# Packgoats Pitchin' In



## Hasligrove (Dec 10, 2008)

Hi Everyone! I just wanted to start getting the word out for my new campaign "Packgoats Pitchin' In!" It's something I know many of you do already and I hope to get a lot more packgoat folks involved. My family and I love to clean up the trash with the goats along roads, trails, beaches, campgrounds or where ever. It amazes me how much trash is out there. My son and I went down our road and barely made it 1/4 of a mile and our bags were full!

All you have to do is get out, have some fun and pick up some trash with the goats! Email me at least your name, date, location (town,state), goat names and pounds of trash. (Pictures too please!) I'm going to start keeping track and posting on my web page for now and hopefully soon get a dedicated one.

I'm having some great new artwork made and there will be prizes just for participating and more great gifts when you reach other motivational mile markers. (Details to come soon!) The best prize of all will be the act itself! 
We have just gone out 2 times this year and have collected 44 pounds of trash. 10 more times...200 pounds? 20 more times....400? And 10 others do the same.... 4,000 pounds? Together our results could be staggering!

Can you reach 250lbs this year? 500lbs? 1000lbs?

Together we can make an amazing impact! Get started TODAY!

Here is the start of the web page: http://www.pacificpackgoats.com/index.p ... goryID=154

Make sure you check out the sub categories: Trash Collected, Heaviest Item and Collection Totals. (Any other ideas for fun categories like heaviest item to have?)

Thank you!

Rachel Suomela

Pacific Pack Goats . com
[email protected]

"Life is goat! Pack at it!"


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## idahonancy (Dec 13, 2008)

Dang, I wish we had this going last summer. Some one crashed a four wheeler 2 summers ago on a trail not far from town but a difficult access. They left smashed up fenders a gas can and misc junk. After 2 years of walking by it I figured out how to strap the large plastic fender pieces to a saddle on my goat. Needless to say when the goats and I dropped off this hillside and hit the streets people stared at us like we dropped from outter space. People had the open mouth, wide eyed, what the devil are you doing look. I smiled waved and told them it was garbage from our mountain. We walked off looking like the overloaded Beverly Hillbilly's truck. We have hauled entire camp sites tents and all off this hill. I think idiots camp out and leave all thier stuff. Never have I seen such waste. I'll try to get some pictures next time.


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## Hasligrove (Dec 10, 2008)

Yep! I wish I had it going long ago. I think it will be great to have some statistics on all the hard work we do. Well...not really hard work because I'm going for the walk anyways and I kinda think it's fun. I know many collect garbage and I'm just trying to get people motivated to do it more and keep track of it. You helped me think of another catagory I'm going to post: Past Honorable Mentions. I'd like to post your story on my web page if that is OK. Do you have a photo of your boys packed up? Napga did a great clean up in Modoc and the Rende 2 years ago I will have to post too.

I can't wait to get the artwork done and all the details worked out. It will be something like everyone will get a certificate and sticker just for their first pound of garbage and set other prizes for 50lbs, 100lbs,and so on.

Anyone else have a great past story? Lets make some new ones too!


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## cryptobrian (Apr 26, 2012)

Each April our little 4-H club participates in the Alice Ferguson Foundation's Potomac River Watershed Cleanup. We spend a bit of time doing training hikes on the C&O Canal towpath so this has direct consequence for our group. Being near a river, we come across all sorts of interesting things. We've found old record players, a surprising number of shoes, a grocery cart, and of course lots and lots of beer cans. I could probably put one goat full time on tires if I could come up with a reliable way to attach them.

Keeping track of the stats (particularly brands of beer) makes for quite a bit of fun ...

Great idea you have going here!

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I think you may recognize a T-shirt one of the boys is wearing! 
[attachment=0:1wtppezn]IMG_2076.JPG[/attachment:1wtppezn]


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## Hasligrove (Dec 10, 2008)

Hi Everyone! Iâ€™m excited to announce that Jessica Abbate from New Hampshire is the first to respond to my new â€œPackgoats Pitchinâ€™ In!â€ campaign! Congratulations! Jessica collected 8 pounds with her goat Oats and has passed her first mile marker of 1 pound of trash collected. She wins a certificate of participation and a sticker and is working toward the next mile marker of 25 pounds. She will also receive something special for being one of the first to participate (will you be the next?). Iâ€™ve attached some great photos of her and her goats. 

Iâ€™ve talked with the artist that does my packgoat art and the new images will be ready within a month so I can really motivate you with visuals. They will be great! One will be like my overpacked goat but with a trash can instead of the pannier and holding a tin can in its mouth. The other will be a cart goat pulling a cart with trash cans and recycle bins. They will be fun. He always does a great job.

This is just starting to evolve into something wonderful! It started as just a thought and is taking shape. I will get all the details soon for those who need order and rules but all I really need is PARTICIPATION! The rest is fun and prizes! 

If there are any items in particular that would motivate you let me know. I will do the best to add them to the prizes! Spring is almost here! The goats are restless. Give the couch a break. Give a little to your community and together we will make an amazing impact!


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello,

great reactions.

I was just wondering if you have to pay for bringing the trash you collected to a recycling/wast plant or if they accept it without.


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## Hasligrove (Dec 10, 2008)

Here we can recycle for free if we bring it to them. If you want them to pick it up then is costs and we don't even have that option in my town. Garbage...yes you have to pay for it either way. That is one reason there is so much trash around here. People just dump it in the woods instead of paying for it. :evil: 

When we go to collect with the goats I try to seperate the garbage from the recycle. We take the recycle over reguarly with my household stuff and the rest of the garbage just goes into my garbage can that they pick up from my house. 

I would like to look into working somehow with the department of ecology or whoever has the power and be able to drop off trash that is collected from the woods and roads somewhere to have them dispose of it so it would be absolutly no cost to those who collect. Right now I pay for the trash collection anyways and we are not collected enough at any one time to overflow my garbage can or recycle bins.


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## Hasligrove (Dec 10, 2008)

I thought I should just post a few reminders.

BE SAFE! Get a nice pair of garden or leather gloves to protect your hands. Don't let young kids pick up broken glass. Be aware of your surroundings. My goats are still skidish with cars. Don't go down in deep ditches or steep areas just to get that can if it is not safe! Wear reflective clothing if in trafic areas. I don't want to hear about packgoats walking on the freeways collecting trash!

Also be aware of how you are packing the garbage on the goats. Make sure things are not hurting the goat or going past their weight limits. I just purchased the cargo carriers from Butt-head packgoat supplies and I think they will work great. (haven't tried them out yet..needed to get the trash can to go inside) They are a simple drawstring pannier that a 21qt trash can fits inside. This way we can save on trash bags and I don't have to worry about something odd poking the goats and I'm hopeing it will be easier to add the trash instead of opening and closing a trash bag. I need to get out there and try them.

So....just be safe and smart when you are out there having fun!

Thanks


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## feederseaters (Nov 8, 2009)

I can't tell you guys how much fun Packgoats Pitchin In is. I encourage everyone to get out there and join the party. Its nice just knowing that we are helping keep our land clean from litter a pound at at time. 

Lets see how much trash we can pick up and pack out!!!!


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## Hasligrove (Dec 10, 2008)

OK Everyone. The artwork is done and it looks great. Maybe this can motivate you! Now I really have to get the milemarkers down. Details soon. Don't let me slow you down though. I'll keep track and as soon as the prizes come in...I will mail you yours! Everyone will get a prize for their first pound collected. A certificate of participation to Packgoats Pitchin In and a sticker. Next milemarker is 25lbs, 50lbs, 75lbs, 100lbs. I'll get all the details of prizes you win soon. Just head out and have fun cleaning up.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

these are soooo cool.

I've written about the packgoats pitchin' in in the german goat forum as well. May I copy the pictures and show them there, too?


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## Hasligrove (Dec 10, 2008)

Yes! Go ahead and copy the images. I would love to get an international group going. Shipping of the prizes will be a bit more but I'm not picky! I just want to get a great group working on picking up all the trash everywhere.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

thanks. I love the cart goat, it has something very sassy about it.


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## cryptobrian (Apr 26, 2012)

These are great!


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## sam b (Mar 27, 2010)

Rachel,
This is a great program. I am hoping to implement it in some way with our Erie county 4-H working goat club. My question is can I keep separate records for each of our 4-Her's to apply for awards if they earn them or are only forum members eligible. I am hoping to start enticing them soon, as our next meeting is April 16. 

Keep up the great work

Sam Basile


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## Hasligrove (Dec 10, 2008)

All are encouraged to participate in Packgoats Pitchin In! This is such a great place to spread the word on all things packgoat that I wanted to post about it here. It's not limited to forum members. I was hoping for 4H groups to get involved. The more the merrier. There are several 4H groups that have expressed interest already. Sharing of packgoats in the collection of trash is ok just make sure you total each personâ€™s pounds and email the info to me. Donâ€™t forget mailing addresses and PICTURES!


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## Hasligrove (Dec 10, 2008)

Just a quick update: The total pounds of trash collected so far is up to 635 pounds! I've been so pleased with the response on this. I can't wait to see how much more we can do. Everyone is amazing. The details on the prizes are getting organized. I have Packgoat Pitchin In buttons and magnets on order. Stickers will be ordered soon once I get the artwork formated a bit more. So check back every once in awhile to see whats new.

Thanks again for everyone participating and keep up the hard work!

Our next outing will be a Beach clean up on the 23rd in Long Beach, Wa.


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## Hasligrove (Dec 10, 2008)

The Long Beach Washington beach clean up was great. It was a beautiful day and lots of people were out helping. It was a bit hard to find trash which is fine with me. We still hauled in 16 pounds...and made the front page news in our local paper. They did a nice job on the article. They made one error where they stated that I said that goats can go further than horses...and actually I was talking about how they will go where the horses won't go...but we all know that! 

The sun is starting to peek out so get out there and clean up the roads, trails, river banks, forests...anywhere you may roam. Those who have started already...keep it up! I'm waiting on the sticker order and some supples for the certifiactes of participation but your prizes will be coming soon. So far there are 2 great new Packgoats Pitchin' In stickers, a button and a magnet. I have a great new packgoat playing cards on order that will be one of the prizes and looking into screen printed "Packgoat Work Crew" reflective vests as one of the prizes too. I'm so pround that we are at 693 pounds already and our hiking season is just begining. I can't wait to see our results! Thanks!


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## cryptobrian (Apr 26, 2012)

Great work! I love this project, Rachel!


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## Hasligrove (Dec 10, 2008)

The first of the prizes and certificates have been mailed to the participants! My son was so excited to get his certificates of participation and showed them off at school. 

We will be heading back out this weekend. My son wants another achievement award on his certificate! He's working hard to get to the 200 pound mark and get the blue ribbon seal!

A big thank you to our newest participants - The Thompsen Family! 

The sun is starting to shine and it's a great time to get started on collecting trash with your goats. Packgoats Pitchin' In project is up to 703 pounds! Lets keep it going!


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## Hasligrove (Dec 10, 2008)

Hi everyone! Packgoats are pitchin in and the trash totals have reached 1085.5 Pounds! There has been a beach clean up on the west coast, road trash from WA, OR and NH, and the latest Shasta Packgoat Club cleaned up 230 pounds for national public lands day.

Check out my new Blog-It is easier for me to update the latest on the packgoat pitchin in project then my web page.

http://pacificpackgoats.blogspot.com/

Lets get more folks involved! It's easy....Take the goats out for a walk and clean up trash along the way. Email me ([email protected]) and you will be included in the packgoats pitchin in project and able to earn great prizes...and bragging rights!


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