GOAT UPDATE! Just because we know you’re wondering…

| Delridge | Safety | West Seattle news

(WSB photo)
We promised updates on the Rent-A-Ruminant goats’ work for SDOT along the SW Holden stairway, following our first report after their arrival Tuesday afternoon and our original report last Friday on the plan. So we stopped by a little while ago. They still have much left to munch. Right now, they’re working further up the slope, closer to the 20th SW top of the stairway than to the Delridge Way end of the stairway, where they were in view yesterday, so no cute closeups (yet, but we’ll be checking back later). R-a-R proprietor Tammy estimated after arriving that they’d probably need about three days to get the job done.

PangolinPie April 8, 2015 (12:24 pm)

Serious question: can I go pet them? :)

WSB April 8, 2015 (1:12 pm)

Pangolin – I don’t believe petting is encouraged and the goats were generally out of reach, but you could certainly ask Tammy about that on site. She was talking with people at the bottom of the stairway while I was there yesterday afternoon (our second visit of the day) and has been posting video clips to the R-a-R FB page.

PangolinPie April 8, 2015 (1:13 pm)

Thanks, WSB. So cool to have the goats in the area, even if we can’t snuggle with them. ;)

Kelly April 8, 2015 (1:23 pm)

I drove by there yesterday and saw several people feeding them grass through the fencing. It was wonderful — although I worried about them spoiling their dinner. Are they there during certain hours? I want to go visit them!

West Seattle since 1979 April 8, 2015 (1:29 pm)

So cool!

Glenn April 8, 2015 (1:52 pm)

I’d love to see a before and after picture when they’re done

WSB April 8, 2015 (2:05 pm)

That’s kind of one reason we’re stopping by multiple times. I should have thought to get a formal before view, walking down the stairway while rolling video or something, but I think we’ll be able to cobble something together.

KatherineL April 8, 2015 (4:28 pm)

Is there any plan to replant that hillside with something shorter when the goats are done? That’s a steep hillside, likely to slide after rains without roots to hold it.

ChefJoe April 8, 2015 (6:05 pm)

No need to plant KatherineL, the goats will leave the deeper-rooted plants so they will hold the hill and have a chance to regrow.

Ginny April 9, 2015 (3:42 pm)

They’re making good progress; and were mostly pausing for a rest when we hiked down Holden to see them this morning (Thurs). There wasn’t much prime stuff left (as opposed to thick woody stems), and it looked like they had gotten some hay thrown in to supplement their diet. … Subsequently we see other West Seattle places where we think they’d do a good job getting rid of blackberries, etc etc. Let’s hear it for the goats!