Anyone who’s lost a weekend battling a stubborn patch of ivy or a vine that just won’t quit knows the feeling of being outsmarted by a plant.
But what if the best solution wasn’t a stronger chemical or a bigger mower, but a herd of hungry goats? A TikTok from cowboymax (@cowboymax) shows how this surprisingly effective — and adorable — solution works in real life.
@cowboymax It might be Pumpkin Patch time, but the crew is still hard at it. #goatscaping #goatgrazing #prescribedgoatgrazing #targetedgrazing #cowboymax ♬ Happy Acoustic Traveling – PaperThinStudio
Text in the video said that a crew from Galloping Goat Grazing is shown working hard on an “invasive weed removal project.”
The caption read, “It might be Pumpkin Patch time, but the crew is still hard at it.”
“Goatscaping” is an eco-friendly approach to land management. It’s gaining popularity, along with natural lawns, as a serious alternative to traditional landscaping.
Why goats? For starters, they love to eat plants that give homeowners headaches from aggressive ivy to the notorious kudzu. The latter is a vine one writer said has two purposes on this Earth: “to overtake the landscape and to cause me extreme psychological anguish.”
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers that can help you save as much as $10k on installation.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
According to Purdue University, this method, also known as targeted grazing, is perfect for steep slopes and thorny areas. Mowers and people can’t easily access those areas, but goats can navigate them and eat with ease. And as one Redditor who hired a similar service discovered, it can be much cheaper than a traditional landscaping crew.
This isn’t just a fun trick; it’s a smart solution to a serious problem. Invasive plants can wreak havoc on local ecosystems by choking out native plants that pollinators and other wildlife depend on.
Goats can control weeds without harsh chemicals, which is especially important for protecting local waterways from chemical runoff.
This approach is being used all over. A small island in Wisconsin hired goats to clear buckthorn and honeysuckle, and another herd saved an entire backyard in Atlanta from kudzu.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
There are plenty of resources available for homeowners looking to rewild their yards with native plants once invasive species are gone. Viewers on TikTok were clearly impressed by the hard-working herd.
“Truly amazing,” one user commented.
“What a beautiful, calming video,” another added.
“Those are some well-fed goats,” a third person simply observed.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
