The Goat Tower
The Goat Tower at Fairview Wine and Cheese farm is a landmark in the Paarl winelands of South Africa. It is the first of four documented structures of this kind. The Goat Tower was built in 1981 by Fairview owner Charles Back and has become the farm's most identifiable symbol and aspect of their brand.[1] Fairview has more than 750 Saanen goats on their farm, the milk from which is used to produce a range of cheeses under the farm's label. A select group of these goats have the privilege of living in the tower.
[edit] Other goat towers
Argentina - The Torre de Cabras at the Fínca el Rocio in the Córdoba province of Argentina was completed in late 2010. The tower was built using the same plans that were drawn up for the tower in Norway. These were provided to Fínca el Rocio by Fairview following a request by the South American farm's owners.
Norway - In 2006 a farmer from Ekeby in Norway approached Fairview owner Charles Back requesting permission to build a replica of Fairview's tower on his farm in Scandinavia. The Paarl tower was measured and photographed, and the replica tower was completed in 2007, with Charles Back travelling to Norway to officially open the tower.[2]
United States - Illinois farmer David Johnson built his 31-foot-tall (9.4 m) goat tower in Shelby County, near Findlay, after seeing an article on Fairview in the magazine Decanter.[3][4][5]
[edit] References
- ^ Fairview official website http://www.fairview.co.za
- ^ "Fairview links with Norway goat farm". Paarl Post online.(October 2007). Retrieved on 20 May 2008.
- ^ "A 'butt-er' class of goatshed". Retrieved on 12 May 2008.
- ^ 31 Ft. Goat Tower Keeps Animals Fit, Happy 2009. Volume 33, Issue 2. Farm Show
- ^ Construction details
