GOAT-GETTERS
Goat-getters is our outreach farm education project, where children and adults can learn all about our goats and their amazing benefits, in their local community. Our goats spend time at schools and agritourism businesses in Angus, where pupils and visitors can benefit therapeutically, learn more about livestock farming and animal care. Farming is an essential industry in our rural region of Angus, so we feel passionate about sharing our way of life with others in our community.
COMMUNITY GOAT THERAPY
In the summer of 2022, we successfully piloted our Goat-Getters project over the summer at two agritourism businesses, East Scryne Fruit Farm & Cafe and Upper Dysart Larder. A trio of our goats spent the summer onsite, supported by our trained staff, who provided regular health and welfare checks of our animals. The goats resided in purpose built paddocks with enrichment facilities. Footfall to both businesses increased during the project, as our goats were a huge draw for visitors looking to enjoy some goat therapy. Visitors could feed our goats special goat nuts available onsite, observe their goatie antics, and interact with our animals in a safe, secure environment.
kids at east scryne
In Spring 2023, East Scryne Fruit Café are welcoming another trio of goats, as part of our Goat-Getters service, and this year, it’s our gorgeous Miniature Cashmere kids, Martha, Mildred and Matilda. East Scryne are providing an even larger paddock this year, with brand new secure fencing onsite, so our goats have more freedom to get up to their antics. Our trained staff will be regularly checking our goats’ health and welfare, and available to talk goats with any visitors. There is a new feeding station, with clear signage on how to safely feed our goats with special goat feed, available in the shop, which also sells Lunan Bay Goat Poop (aka chocolate raisins) for human kids (not goat ones). You can even take your own Goat in Coat home, a super soft plush goat toy wearing a handknitted goat coat!
WORKING WITH SCHOOLS
We are delighted to be partnering with Ladyloan Primary School in Arbroath, under our Goat-getters scheme. From our experience with college students and other visitors to our farm, we have seen first hand the huge benefits that being around animals can have on the mental wellbeing of children and young people.
Ladyloan already have an excellent outdoor education area, where kids learn important skills, such as animal care, growing their own produce and now goat husbandry. After the Easter holidays, one of our female does and her two kids, all Miniature Cashmeres, will be moving into Ladyloan’s secure purpose built goat enclosure with goat enrichment facilities, for a whole term until the Summer holidays.
KID WELFARE IS KEY
Under the safety of our Angus Council-approved detailed risk assessments and procedures, the pupils will learn about animal care, behaviour, husbandry, their environmental benefits, soil health, Cashmere production, farm education amongst other goat-related projects. Goat therapy will play a significant role.
Our goats safety, health and welfare is our utmost importance, alongside that of the pupils and Ladyloan staff, therefore our trained staff will be onsite daily 7 days a week to monitor, train and provide guidance. We are very pleased that Ladyloan Primary School is the first school to pioneer this important rural skills project.
