Up Next: Harvesting Mountain Goat Wool
Jun 23rd, 2018 by cmenzies
This photo shows our field site from the south east. See those ridge lines tipped in snow in the center of the frame? That’s where we are heading this coming week. Most of snow from the winter has melted away, but there will be some left. This time of year is amazing in the coastal alpine. The upland meadows will be in bloom. The local goats will have moved into their summer range with newborn kids.
Our objective this trip is to harvest enough shed wool for a weaving workshop in the fall. 
Goats shed their winter wool starting in late spring into the summer. Picking the wool from bushes, rubbing spots, and along trails is the traditional harvesting method. This trip will focus on harvesting wool. But we will also be collecting DNA samples from goat dung and guard hairs!
Also on the agenda – collecting moss and plant samples.
