[tremayne]

We're still not in a home with acreage where we can keep our own goats. However, when we do get some space, I'd like to keep only plants in the landscaping that the goats could eat when they escape the pasture. Not going to say "if", since I have no doubt that they will escape sometime, somehow. :roll:

So, here's part 1 of the question, if you could plan a yard with edible plants, what would you plant?

Part 2; if you could design (or have designed) a yard or pasture your goaties would (or do) truly enjoy, what and how would you do (or have done)?

Anna

 

[liz]

Mine browse my yard. They have their pen when I can't play "goat herder"....I do plant flower beds as well as a veggie garden..the latter is fenced so they can't enjoy it! As far as planting ornamentals like shrubs and trees I have lilac, rose of sharon, crimson maple ....I do try to keep them away from these though as there is plenty other goodies for them to eat...briars, black berry bushes as well as a field full of alfalfa, timothy etc. There are a bunch of blue spruce( massive!) around my property that they really enjoy trimming in the winter months.

Do NOT plant rhodedendrons, azaleas cherry, peach or any fruit tree with pits for seeds as the wilted leaves are toxic or any other poisonous shrubs because even if you don't think they will get out and not eat them they will! I plant annuals in the flower beds and do have perennials but I do my best to keep the goats in the back yard....they still eat my petunias every chance they get!

There is a list of poisonous plants that you can do a search for, so you know what not to plant.

 

[Di]

My spinach is going to seed so I picked a bunch for us and some for the goats, next year I'll plant some around their pastures, it's cheap and grows pretty fast, red leaf lettuce also. My Cashmere goats have cleaned the wild azaelia around the pasture (we cut it out and burned it, originally), but I noticed they browse on the new growth, without any ill effects, seems the cashmeres eat stuff the others won't though. I think some fast growing vines, like watermelon, pumpkin, squash, would be a good thing. Mine like turnips too.

 

[StaceyRosado]

any bushes/shrubs or ANYTHING you plant for a goat will be devoured in no time flat! so I don't recomend you plant anything just for them to eat.

But if you are going to plant stuff that would be safe "juse in case" here are some plants NOT to have

Rhododendron
Japanese Yew
Azeleas
Mountain Laurel
Cherry trees (wild or fruit)
Any pitted fruit trees for that matter