Photo Credit: Sam Steadman
Paradise, CA
June 2nd, 2024
The Butte County Fire Safe Council, local grazers, and over 100 goats celebrated the kick-off to summer with the return of the Paradise Grazing Festival. On June 2nd, the Terry Ashe Recreation Center reverberated with the energy of over 1,000 community members who came out to learn about the vital role goats play in fuels reduction and maintaining a fire-safe community. And yes, to pet cute goats.
Five years after the Camp Fire, grazing has risen as a highly desired and effective method for year-round fuels reduction. The Paradise Grazing Festival celebrates goats and brings the community together for a fun, family-friendly event, with the larger goal to raise awareness and support for local grazing projects in the fire-prone Wildland Urban Interface communities of Butte County. Event-goers enjoyed live music, vendor and partner booths, and a variety of hands-on goat activities including a petting zoo, goat yoga, and a goat photo booth.
Local Butte County grazers, including Hanski Family Farms, 3 Rock Ranch, and Paradise Scapegoats, were available to answer questions and share their unique perspectives on goat ownership and experience with targeted grazing. Swede Hanski demonstrated how herd dogs and livestock guardians are used to protect and move the goats between trailers and grazing sites. Between demonstrations, Swede, and his wife Stefanie, sat down at the Gather with the Grazers circle to informally answer questions about the Hanski Family Farms operation, grazing successes, and goat ownership.
Erin Dewell, with 3 Rock Ranch, hosted the petting zoo with an influx of goat petters, young and old, all day long. Her goat, “BG”, lounged at the Storytime with Goats area across the park to receive pets and listen to children’s books about his goat and sheep friends.
Art and Joan Colyer with Paradise Scapegoats posted up with “Poppy”, the livestock guardian Donkey, and rotated playful kids (of the goat variety) through the highly anticipated goat yoga area. Yogi volunteers from Paradise Stronger and California Climate Action Corps led free and relaxing goat yoga classes throughout the day.
Wildfire safety partners, including CAL FIRE, the Paradise Ridge Fire Safe Council, and Butte County Office of Emergency Management staffed educational booths to engage families and share important wildfire safety programs and reminders. Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) passed out free Go Bags for youth and volunteers with the Paradise Ridge Fire Safe Council encouraged visitors to form Firewise USA communities. While goats and grazing are a vital tool in the toolbox for wildfire mitigation, the Festival serves as an opportunity to engage with community members on a wide variety of wildfire safety topics.
With strong attendance from both the local community and out-of-towners visiting for the Ridge’s first Open House Weekend, the Paradise Grazing Festival was a highlight of the year. The Butte County Fire Safe Council owes a big thank you to the volunteers, partners, grazers, and event sponsors who made the Grazing Festival a smashing success. We are already looking forward to next year, when the Grazing Festival will return to Paradise on the first weekend of June, with even more activities and goat fun. Stay tuned for year-round events and grazing opportunities with the Butte County Fire Safe Council and keep an eye out for a goat near you.
Get Your Graze On!
Written by Lauren de Terra
Director of Community Engagement
Butte County Fire Safe Council
Photos from Sam Steadman and Jake Birdseye