Goats & Trees could Save the World

  Blog post #1                                                                                                                                 

     Goats & trees could save the world. What a bold statement to make. For how could either species save the world? Well, with my ever increasing experience to life with goats and trees, this statement seems not so far-fetched.  

     Let’s start with trees. The importance of trees have been sung to us from time immemorial. Unfortunate for trees however, mankind’s desire for wealth and a coexistent expansion of civilization has torn down many a great forest.  Agreed? Then perhaps my future posts could interest you in a cup of, “I can make trees work for us without killing them”?  

     There is hardly a foe to challenge the truth that we need trees, but do we really need goats? Well friends, aside from being a source of meat, milk and fiber, these animals can thrive on land that is not arable and otherwise basically good for two things; growing trees and rocks.  That withstanding, we move past much of the argument claiming that livestock occupies land which could otherwise grow fruits and vegetables for consumers. If managed correctly, Goats and trees can work well together. 

     Goats and trees working together is not something new. In Europe, prior to 1900 and the Industrial revolution, farmers turned to the forests to support their livestock. According to one historian, “Every tree was a working tree”. Trees were pruned in a manner referred to as, “Pollarding”. Pollarding was a way of cyclically pruning a tree for animal fodder that actually encouraged prolific growth and longevity of the tree. My study and practice in this almost lost art came across my path most serendipitously. I would like to use this blog to share my findings with the Steemit community and hopefully prove to others that during this time, and with the struggles that our world faces, surely, “Goats and Trees could Save the World”. Please follow me on Steemit to receive future posts. Bless.