Blanchet Farm - Goat Enrichment Structures

I have chosen to collaborate with the Blanchet House and the Blanchet Farm. The goal of the farm is to help men with substance addiction build sobriety, self-worth, and re-learn job skills by being responsible for the care of animals, gardens, meals, and facilities.

My eagle project will be to improve the goat area by creating goat enrichment platforms. The three platforms will be wooden so residents can easily move and reconfigure the platforms. The platforms will include stairs, ramps and a flat area for the goats to climb and eat on. I also will be building two acid brush stands for the goats to rub up against.

The goal of this project is to make it easier for the residents at the Blanchet Farm to tend to the goats. The goats currently have one platform to climb on, making goats compete for the platform. Goat health can be improved by giving each of them a safe space to explore given their various sizes, ages and herd status. Structures will also create an organized and visually appealing pen area for visitors. In addition, the different levels of height will create a more natural landscape for the goats and provide mental stimuli. The goat platforms will make the goats more friendly and workable, along with being more social, which can be beneficial for the men in the rehabilitation process.

The current goat area is home to 10+ goats in the pen. The enrichment platforms, shelters, feeding area and obstacles will help the farm residents maintain a healthy goat population. Additionally, as the structures are movable and can be reconfigured, the residents can reposition the structures and take more ownership of the goats' environment.

The funds that I will receive will be used for purchasing supplies, materials and other needs to support the completion of my project. I will begin the building phase towards the end of January and I plan on installing the platforms in February. Any remaining donations will be donated to the Blanchet House to be used for future projects.

Any support that is received is much appreciated and means so much to me. I have been a scout since 2018 and worked very hard to reach the highest rank of scouting - Eagle Scout Rank.

Below is a link to the Blanchet House’s website for any more info.

https://blanchethouse.org/

Yours in scouting,

Aaron Z.

Troop 117

Portland, OR