Have you herd about our kids? There are goats in our backyard!

Much like our new eco-friendly parking lot, we have taken an environmentally friendly and exciting approach to maintaining our prairie. Goats! Animals notorious for eating everything and anything. They are the perfect natural defense against unwanted plant growth. This method was once the gold standard in the era before lawnmowers, but now it is a bucolic surprise for our students.

Unlike humans, who require rest, food, and OSHA regulations, goats eat their work and enjoy the process. Our prairie plants are quite dense; it would require a lot of manpower and gas-powered machinery to do what these goats can do naturally. Much of that land doesn’t lend itself to traditional mowing practices, so goats are the premiere solution. Beyond that, goats leave behind fertilizer as they go, a trait noticed almost immediately by the children who cheered them on as they entered the grounds.

Our seventy goats immediately became a smash hit as they began foraging in the yard. MMS students squealed with delight as the goats ambled to the furthest reaches of their pen. The baby goats who trailed behind were especially beloved and fawned over. While there is the practical aspect of their foraging, the student enthusiasm and excitement brings a palpable feeling of happiness that was beaming throughout the school all day. The goats, it would seem, bring joy to an otherwise mundane yard work chore.

These dream-goats are another way Milwaukee Montessori sets itself apart from other elementary schools and preschools in Milwaukee. The enriching, up-close interactions allow students of all ages to experience something often reserved for field trip outings on a daily basis for the two weeks the goats will make our backyard their home. While these fleeting moments are fun, they are the foundation for memories that will last far into the future of our students' lives. I guess you could say, we got your goat!