South African Boer Bok

Autumn Olive Farms is a family based operation in Augusta County. We have a dual focus model with a singular commitment to the health and wellness of the land, animal and the consumer. We raise the beautiful South African Boer Bok as an environmentally sound method to combat the invasive plant species problem while producing one of the finest and healthiest meats in the world right here in the Shenandoah Valley. The combination of the worlds premier, purpose bred and standardized meat goat with the fantastic forage base of invasive species here in the Valley provides a win-win situation for the land, its owner and the consumer.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Goats put biological brakes on invasive plant species.....

That is the title of the article in the Virginia Native Plant Species Fall newsletter.  Click on the link to read the article written by Nancy Sorrells.  Native plants have a difficult and sometimes an impossible time competing with the invasive species.  We have an environmentally friendly  solution to help restore native plant habitats!  Nancy wrote a great article about what the goats are doing at the Frontier Culture Museum.   

Friday, August 13, 2010

Surprise......

We knew that we were going to have an article in the small ruminant section of Country Folk magazine, but did not expect to make the front cover! 

Jennifer Showalter, the author, came to the Frontier Culture Museum to write an article about our Boer Bok.  She is a young farmer from Lexington, VA who knows first hand what a problem invasive plant species are for farmers.  She said she has sprayed so many that the plants should wilt when she walks by! 

Here is the link to the article.  Goats create win-win situation for Autumn Olive Farms

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

What a sight it must have been........

With help from some wonderful Volunteer Shepherds, we moved the herd to their new location at the Frontier Culture Museum on the hill behind the pond.  What a sight it must have been seeing the herd literally running down the boulevard. (great for their hooves)  

I was leading them with the guard dog, NOT herding dog!  This breed of dog is good for protecting, but definitely not herding.  I had to almost drag her to run that far.  The Boer Bok were running behind me followed by 3 Volunteer Shepherds.  Unfortunately, Clay has the camera with him in Indonesia, so I could not get pictures of the event.  

After we got them moved I was awarded a custom handmade Shepherd's staff by my helpers.  It was quite a day of taking down and setting up fence and moving the herd.  Normally Clay and I do it by ourselves.  I will have to say it works much better with 4 people!  Thank you to my volunteers!

The Boer Bok are in a much better location for viewing from the Boulevard.  By the evening of the day we moved them you could already see through the Autumn Olive Bushes.  One of the Volunteer Shepherds went with me yesterday evening and could not believe what they had done in just a few days.  He said it looked like a brush hog had been through there.  It was a brush hog alright...a whole herd of them.


If you go by the museum, be sure to walk down the path beside the blue bird trail.  You will see the devastation to the Autumn Olive, Honeysuckle, Multi- Flora Rose and Blackberry.  Some one told me it looks like a war zone.  Total devastation!   The front of the first site is not as  impressive due to the fact they don't care too much for the Pear Trees.  They are stiff and it is hard for them to "walk down" to eat.  I could have left them in there and forced them to eat it, but did not want to do that to my pregnant does.