Country Woman

Green grazers. Tammy Dunakin unloads a trailer full of goats (above) ready to start their workday tidying up anovergrown field. One of Tammy’s four-legged employees (above right) pauses to take a curiosity break.`Goats are about the mosteco-friendly way to rid propertyof unwanted vegetation.aeven won a government contractwith the U.S. Navy. “Each job ispriced based on the size of thearea to be munched,” Tammy says.It takes 15 goats eight to 10 days toclear a quarter-acre. “They’re costeffective in many cases—and youdon’t have to worry about carbonemissions or engine noise.”Currently, her workforce is115 goats strong, of varying breeds,sizes and colors. Most are rescueanimals. Not only does Tammy``````know her goats by name, sheretires them to pasture when theirpro chewing days are over.Most of their jobs are in urbanareas like Seattle, so Tammy loadsher kids into a trailer and ferriesthem to the sites. Since it’s a one-woman business, she depends onher herding dogs, Pearl and Maddy,to round up the goats and keepthem from escaping.When jobs call for severaldays of grazing, Tammy campsalongside her nannies in a traveltrailer. Although the work area isAPRIL I MAY 2015 COUNTRY WOMAN 57Nobody loves herkids more thanTammy Dunakin.But she doesn’t haveany qualms aboutmaking them earn their keep.“Goats are about the mosteco-friendly way to rid propertyof unwanted vegetation,” saysthe founder, CEO and head goatwrangler of Rent-A-Ruminant(rentaruminant.com).Tammy, who spent most of herlife on farms, runs a new breed oflandscaping business on her acreagein Vashon Island, Washington. Shequit a high-stress job in a traumacenter to focus on her kids. “Oneday, while gazing at my goat pen, Ithought, You guys look bored,” shesays. “I decided they really needed ajob to make use of their talents.”With four-chambered stomachsand a propensity to chew their cuds,Tammy’s ruminants are eatingup the opportunity. “Goats arebrowsers, so they’ll chomp on brush,blackberries, thistles and most kindsof invasive plants,” she says. “Sincethey’re natural-born climbers,they can reach places people andmachines can’t go easily or safely.”Her hungry herd has worked foruniversities, major corporations,city parks and homeowners. Theysurrounded by sturdy temporaryfencing, “I still have goatmaresabout them escaping,” she says.One thing these critters neverelude is the attention of curiousonlookers. “People in nearby officebuildings love watching them fromtheir windows,” Tammy says. “Andschools have brought classes out tosee the goats in action.”With the rising popularity of allthings green, Tammy expandedher businesses through an affiliate``````program. For a one-time fee andsmall annual percentage of profits,Tammy offers novice goatherdstraining, hands-on mentoring,equipment and the use of the Rent-A-Ruminant name. She has affiliatesfrom Washington to New Jerseyand as far away as Australia.The rewards, Tammy promises,are more than monetary. “You won’tfind a lawn mower, leaf blower orbulldozer that’s as much fun to workwith as goats are,” she says. “Also,we’re doing something positive forthe planet.” One bite at a time. Q