How Can Goats Be Incorporated Into Permaculture?

“I’ve been dabbling in permaculture on my 10-acre plot just outside Hamilton, Scotland, for a couple of years now. I’m considering getting a couple of goats, but I’m not entirely sure how to incorporate them into my existing system. I’ve got a good-sized garden, some fruit trees, and a small chicken coop, but I’m concerned about the potential havoc goats can wreak on the place. Can they really be managed well within a permaculture design, and if so, how? If you have any tips on how to avoid the common pitfalls, that’d be great too!” Thanks, Annette, Hamilton, Scotland.

Understanding the Role of Goats in Permaculture

Annette, you’re right to consider the possible impacts goats might have on your permaculture setup before diving in. Goats can definitely earn their keep in a permaculture system if you integrate them thoughtfully. Think of goats as multitools on four legs: they’re not just cute farm animals, they’re browsers that help with weed control, providers of nutrient-rich manure, and can even be sources of milk, meat, and fiber.

Goats as Natural Weed Controllers

One of the major perks of incorporating goats into your permaculture system is their ability to control weeds naturally. Goats are natural browsers, meaning they prefer to eat shrubs, weeds, and woody plants over grass. This can help manage the overgrowth in areas of your plot, particularly those brambles and unwanted rough patches around your fruit trees or chicken coop.

However, as tempting as it is to let them roam free and handle your weed problem, goats need boundaries. Without careful planning, they’ll target anything green, well-loved saplings, and even your prize rose bush! The trick lies in controlled grazing—utilize mobile fencing, or ‘goat tractors,’ to rotate them around specific areas of your property.

A Source of Natural Fertilizer

Goats produce manure high in nitrogen, making it a great option for compost and soil amendment. Fresh goat droppings can be added directly to your compost pile to increase its nutritional content, or it can be used in garden beds. Unlike chicken manure, which is ‘hot’ and needs to be composted before application, goat poop can be safely added when it’s still fresh.

In a permaculture setup, consider dedicating a small “manure processing” area where the bedding from your goat shelter can be combined with compost materials. This area should be positioned near your most nutrient-needy garden beds to reduce the hauling distance.

Integrated Pest Management

Got pests nibbling away at your orchard? Well, while goats won’t exactly munch on those insect pests directly, their browsing habits can help manage undergrowth and vegetation that might otherwise shelter nuisance critters. Goats keep grasses and brush under control, reducing hiding spots for larger pests like rodents.

Also, some species of goats, like pygmy goats, are surprisingly nimble and can even stand on their hind legs to prune lower branches of trees. This can help clear limbs that attract pests or limit air circulation in your orchard.

Boundaries: Fencing and Shelter Considerations

Let’s be real, Annette: goats are escape artists. A goat-proof fence has to be higher than you think—at least 5 feet—and strong and secure enough so they can’t push through or lift it with their horns. They love to test limits, quite literally, and will find every weak spot. When setting up their designated grazing areas or shelters, you’ll need to reinforce corners and make sure gates are secure.

If you’re worried about them taking down your fruit trees or garden, consider setting up exclusion zones with electric fencing. Two or three strands are usually enough to keep them out, as long as they’re well-maintained and the voltage is appropriate.

How Goats Can Enhance Soil Fertility

Their waste alone isn’t the only way goats can enrich your soil. When goats forage, they break up compacted soil, naturally aerating it with their hooves. This loosens the earth, enhancing water infiltration and creating a more receptive seedbed—perfect for pastures, garden beds, or even new food forest areas. Their nibbling also encourages certain grasses and plants to grow more densely, resulting in healthier cover crops.

Fertilizing with Goats

A placement of straw or wood chips in the areas they frequently occupy can mix with manure and urine over time, creating a nutrient-rich “deep litter” system. This system essentially composts in place, producing rich humus that you can add directly to your garden beds. But keep in mind, accumulation of too much manure in one area can create excess nitrogen and acidity over time, so periodic rotation is key for maintaining balanced soil health.

Enhancing Plant Growth

Annette, if you’re considering getting milk or meat goats, they’ll need supplemental feed, especially during the winter months when grazing might not be as plentiful. Their hay and grain can be a great resource for incorporating organic matter into your system. Leftover or spilled hay can decompose naturally in their grazing areas, feeding the topsoil and adding organic matter without much additional work from you.

Permaculture Fodder Crops for Goats

To keep things sustainable, it’s smart to grow a portion of their diet on your own land if you can. This can include a mix of grasses, legumes, and certain trees that create a healthy diet and reduce your dependency on bought feed.

Favorite Fodder Choices

• Willow, Mulberry, and Maple trees: Great for browsing and will re-sprout after pruning, providing a recurring food source.
• Comfrey: A nutritional ‘super plant’ for goats, comfrey also serves as a solid nitrogen fixer for your soil.
• Alfalfa and Clover: Add protein and other essential nutrients, especially when cut and dried as hay.
• Sunflowers: Goats love munching on the leaves, which are high in fiber and good for their digestion.

If have the space and the right trees like mulberry or willow can be ‘coppiced’—cut down to encourage new growth—or pollarded, to provide a steady supply of browse throughout the year. These trees also serve as shade, protecting both goats and soil from harsh sun during hotter months.

Building A Goat Food Forest

Consider planting a small food forest specifically designed for your goats. This could include a variety of trees, shrubs, vines, and ground covers that are either edible or beneficial as forage. The key in your setup will be diversity and resilience. With a mixed planting, you’ll provide them with more nutrition and seasonal variety while also supporting biodiversity on your plot.

Here’s a quick example: You could plant nitrogen-fixing trees like black locust and Siberian pea shrub for canopy layers, with some raspberry and blackberry bushes in the mid-layer. Plus, add clumps of hardy grasses and clover as ground cover that your goats can nibble on during the growing season.

Creating Balance: Goats as Part of Polyculture Systems

Goats can also be integrated flavorfully into multi-animal systems, boosting the overall health and productivity of your farm. Pair goats with your chickens or ducks to create a synergy of manure management, pest control, and grazing dynamics.

Multi-Functional Animal Systems

Chickens and goats, when managed properly, can complement each other beautifully. The goats graze on weeds, shrubs, and overgrown areas, while the chickens scatter manure, scratch at the soil, and control bugs and parasites. By building a rotational grazing program, you can use both animals to improve soil fertility, keep pests in check, and reduce your workload when it comes to feeding and clean-up.

In this setup, you might rotate the goats to an area first, and then bring in the chickens afterward to scratch up and spread the feces. This helps break down the manure faster, minimizing the risk of disease while also preventing compaction.

Goats and Orchards

If done correctly, goats can cohabit with your fruit trees—but you’ll need to protect those trees, especially when they’re young! Temporary fencing or tree guards can help keep them safe. While mature trees can sometimes withstand a bit of nibbling, young ones likely won’t get the same chance. When the trees are sturdier, the goats can help manage the ground cover and fallen fruit that attracts pests.

Goats in Silvopasture Systems

If you’ve got any wooded areas or existing tree lines on your property, Annette, goats can help convert those into silvopasture systems. Silvopasture combines forestry and grazing, allowing goats to forage beneath tree canopies while enriching the soil with their manure. You’ll want to manage the understory by rotational grazing, allowing your goats to ‘clean up’ around the edges and open up new areas of pasture over time. In essence, they become your very own eco-friendly lawnmower with benefits!

Troubleshooting: Common Issues with Goats in Permaculture

So what can go wrong? Let’s be realistic, goats have their own set of challenges, particularly when added to a permaculture setting.

The Trouble with Overgrazing

Goats are notorious for overgrazing if left unchecked. This can lead to bare patches, soil loss, and increased weed problems, turning what was supposed to be a benefit into a nightmare. The key here is balanced rotational grazing. Rotate them often enough to prevent them from lingering too long in one spot and damaging the land, creating a more sustainable grazing system.

Plant Protection

The MOST common problem folks run into, especially when introducing goats into a garden or near an orchard, is keeping those plants safe. Goats love to nibble, and without proper fencing, they’ll devour anything they can reach, including your veggies, ornamental plants, and saplings. Temporary or permanent fencing is your friend here; electric fencing works wonders for keeping determined goats where they should be.

Shelter Strategy

Don’t forget that goats also need appropriate places to shelter. While their needs are modest, plan for a dry, draft-free space that keeps them out of the wind and rain. Depending on your climate, insulating the shelter may be necessary—that’s especially true here in the colder parts of the world. For Scotland, you’ll need something sturdy enough to handle the high winds and rains that can sneak in unexpectedly.

Dealing with Goats in Winter

In colder climates like where you live, Annette, another consideration is winter grazing. You’ll need to plan in advance whether you’ll stockpile enough fodder, employ rotational grazing during winter months, or grow winter-friendly goat foods, like oats and brassicas, that can withstand the colder conditions. Providing them with mineral supplements also becomes more crucial when fresh forage isn’t as readily available.

Taking the Leap: Is It Worth It?

So, Annette, to go back to your original question—yes, goats can really be managed well within a permaculture design. By aligning their natural behaviors with your site’s needs, you can create a dynamic system that enriches your soil, controls weeds, provides valuable resources, and keeps your farm in balance. Just remember to set up the right fencing, shelter, and food sources, adapting them to the specific conditions of your plot in Scotland.

With proper management, goats can bring positive energy to the farm, even if they test your patience by trying to outsmart you now and again. Oh, and be ready for some quirky personalities—they’re full of character and might just end up being the farmhand you never knew you needed!

Final Thoughts…

Annette, the addition of goats to your permaculture venture could be an exciting and fruitful decision. By thoughtfully integrating them into your system, you’ll be enhancing the natural processes already at play on your plot. They might present some challenges, but with the right preparation, they’ll be a significant asset to your land. Thanks for reaching out and exploring this with me!