All week, visitors to the Arboretum are invited to watch the goats happily chomping away in areas where it is unsafe for humans or heavy machinery to operate. The grazing area is accessible to the public from either entrance and is between a quarter- and half-mile mile walk, depending on which trails you take to get there.
“This eco-friendly alternative to commercial mowing and herbicides is working,” says Debbie Markey, Executive Director of the Arboretum. “And it doesn’t hurt that they are a big draw for the public, especially families with young children.”
Looking at Rent-A-Ruminant co-owner Kyle Carr’s photos of the goats in action, it’s easy to see why these ravenous ruminants are so much fun to observe. Visitors to the Arboretum are welcome to view the goats at work but the staff asks that guests do not touch, engage with, or feed the animals, for the safety of both the animals and people.
Carr and his wife Carolyn operate a ranch in Brownwood, Texas, and have close to 250 goats in their herd, half of whom travel across the state to provide natural mowing services. (We’re told each goat has a name but are unable to confirm that!) This will be the fifth time the goats have visited the Houston Arboretum, which serves over 600,000 visitors annually and is one of the first nature education facilities for children in the state.
John and Carly Whitehurst and Claudia and Brad Freels
The glam black-tie gala celebrated the chapter's 40th anniversary, and also honored Montgomery County residents Kay and Tommy Austin. The nonprofit's signature shades of blue and gold adorned the ballroom, where more than 750 guests enjoyed bubbly from the Champagne wall, a raffle of a Kim Chau & Company Fine Jewelers sapphire ring, and more.
Emcee Deborah Duncan led the evening's program, which included video messages from JJ Watt and Charles Barkley, each granting a young attendee a wish. The silent and live auctions were both exciting, the latter touting packages like a trip to the Country Music Awards, which sparked a bidding war that reached $30,000.
Speaking of the CMAs, one of the honorary chairs, Carly Whitehurst, noted that 2024 marks the 10-year anniversary of her granted wish to attend the CMAs. She and her fellow event chairs were thrilled with the evening's total till of a whopping $1.7 million.
Ashley and Jonathan Sloan
Tony and Frances Buzbee
Ben and Bethany Buchanan
Tommy and Kay Austin
Brian and Jennifer Rayburn
Teri and Jim Andrepont and Shelly Millwee
Brian Ching and Lindsey Yates
Stephanie and Thomas Hatfield
Brice and Maryann Mannen
Ryan and Holly Lambert
Edgar and Alejandra Rincon
Ron and Christy Phillips
Jason Salas and Lacy Dalcour Salas
Richmond Webb and Dan Pastorini
Jennifer and Alan Rosen
Paula and Bruce Jefferies
Jeston Adams and Raj Sheth
Norman and Donna Lewis
Lyndsay and Matt Pennebaker
Michael Vanderhider
Mandy Williams and Jonathan Goldsmith
Marian Harper and Rita Shuma
Mark Wawro and Melanie Gray