just one spring. What may look like an overgrown lot to some, goats see a smorgasbord.

Not only do the goats do the hard work, but they protect and restore the land they are grazing on. The land is fertilized with their droppings and using goat power eliminates emissions from large machines.

"The goats can get into places those big machinery can't get to without damaging the property around it," Heather Hambrick said.

For two summers, Christian has been hauling his 16 goats around an area on Indianapolis' southwest region, helping land and homeowners such as Robin Sims manage their yard.

"I'd like to see the lake again," Sims said referring to the overgrown bushes just beyond her fence. "I just needed goats to come and clean my property up."

Sims roamed around the moveable electric fence with her phone in hand. She took pictures and videos of the goats grazing through monstrous weeds. That evening, Sims held a party for the goats, inviting dozens of people to watch.

"People hire us for 75% entertainment value," Heather Hambrick said. "Robin isn't the first person to have a party around when the goats are here. It's wonderful. We love that aspect of it too."

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Goats on the Go ranchers provide lawn care services