The Symbiosis Experiment:Help Goats

Hi, my name is Nic and I am trying to raise money for Brother Giovanni and his rescued herd of goats.  Brother Giovanni is a Franciscan monk living in the woods of Virginia.

The Symbiosis Experiment was started by Brother Giovanni as a way to rescue goats from slaughter and put them to work clearing land, earning their own living.  This is a wonderful project, as it saves the lives of goats, and in return they work at improving the land, which also feeds them.  The goats live life as close as possible to how they would live in nature, in a structured herd, doing what they do best: eating vegetation. The difference between this animal sanctuary and most is that the goats are not kept in pens, but living amongst nature, providing a service that benefits them, and us.

Brother Giovanni:




Brother Giovanni is at the point where he needs our help to take this effort to the next step. With additional funding, he can save more goats, and establish The Symbiosis Experiment as a working non-profit that will live on beyond his lifetime.   Please help! Winter is a hard time as there is less forage for the herd and Brother Giovanni must buy hay to supplement their feed.  The initial donations will go directly to buying hay.

Brother Giovanni works with the goats to clear brush as a green alternative to brush hogging, or using herbicides to clear land. You may have heard of people using goats to clear brush, this is what he does.  As a monk, Brother Giovanni has taken a vow of poverty. All funds from this effort will go towards the welfare of the herd.

Brother Giovanni has been living and working with his herd for about 15 years, surviving from his social security, and small donations/volunteering from supporters to his cause.

The Symbiosis Experiment is all about working with animals in a humane manner that benefits both the animals and humanity.  Humanity benefits from their work by having land cleared without the use of fossil fuels, or massive amounts of herbicides (as is the common practice).  Some cities and government agencies even occasionally contract with goat owners to clear brush and other vegetation on municipal lots, powerline rights-of-way, roadsides, you name it — an eco-friendly, money-saving and more effective method than most other means. All parties benefit. Goats are effective as a means to removing thickets, invasive species, and underbrush.

1. Goats can be used as an effective control  to reduce weed populations

2. Reduces or eliminates the use of toxic herbicides and pesticides

3. Renting goats are an eco-friendly fuel reduction benefit

4. Goats consume poisonous plants like Hemlock, Poison Oak, Pampas Grass, blackberry bushes, blooming Yellow Star Thistle, and Mustard species

5. Goats help prevent forest fires by consuming the dry underbrush that fuel fires

We are in the process of applying for non-profit status.  

The goats are Brother Giovanni's life.  He believes they are equals, and deserve all the rights of any creature.  He is dedicated, harworking, and needs your help.  Please donate anything you can, no amount is too small...5 to 8 dollars buys one bale of hay.
Thank you from all of us at The Symbiosis Experiment! We will update regularly on our progress and will have a video coming soon.

Please visit our Facebook page at:

https://www.facebook.com/symbiosisexperiment

With your donations, we hope to purchase the following:

- Hay
- Veterinary expenses
- Funds to lease inexpensive pastureland as a homebase
- Truck
- Livestock trailer
- Water trailer
- Additional solar panels
-  Additional electric fencing
- Funds to hire an assistant herder