04/12/2025
If you are after some little bush trimmers to clear up your property we have some lovely goats available to great homes.
Did you know Google once hired 200 goats to work at their headquarters?
Yep, actual goats, brought in as a greener way to deal with overgrown grass.
Back in 2009, the company had large fields around its Mountain View campus that needed regular mowing.
Instead of using loud gas mowers, they tried a low carbon option and rented a herd of goats.
Around 200 goats arrived with a herder and a border collie to keep them in line.
They stayed for about a week, eating the grass, weeds and brush that can fuel wildfires.
The idea was simple: let the goats clear the fields while they walk, eat and move on.
As a bonus, they left natural fertilizer behind, which helped the soil instead of harming it.
Google has said the cost of using goats is about the same as paying for regular mowing.
The big difference is less noise, fewer emissions and a lot more people stopping to watch.
This kind of grazing is not just a tech company stunt.
In fire prone areas of California, goats are often used as a natural way to manage dry brush.
For Google, it also fits their public focus on sustainability and creative problem solving.
Why build a new machine when nature already has one that runs on grass and makes people smile?
It is a fun reminder that not every smart solution needs to be high tech.
Sometimes the answer to a modern problem is a very old idea with hooves and horns.
References:
Mowing with goats - Official Google Blog (Google)
Google hires goats to cut grass - The Telegraph
Google Rents Goats to Mow the Lawn - Smithsonian Magazine
Google hires goats as low-carbon lawnmowers - Mountain View Voice
Note: The images used in this post have been created using AI for illustration purposes only.
