Goats? I don't think so.

Stubborn about not using chemicals to rid my yard of weeds, and rain that encourages rapid growth of weeds, and scheduling weeding into my weeks has the weeds winning 30 to 1. My creative mind is always searching for a novel solution and somehow I decided I needed a goat or two to clear cut the weeds for me. I know cotton farmers use geese to weed their rows, a goat seemed a reasonable solution.

I googled 'goats and Camarillo' and found a mother daughter team at Chivas Goat Farm. They have French Alpine goats and make soap and skin products. I found their 'contact us' icon and sent off my strange request, hoping they would know the local goat community. Donna wrote me that all of her goats are currently pregnant and not traveling. She wished me luck with my project. I've put her name on my list of possible future field trips.

I found the 4-H office number online and gave a woman a call. She was very kind to me and suggested another number for me to call, she had been out of 4-H for a couple of years and no longer in touch with the animal projects. (Budget for website updates must be low.)

I emailed an address I found online and it came back to me as no longer an active email address.

I did have success when I emailed Tisha Fisher at the Ventura County 4-H office. She emailed me a list of people who may be able to help me. I was encouraged.

I called and left messages with 3 women. One called me before the evening was out and said her children are now in their 30s and she is no longer involved in 4-H, but she has 30 goats. She related her story of her first cute little goat, who got out of a 6 foot pen quite easily before she and her husband could get to the back door. Goats are herders. They like company. They are not grazers. Goats are browsers. They eat bushes and trees. They climb and jump. But I could tell she didn't want to discourage me.

Still stubborn about not using chemicals, I have given up the idea of a goat or a sheep.

This morning Terry Griffin of Oasis Catholic Charities called. She too is out of the 4-H but likes the idea of a creative weed solution. She even suggested I investigate a llama. There is a llama farm in Somis that I visited many years ago, I may call her. But really, I can't imagine a llama in my yard. Terry invited me to volunteer with the Oasis Catholic Charities. They provide assistance to the elderly, with emphasis on keeping residence in their own homes.

So, a goat journey led me to 3 interesting women and a decision. I will pull weeds forever.