Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
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LIVE BY CHARLOTTE ROTH A growing interest in environmentally friendly methods for controlling unwanted brush has goats gaining favor among homeowners. Champ Chewers Goats to Go 508-451-1987 goatstogo.farm CONTACT 62 | OCTOBER 2015 nshoremag.com In recent years, Georgetown residents Maureen and Alan Aulson have gotten creative with their 50-acre Great Rock Farm, where they've lived since 1979. "In about 80 per- cent of U. S. farms, the owners live and work off the land," says Alan. "We pursue some traditional out- lets for our farm, like selling crops and hay, but more recently, we've been having a lot of success with our Goats to Go program." The Aulsons have tended goats for years. "We had them because photographs by Eric Roth BY CHARLOTTE ROTH A growing interest in environmentally friendly methods for controlling unwanted brush has goats gaining favor among homeowners. Champ Chewers Goats like to eat poison ivy and other tough-to- erradicate brush. our children loved them," explains Maureen. "First and foremost, we love our goats, and all our animals, and we enjoy taking care of them." The goats would graze frequently on the Aulsons' spacious property, clearing large amounts of brush and, most importantly, poison ivy. "Goats generally graze for about seven hours a day," says Alan. "Our herd of nearly 50 was covering a lot of ground." It occurred to the Aulsons that neighbors and friends who didn't own goats might appreciate the chance to clear brush and poison ivy on their own properties with- out harsh chemicals or expensive crews. "People are wanting to go green more and more," says Mau- reen. "We like to say, 'Let nature take care of nature.'" The Aulsons began renting crews of goats to homeowners all over the North LIVE