GOAT UPDATE: Holden stairway herd expected to leave Friday

| Delridge | Safety | West Seattle news

We just went back over to the Delridge/20th/Holden stairway to see the progress the Rent-A-Ruminant goats have made – considerable, as our photos show.

They’ve been on the job for two days, munching away at stairway-side brush that was considered a safety threat, especially after a student was robbed in the area in late January, during a series of crimes against students around West Seattle.

But now their work is almost done, and SDOT’s David Allen – who shared first word of the goat plan last week – tells WSB this afternoon that R-a-R’s Tammy Dunakin expects to load up her goats and head out late Friday morning.

miws April 9, 2015 (4:24 pm)

A little extra weekend time for all of their hard work!

Mike

Oakley34 April 9, 2015 (4:59 pm)

They sure are thorough. Kinda funny now to think at all those people who scoffed at goats as a sufficient solution when this was announced. Reminds me of clearcut mountainsides I remember seeing while traveling in Oregon years back.

mrsMarty April 9, 2015 (5:47 pm)

OH MY GOODNESS! Are those goats even able to move, they have eaten (cleaned out) so much so quickly I wouldn’t be able to move if I were them!?

OH WAIT is that why all of them are lying down with the look of agony on their faces!
:>)

howdy April 9, 2015 (6:04 pm)

If those blackberries are anything like the ones in my yard they’ll grow back within 2 weeks.

KM April 9, 2015 (7:03 pm)

This was so rad. Hungry cuties!

JayDee April 9, 2015 (7:57 pm)

I’d say “No S—” but it is clear that there must be. Good job goats.

sc April 9, 2015 (8:50 pm)

Glad the goats did their job so efficiently.
–
On the plus side I think everyone who saw them smiled!
–

steve April 9, 2015 (8:54 pm)

We went by tonight to say goodbye. They were awesome and really fun to watch. Watching the goats was a great way to meet and talk to neighbors we wouldn’t normally meet too. Loved them!

ScubaFrog April 9, 2015 (8:59 pm)

Oh Wow… That’s amazing. Great job goats :)

heather April 9, 2015 (9:07 pm)

Wow! In just 2 days.

sophista-tiki April 9, 2015 (9:49 pm)

may I suggest goats for the chronic lawnmowers on my block ( you know who you are)

Keith April 9, 2015 (10:11 pm)

As I commented earlier, the majority of that “brush” is Japanese knotweed, and unless the roots are dug up or the stems are individually poisoned, it will shoot right back up again. Unless further steps are taken to control it, it will send up new shoots in a week or so, and by the end of summer it will look exactly like it did before the goats arrived. There are circumstances where clearing with goats is a great idea. This ain’t one of them. If the city has further mitigation plans for this slope, it would sure be nice to know.

Cait April 10, 2015 (12:34 am)

Wish they were always there! They were a surprisingly cute part of my morning.

Glenn April 10, 2015 (6:37 am)

Impressive! Thanks so much for the before and after pictures. Seems like an effective solution for other overgrown urban areas.

cabra April 10, 2015 (11:08 am)

chronic lawnmowers? I thought keeping a tidy lawn was being a courteous neighbor. Man, you just can’t win!

Don Miller April 10, 2015 (2:07 pm)

The goats do a great job, but unless the roots are pulled out the black berries will just grow back

Tammy Dunakin April 12, 2015 (11:09 am)

Nobody alleges that this is a one shot deal. No matter what method is used even poisons vegetation will grow back. As far as the knotweed. No it was not the majority or even.half of what was there. I know because I am the goat wrangler that was there. Yes pulling the root balls of blackberry would be great but extremely labor intensive.. By keeping the brush controlled annually it will eventually kill off the blackberry. I Consider the goats the eco friendly napalm. SDOT is evaluating the site to devise a plan. First they will clean up the logs and other debris and limb up the holly if not take it out completely. I would like to thank all of you who supported this on behalf of the goaties and myself!! If you liked having them there contact SDOT. It will go a long way toward continuing this program in the city!!

Tammy (Owner & Chief Goat Wrangler)
RENT A Ruminant

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