A12
Blue Mountain Eagle
Ag Day
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
WORKING GOATS
By Sean Hart
Blue Mountain Eagle
Animals have been employed
in agriculture for many years —
but not on a golf course.
At Silvies Valley Ranch, a
small drove of goats has trad-
ed the cattle drive for the drive
at the first tee on McVeigh’s
Gauntlet. Several talented Boer
goats have volunteered to serve
as caddies for golfers on the sev-
en-hole challenge course set to
open in July at the new Retreat
& Links resort south of Seneca.
With custom-designed back-
packs, the goats will carry sev-
eral clubs, balls and tees and a
six-pack as golfers test their ac-
curacy hitting from the tee box
on one ridge to the green on an-
other. And the goats aren’t just
doing it for the peanuts.
“We would like to take credit
for the idea, but frankly, it was
the goats’ idea,” Vice President
Colby Marshall joked. “The
goats were looking for new ca-
reer opportunities, a little more
longevity in their career paths,
and we, being responsible equal
opportunity employers, thought
we’d give them a shot. You
know, being a meat goat doesn’t
have quite the same long-term
career path as being a goat cad-
die.”
Silvies is a working ranch
with certified organic cattle and
Contributed photos
Potential future goat caddies practice
their footwork at Silvies Valley Ranch.
See GOATS, Page A13
Malheur Lumber
Company
60339 US-26
John Day
541-575-2054
Family Owned for 34 Years
Providing Grant County with feed and farm supplies for
its agricultural industry.
311 N Canyon City Blvd, Canyon City
541-575-2050
Mike LeChevon shows goat caddie applicants a
prototype backpack, similar to what he will wear while
carrying items for golfers on McVeigh’s Gauntlet at the
Silvies Valley Ranch Retreat & Links.
J OHN D AY
NAPA
IS PROUD TO SPONSOR
E ASTERN O REGON ’ S
A GRICULTURE B USINESS .
W E HAVE BEEN HELPING KEEP FARM
& RANCH EQUIPMENT RUNNING
SMOOTHLY SINCE 1966.
Patterson Bridge Rd.
John Day, OR
541-575-2102
.........................
P ROUDLY
PROVIDING
employment
opportunities
for the people of
Grant County since
1983.
721 W Main • John Day • 541-575-1850
Colleen Robertson, DVM
Mike Nussbaum DVM
45234
Celebrating 34
years of sustaining
Grant County’s
Agriculture
Industry