Goat by Tram
Talk about a green way to mow your lawn…
This weekend, a team of six goats will be mowing the tall green grass below the Portland Aerial Tram tower near OHSU’s Center for Health and Healing.
Families are invited to visit with the goats during their extended feeding time and while you’re at it, feel free to ride the tram for some great views of the city.
Full details of the event can be found in the press release after the break.
PRESS RELEASE
Six Goats to Join Portland Aerial Tram Staff This Weekend
Lower Station Lawn Will Forgo Gas Powered Mow for Dairy Creek Goats
Portland, Ore. – June 23, 2011 – This coming weekend, the Portland Aerial Tram will introduce its new temporary landscape maintenance crew: a team of six Angora, Boer and Alpine goats named Mo, Ella, Brunhilda, Olivia, Cecelia and Clarence. Beginning this Saturday, June 25 and continuing through Sunday, June 26, the goats, supplied by Dairy Creek Goats in North Plains, will be “mowing” the Lower Station lawn, providing a fun and environmentally responsible way to maintain the grounds.
“With summer finally here, the Lower Station lawn is ready for its first trim of the season,” said Brett Dodson, Tram manager for OHSU. “Goats are not only an environmentally friendly way to keep up the grounds, but also a fun one, especially for families with young children.”
Summer months are a high-traffic season for the Portland Aerial Tram, part of the City’s public transportation system, with ridership typically increasing significantly over winter months.
“Take in the views at the top, and grab some soft serve Dreyers or other food items in the Marquam Café on the third floor of the Kohler Pavillion,” continued Dodson. “The goats are an added incentive to make the trip, but please do not disturb them; they have important work to do.”
The Portland Aerial Tram is open Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM year-round, and Sundays from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM until September 18. It is located at 3303 Southwest Bond Avenue.
ABOUT GOATS
A member of the Bovidae family and a close relative to sheep, goats are one of the oldest domesticated species and include more than 300 distinct breeds. They are famous the world over for their indiscriminate diets, predilection for head-butts, and, in Norse folklore, volatile relations with trolls dwelling beneath bridges. Goats are also quite crafty, known for their artisanal cheeses, wool sweaters, as well as the hair that naturally grows on their chinny-chin- chins. Contrary to popular belief, not all goats are named “Billy”; just most of them.
ABOUT THE PORTLAND AERIAL TRAM
The Portland Aerial Tram opened to the public on Jan. 27, 2007. Since then, it has made more than 217,000 trips carrying nearly six million riders on the popular aerial conveyance. The cabins, named Walt and Jean, travel 3,300 linear feet between the South Waterfront terminal at 3303 Southwest Bond Avenue, and the upper terminal at OHSU’s main campus. Traveling at 22 miles per hour, the Tram cabins rise 500 feet. The Portland Aerial Tram, part of the City’s public transportation system, is one of only two used for urban transit in the U.S. For more information about the Tram, visit www.portlandtram.org.
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