# Orchard Planning with goats in mind



## LadySecret (Apr 20, 2013)

I need some opinions please on trees to include in my orchard. I've fenced off an area 80 by 90 feet (7,200 sq ft) with cattle panels to keep the goats out. This will mostly be apple trees, pear trees, a couple mulberry trees, an almond tree and a berry patch (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, & kiwi vines) but the family would really like at least one cherry tree and two peach trees. I know wilted leaves from pitted fruit trees can be toxic at certain times. So my questions is would it be safe to plant them in the middle of my orchard, away from all the fences? My goats would have access to 3 sides of the fenced orchard. My goats would never be let in the orchard but in the fall/winter my goats eat lots of dried leaves while browsing. Do you think they would be safe by the time any leaves blow out? Or should I tell my family no to pitted fruit trees? Anyone have pitted fruit trees next to their goat pasture? Any experiences with this issue would be greatly appreciated.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Can you plant the cherry and peach trees somewhere else?


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## billiejw89 (May 7, 2014)

We have a 3 acre Lapin Cherry orchard. it's not fenced in. My goats pen is not near the orchard but when I take them for walks we go right past the outer row. I keep them moving so they don't try to grab any leaves. In the fall, I can not control where all the fallen leaves end up. I'm sure with the wind there has been a few that have gone into their pen. But I think there is a difference between a leaf that's fallen due to damage of the limb and just normal fall leaf drop. We have had goats almost 3 years with no problems.


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## lilaalil (Sep 5, 2014)

I'm pretty sure those leaves are safe if they are dry, just not when they are wilted. And in autumn, they usually dry up before they fall, right? 

I would personally plant them in the middle and if a few stray leaves blow into the goat pen you should be fine.


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## LadySecret (Apr 20, 2013)

Suzanne_Tyler said:


> Can you plant the cherry and peach trees somewhere else?


No my goats free range most of the time in summer, spring and fall. There really isn't anywhere on my property where the goats couldn't get to if they really wanted to except my fenced in backyard, chicken yard and the area I fenced off for the orchard. My goats are only penned up in winter and kidding time.


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## LadySecret (Apr 20, 2013)

lilaalil said:


> I'm pretty sure those leaves are safe if they are dry, just not when they are wilted. And in autumn, they usually dry up before they fall, right?
> 
> I would personally plant them in the middle and if a few stray leaves blow into the goat pen you should be fine.


That makes me feel better. Cherry preserves are a family tradition that I'd like to carry on if possible.

Thanks for your comments. Anyone else want to weigh in?


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## LadySecret (Apr 20, 2013)

billiejw89 said:


> We have a 3 acre Lapin Cherry orchard. it's not fenced in. My goats pen is not near the orchard but when I take them for walks we go right past the outer row. I keep them moving so they don't try to grab any leaves. In the fall, I can not control where all the fallen leaves end up. I'm sure with the wind there has been a few that have gone into their pen. But I think there is a difference between a leaf that's fallen due to damage of the limb and just normal fall leaf drop. We have had goats almost 3 years with no problems.


That's good to know. Thanks for sharing your experience with cherry trees.


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## teemogoat (Mar 14, 2016)

I have a couple of youngish peach trees and have tested and watched the goats with them. My goats are on forage only, small amount of feed maybe once a week to call them up and minerals. There is plenty of grass and some hedge/trees, so they aren't "starving" and have plenty of browse. They ate all they could up the trees during the summer (1/3 up the trees). As fall came, I watched and tested and they didn't care for the leaves once they started turning. I noticed last year that once the leaves were brown/dried and on the ground that they would eat them again. So my experience is that as long as they have plenty of food and aren't "driven by hunger" to eat the peach tree leaves in the fall, they simply leave them alone. That's my experience, yours may vary.


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## fivemoremiles (Jan 19, 2010)

My goats striped the bark off my fruit trees. you may want to invest in these


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## fivemoremiles (Jan 19, 2010)




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## Dwarf Dad (Aug 27, 2017)

Great invention!


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