Grounds-keeper Billy

By Heifer International

October 3, 2019

Last Updated: December 28, 2013

Grounds-keeper Billy


Fly in to or out of Chicago O'Hare lately? Notice that the grass looked nice and trim? You can thank a herd of goats for that. Last spring the city of Chicago was looking to cut costs and go a little greener. When they put out bids for groundskeeping work, the lowest bid came in for Central Commissary Holdings, a restaurant company that offered the unusual solution. In August the airport expanded its grounds crew by adding sheep, llamas and burros. While the goats were originally tasked with grazing 120 acres of embankments around the airport, the other livestock were given just two acres on the northeastern corner of the airport. Trimming the tall grasses will help keep birds and other wildlife from moving in and causing problems for pilots. This isn't the first green initiative the airport has undertaken. O'Hare already grows vegetables and herbs near one terminal and offers them in restaurants. They also have beehives on the property. 

This week’s article is featured in the holiday edition of Heifer International's World Ark Magazine. For more at-home tips and stories of our work around the world, download our free, award-winning tabletWorld Ark App for iPad or Android!