The Carleton Goats

The Carleton goats are beloved on campus. Fall of my sophomore year, I was taken aback by the initially inexplicable goat herds strewn throughout campus, munching through brush. Walking by Goodhue Hall or the soccer fields and hearing the bleating of goats as they ambled through the dense foliage certainly took me by surprise. Truth be told, since my first encounter with them, the novelty of the Carleton goats has never truly worn off.

Where do they come from?

The Carleton goats hail from local farmers, and are overseen by the Carleton Grounds Department. The college partners with a company in Faribault, Minnesota called “Goat Dispatch.” Specializing in land management and brush removal, they rent out their goats to consume invasive buckthorn and bush honeysuckle.

According to an article by Matt Thibodeau ‘18, a former writer for the Carletonian, 12-44 goats are performing their duties at any given time. Furthermore, Thibodeau discovered from the Grounds Manager that Cheez-its are a favorite snack of the goats. Admittedly, they will munch on just about anything tasty.

A clever form of sustainability

It turns out that goats are a cost effective and sustainable tool for invasive species management. An alternative to herbicide, the goats are a much safer and eco-friendly means of plant removal. According to the Goat Dispatch website, they can reach spots that machinery cannot (it’s not uncommon to see them climbing a tree), and naturally fertilize the ground. Their narrow mouths are strong and perfect for chomping on branches and stripping leaves. They even have special gut enzymes that permit them to digest plants that other animals cannot eat.

Become a goat wrangler!

Some students living in Northfield over the summer jump at the offer to work closely with the goats. Helping the herding process, setting up fencing, and landscaping are part of the job description. Frankly, the prospect of hanging out in our arboretum surrounded by goats sounds pretty idyllic. It makes sense it’s a popular position that students are eager to apply for.

Their endearing presence on campus

Beyond being environmentally friendly invasive species management, the goats provide much joy to the Carleton and Northfield community. My friends and I love to stop by the goat herds to watch them, oftentimes crowding by the fencing to admire their handiwork. Seeing a goat halfway up a tree or hearing a gentle chorus of bleating never fails to cheer me up a bit.

Sophomore year, I identified one of my favorite goats as Kurt. A small, chipper, young goat, he stood out as one of the cutest Carleton goats. I’d see him in different areas around campus, and it was always a fun surprise. Everyone I know enjoys the goats’ presence on campus, has their favorites, and is disappointed when they depart for the season. Not only do the goats provide exceptional land management services, they also bestow immense delight to the people nearby.

Note: these amazing goat portraits were taken by Sara Rubinstein ’98 for the Carleton Voice, our alumni magazine. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t inspired to write this blog post mostly because I wanted to feature these incredible photographs!

Zoë (she/her) is a senior Sociology-Anthropology major from South Bend, Indiana who loves traveling and photography. Her sophomore year, she studied abroad in Denmark and started a personal travel blog. When she’s not giving tours and blogging for admissions, Zoë enjoys frequenting the coffee shops in downtown Northfield, luxuriating in long walks in the glorious Arb, playing the cello, participating in club soccer, doing research with her sociology professor, and scoping out delicious plant-based restaurants and recipes. Meet the other bloggers!