One of Philadelphia's more unusual recycling programs is gearing up for another season in Germantown.
The Philly Goat Project, which connects people with trained goats for therapeutic purposes, will soon host another series of Christmas Tree-Cycle events. The idea is simple: Folks bring their dying evergreens, donate $20 and then watch the animals snack on branches. The money supports the free goat walks and story times the nonprofit offers throughout the year. And the 13 goats who live at Awbury Arboretum, the project's base of operations, get a post-holiday treat.
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But just how much spruce and pine can these goats eat? According to a marketing representative for the group, the barnyard gang munches through about 3-4 trees in a day. Over the following months — the Philly Goat Project's tree haul tends to last until May — they consume over 600. Any bits the goats don't eat are turned into wood chips for the city's parks and community gardens.
This eating habit isn't that odd when you consider a goat's typical diet. The animals favor food with lots of fiber, like hay, grass and roots to help them digest. They also like to browse, plucking leaves and twigs off nearby vegetation.
The Philly Goat Project, which has hosted Tree-Cycle for the past seven years, is offering three opportunities to meet and feed the goats a Christmas tree. The first two events will be held at the Farm at Awbury Arboretum on Saturday, Jan. 4 and 11. There will be an additional donation drive at Laurel Hill West Cemetery on Saturday, Jan. 18. Each event will run from 12-3 p.m., with the following Sunday serving as a rain date.
Visitors don't need a tree to participate. Anyone can stop by the goat petting zone on the appointed days. There will also be games for all ages and free cocoa and s'mores by the fire pit.
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