You can get rid of your Christmas tree by feeding it to goats in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- If you are still in the giving spirit this weekend, you may want to consider donating your old Christmas tree to a good cause. That good cause: feeding a herd of hungry goats.

Allegheny GoatScape is a 501c3 organization that was established back in 2017 as a way to help land managers and municipalities cut down on invasive and unwanted plants throughout the county in an eco-friendly way.

Executive director Gavin Deming says that when it comes to Christmas tree disposal, feeding them to goats was kind of a no-brainer.

"We found that actually Christmas trees are an amazing snack for goats in the middle of winter," said Deming. "They're green, they provide a lot of vitamin C and they actually serve as a natural dewormer for the goats. This is actually really our seventh year that we have been doing this, but this is our first year in which we are inviting people to both drop off their trees, but then come and hang out with the goats."

All told, GoatScape has around 50 goats and they eat a lot, constantly. One adult goat can eat up to eight pounds of hay in just one day and a herd of goats can lay bare an acre of land in about two weeks, so they are always looking for something to chomp.

Folks looking to donate trees will be able to do so over the next two Saturdays, first on Jan. 6 at GoatScape's North Side location and then on Jan. 13 at their Garfield location. There is a suggested donation of $10 for people showing up to help with winter care for these munching mammals.

"I do love that the City of Pittsburgh and many other municipalities are also recycling trees and turning them into mulch," said Deming. "But we are just adding an extra step in that we're creating a snack for our beloved animals."

Of course, Allegheny GoatScape is only accepting real trees for donations, but whether you're donating a blue spruce or a Fraser fir, for these goats, it's just one big green buffet.

For more information on Allegheny GoatScape, visit their website.