'They go ape over it' — discarded Christmas trees a delicacy for local goats

Did you know goats celebrate New Years? While they may not have much interest in watching the ball drop in Times Square or fireworks, they definitely get excited after Christmas and in the early days of January for a yearly treat. While smoked ham and turkey may be served on our tables, for goats and other farmyard denizens, nothing beats a good, prickly Christmas tree — minus the trimmings, of course. 

“They go ape over it,” said Alyssa Belanger, who owns Slightly Off Course farm in Ashburnham with her husband. “[Goats] get super bored in the winter because they’re foragers and there’s nothing to eat but their hay and grain. They love the holidays as much as we do.” 

The pine needles contain a wealth of nutrients, antioxidants and vitamin C, while the sap can act as a natural dewormer. The goats won’t stop at the needles however, and will strip the bark from the tree. Over the last few years, local farms have taken to social media to put out the call for Christmas trees that have not been treated with pesticides or other chemicals, in the days between Christmas and New Years. The practice provides a new way to recycle the trees along with a tasty snack and enrichment tool for the animals. As Belanger summed it up, “it’s a nice way to get rid of trees without them going straight to the landfills and it definitely helps with the feed costs.”

Last year, when the farm first began to raise goats, they put out the call for used Christmas trees — they now have six milking goats of the Nigerian dwarf variety, who are about the size of a medium-sized dog and have gentler personalities. “I call them my outside dogs — they’re super smart and they remember things,” she says, chuckling.

Samantha Di Bonaventura of Hidden Hill Farms in Spencer said they first started taking in used Christmas trees for pet goats in 2014.  Now, their goats have learned what to expect when they see cars dropping off trees. As of Dec. 28, they had received eight trees, but she expects the number to rise dramatically. Last year saw Hidden Hills receive up to 300 trees all through February, more than they could possibly use, resulting in a stop date before that.  

Goats aren’t the only animals who benefit from the donations. Turkeys and chickens will roost in the pines while donkeys enjoy scratching against the bark or playing a round of kickball (kick-tree?). “They use [the trees] recreationally — kick them around,” said Shawn Hayden, program director at Carl E. Dahl House in Gardner, which doubles as both a substance abuse treatment center for men as well as a livestock rescue. Patients receive clinical help and work toward recovery by working on the farm and taking care of the animals. 

With about 60 animals on the farm, any kind of enrichment activity helps, said Hayden. Residents at Dahl House have even built a jungle gym for goats to play on. Many of the animals were rescued from slaughter auctions but others come from petting zoos or pony rides. While the latter may seem benign, “when they age out of those entertainment occupations,” he said, “they don’t meet a real happy ending.”

Belanger also strives to keep the farm’s goats entertained — using the stripped down trees as either fertilizer or use in the makeshift playground. Comprising cable wheels, pallets and slabs of wood, “it’s made from pretty much other people’s junk.” She expects more trees to be incorporated into the play structure following New Years. “That’s when most people start taking down their trees,” she said.

The trees are like candy to the goats, but like even the best chocolate Santa or peppermint bark, there are limits, and over 300 was too much even for the goats. “At first they go crazy for them but they’ll start ignoring them after a while,” said Di Bonaventura. “At a certain point, they decide ‘my sweet tooth is filled.’”

Even as some of the farmers refer to the goats as their “pets,” they caution that no one should assume it is as simple as owning a dog or cat. While goats have a uniquely quirky charm — “they’re super fun and clever,” said Di Bonaventura — they also come with their own set of challenges. She asked prospective goat owners to be careful with what fence they use — as goats are notorious escape artists. Most importantly, there’s no such thing as a pet goat, singular. “They’re very social,” she said. “You can’t have just one or they will get lonely and depressed.”

Belanger agreed. "The amount of time you put into them is what you’re going to get out of them — they need lots of attention and mental stimulation.”