Friday Funny: Goats Love a High Rise

Part funny, part amusing, and part just plain cool, goat towers are vertical structures with winding ramps that goats love to climb. They are also are “an idea whose time has come” according to a recent article in Modern Farmer.

1 minute read

April 18, 2014, 6:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Goat Tower

Anna Hornyak / Flickr

“A set of towers, spread across the globe, have given goats the opportunity to make good on their evolutionary heritage and farmers a chance to leave an unforgettable impression on visitors. And don't worry -- there hasn't been a single report of the goats falling,” writes Sam Brasch.

Fernando Guedes da Silva da Fonseca built the first such structure in the 19th century in Portugal, but goat towers have since been constructed in South Africa, Norway, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Tennessee. Fairview Wine and Cheese in South Africa’s tower is one of the most recognizable components of its brand, and, yes, there is even a chef in this world with a goat tower tattoo.

The Fairview Wine and Cheese Goat Tower in South Africa [Image by PhotoSky, via Shutterstock]

Wednesday, April 16, 2014 in Modern Farmer

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

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