Last August two friends, Karl Schatz and Margaret Hathaway (along with trusty canine Godfrey), began a year-long trip around the country to explore goat culture in the United States. Along their journey (which is documented on a comprehensive, colorful website), they have encountered many unique people and stories. The trip started in the Chinese Year of the Goat and will conclude in August, with their marriage, in Maine. On the site, Karl and Margaret explain:

Armed with computers, cameras, and many questions, our project is an adventure into the heart of goat culture. What began as a query about goat farming has gradually expanded into an exploration of something much larger. As we've talked with people about our somewhat inexplicable interest in goats, we've discovered that the entire goat culture extends far beyond what we'd originally investigated...In pursuit of the goats, our project is documentary, with text, photographic, video, and sound components, as well as, ultimately, a manuscript about our adventures in the world of goats.

This weekend, Karl and Margaret made their third appearance on the PRI radio program "The Next Big Thing," checking in from Wyoming, where weed-eating goats are popular and where hikers can go "goat-packing."

Photo by Karl Schatz ©2004 The Year of the Goat, via The Next Big Thing.