Get Down From There This Instant
January 5, 2007 12:54 PM Subscribe
But when the occasional tourist has shot his photos and returned to his taxi or rental car, the most interesting process has just begun. After digesting the berries the goats will leave behind manure with the large kernels. The manure is collected by local women, the kernels extracted, washed (I hope), then grinded and pressed. The result is the argan oil.
In this part of Morocco, the argan oil is used widely for food or for the health, like the skin. Thanks to its delicious taste and flavour (you just have to forget who it has been processed). Argan oil together with mashed almonds and sugar makes a tasty paste that can be eaten just with normal bread and a cup of mint.
Yummy. Reminds me of the weasel shit coffee of Vietnam.
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 1:06 PM on January 5, 2007
In this part of Morocco, the argan oil is used widely for food or for the health, like the skin. Thanks to its delicious taste and flavour (you just have to forget who it has been processed). Argan oil together with mashed almonds and sugar makes a tasty paste that can be eaten just with normal bread and a cup of mint.
Yummy. Reminds me of the weasel shit coffee of Vietnam.
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 1:06 PM on January 5, 2007
there is not a lot that is funnier than a goat in a tree. no sir.
I feel bad for the moroccan argan trees but sometimes you have to extinct some flora for the really big yucks.
why aren't there more goats on the stand-up circuit. They seem like real naturals...with or without trees as props.
posted by darkpony at 1:08 PM on January 5, 2007
I feel bad for the moroccan argan trees but sometimes you have to extinct some flora for the really big yucks.
why aren't there more goats on the stand-up circuit. They seem like real naturals...with or without trees as props.
posted by darkpony at 1:08 PM on January 5, 2007
I just can't deny the fact that a picture of a tree with goats in it is so damn awesome.
/always had a soft spot for goats...still do, come to think of it.
posted by Brown Jenkin at 1:10 PM on January 5, 2007
/always had a soft spot for goats...still do, come to think of it.
posted by Brown Jenkin at 1:10 PM on January 5, 2007
me too!
a poem to goats:
Hey Goats,
In Trees,
Stop making me laugh so hard, ok?
posted by darkpony at 1:12 PM on January 5, 2007 [5 favorites]
a poem to goats:
Hey Goats,
In Trees,
Stop making me laugh so hard, ok?
posted by darkpony at 1:12 PM on January 5, 2007 [5 favorites]
Oh sure they're cute now from this distance. Just wait till someone imports a pair and abandons them in Central Park when they've outgrown the apartment. Soon we'll have the "100th goat". Then chaos.
posted by hal9k at 1:15 PM on January 5, 2007
posted by hal9k at 1:15 PM on January 5, 2007
Reminds me of one of my favorite shots from my honeymoon. Stupid goat! What are you doing up there?!?
posted by MrMoonPie at 1:19 PM on January 5, 2007
posted by MrMoonPie at 1:19 PM on January 5, 2007
Metafilter needs more goats-in-trees links. Thanks for posting!
posted by frecklefaerie at 1:26 PM on January 5, 2007
posted by frecklefaerie at 1:26 PM on January 5, 2007
Imagine one of those things leaping down on top of you, hoof first right to the forehead. KAPOW!
posted by jefbla at 1:30 PM on January 5, 2007
posted by jefbla at 1:30 PM on January 5, 2007
i was driving in the country-side once and saw a goat standing on a cow. i have never been the same since.
posted by localhuman at 1:30 PM on January 5, 2007 [4 favorites]
posted by localhuman at 1:30 PM on January 5, 2007 [4 favorites]
Another coupla million years of natural selection, and whaddya got? Moroccan Flying Goats! (Thanks!)
posted by steef at 1:33 PM on January 5, 2007
posted by steef at 1:33 PM on January 5, 2007
Neat! Goats are strange creatures. And they are pretty darn tasty in a good curry.
posted by skilletfish at 1:40 PM on January 5, 2007
posted by skilletfish at 1:40 PM on January 5, 2007
My kids are always climbing trees, too.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 1:41 PM on January 5, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by mr_crash_davis at 1:41 PM on January 5, 2007 [1 favorite]
My dream is to one day have a ranch up in the mountains of western North Carolina stocked with sheep, minidonks and tree goats.
posted by NoMich at 1:44 PM on January 5, 2007
posted by NoMich at 1:44 PM on January 5, 2007
It would be awesome if they climbed the trees and then fainted.
Then got up and did it again.
posted by sidereal at 1:50 PM on January 5, 2007 [3 favorites]
Then got up and did it again.
posted by sidereal at 1:50 PM on January 5, 2007 [3 favorites]
What next? Goats driving cars? Goats flying to the moon? Is there anything goats can't do?!
posted by dropkick at 1:56 PM on January 5, 2007
posted by dropkick at 1:56 PM on January 5, 2007
I've already written my city's mayor about a systematic replacement of squirrels with these goats, primarily due to the substantially larger awesome quota they bring to the table.
I'll keep you posted.
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 1:57 PM on January 5, 2007
I'll keep you posted.
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 1:57 PM on January 5, 2007
Where does it say the goats themselves are threatening the argan trees? It seems to me it's the humans - over grazing practices, etc... - not to mention that they tie goats up in the trees to create photo stops for the passing tourist coaches.
posted by Liosliath at 1:59 PM on January 5, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by Liosliath at 1:59 PM on January 5, 2007 [1 favorite]
They don't so much fly, as plummet.
posted by dhartung at 2:01 PM on January 5, 2007 [2 favorites]
posted by dhartung at 2:01 PM on January 5, 2007 [2 favorites]
It is clear: we kill all the goats so the trees as saved. To celebrate we cut all the trees and make wooden goats as souvenirs.
posted by elpapacito at 2:21 PM on January 5, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by elpapacito at 2:21 PM on January 5, 2007 [1 favorite]
Insane. That is so funny! Delightful post Partial Law.
Fascinating about argan. One can buy Virgin Argan Oil on Froogle or in in Manhattan at Kalustyan's.
And then there are walking fish, the snakehead. walking. scary.
posted by nickyskye at 2:59 PM on January 5, 2007
Fascinating about argan. One can buy Virgin Argan Oil on Froogle or in in Manhattan at Kalustyan's.
And then there are walking fish, the snakehead. walking. scary.
posted by nickyskye at 2:59 PM on January 5, 2007
Reminds me of one of my favorite shots from my honeymoon.
Sicko! You married a goat!?
Those stooooopid fucking things think they are Ninjas.
Hello? Attention goats: YOU ARE NOT STEALTHY!
I SEE you out there. Always scampering up the side of my condo building. Clamp. Clomp. Clamp.
Then you freeze all statue like and you pretend your all invisible and shit. Invisible? I SEE YOU right there!
Oh. And your throwing star aim isn't for shi... ...!!...
posted by tkchrist at 3:05 PM on January 5, 2007 [4 favorites]
Sicko! You married a goat!?
Those stooooopid fucking things think they are Ninjas.
Hello? Attention goats: YOU ARE NOT STEALTHY!
I SEE you out there. Always scampering up the side of my condo building. Clamp. Clomp. Clamp.
Then you freeze all statue like and you pretend your all invisible and shit. Invisible? I SEE YOU right there!
Oh. And your throwing star aim isn't for shi... ...!!...
posted by tkchrist at 3:05 PM on January 5, 2007 [4 favorites]
How do they do it? These are special, amazing goats, and I say damned the trees.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 3:05 PM on January 5, 2007
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 3:05 PM on January 5, 2007
This makes me happier than cats in sinks. Or Joanna Newsom in jonmc's bowels.
posted by everichon at 3:06 PM on January 5, 2007
posted by everichon at 3:06 PM on January 5, 2007
A goat once bit my sister...
posted by blue_beetle at 3:20 PM on January 5, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by blue_beetle at 3:20 PM on January 5, 2007 [1 favorite]
Re: goats in unusual places, I wonder if Mr. & Mrs. Tombe have any kids yet? And if so, do they need a nanny?
posted by rob511 at 3:38 PM on January 5, 2007
posted by rob511 at 3:38 PM on January 5, 2007
The first time I saw this was on some Discovery channel show. I believe it was some sort of video travelogue or something. Thing is, they didn't focus on the goats at all; the guy was rambling on about some building or something that he was really excited about seeing the next day and there in the background were these goats. In trees. The guy never remarked on it.
I rewound and watched it three times, then grabbed the Wife and made her watch it. Sure enough. Goats in the freaking trees. Coolest thing every.
[Makes good sense if you think about it, little buggers are remarkable agile. What with the bouncing around on sheer cliff faces and all. They probably just get bored in the flat lands and climb the first thing they see]
posted by quin at 4:08 PM on January 5, 2007
I rewound and watched it three times, then grabbed the Wife and made her watch it. Sure enough. Goats in the freaking trees. Coolest thing every.
[Makes good sense if you think about it, little buggers are remarkable agile. What with the bouncing around on sheer cliff faces and all. They probably just get bored in the flat lands and climb the first thing they see]
posted by quin at 4:08 PM on January 5, 2007
I had never heard of argan oil until this past fall. And then, suddenly, it's mentioned by every chef on every show I'm watching or listening to. Apparently, it's hip and trendy now.
It's like the kiwi fruit all over again.
posted by dw at 4:39 PM on January 5, 2007
It's like the kiwi fruit all over again.
posted by dw at 4:39 PM on January 5, 2007
My mom brought some argan oil back with her from her years in the Peace Corp in Morocco. It tasted kind of smoky, somehow, and wasn't too bad if you could put it out of mind how it was harvested. Most of us couldn't. Evidently, you can also get a variety that is harvested from the trees by humans by hand, though I guess it's thought to be of inferior quality.
posted by ga$money at 4:52 PM on January 5, 2007
posted by ga$money at 4:52 PM on January 5, 2007
rob511, omg That was a totally crazy story! You're baaaaahd, I kid you not.
posted by nickyskye at 4:56 PM on January 5, 2007
posted by nickyskye at 4:56 PM on January 5, 2007
Hey, I wonder if YouTube has any... yep.
(But fainting goats are funnier.)
posted by LordSludge at 5:25 PM on January 5, 2007
(But fainting goats are funnier.)
posted by LordSludge at 5:25 PM on January 5, 2007
Goats are so cool. I love teh goats!
posted by susanbeeswax at 5:41 PM on January 5, 2007
posted by susanbeeswax at 5:41 PM on January 5, 2007
I saw this in the south of France, while I was working at a goat farm. The youngest and most nimble goats would climb the cork trees to eat the new growth at the branch tops. It was weird, but in a weirder context.
It's really sad to me, and not very funny. The north African coast used to be a beautiful and fertile land that supported dozens of large cities, hundreds of large towns and thousands of villages. The population was huge. The mountains were heaviliy forested. Then the people cut all the trees down and introduced goats and sheep to browse the regrowing forest. Then the topsoil ran down into the sea and the cities lost there ability to support themselves.
So let's all laugh as the goats destroy the last of an ancient species of tree.
posted by recurve at 7:26 PM on January 5, 2007 [1 favorite]
It's really sad to me, and not very funny. The north African coast used to be a beautiful and fertile land that supported dozens of large cities, hundreds of large towns and thousands of villages. The population was huge. The mountains were heaviliy forested. Then the people cut all the trees down and introduced goats and sheep to browse the regrowing forest. Then the topsoil ran down into the sea and the cities lost there ability to support themselves.
So let's all laugh as the goats destroy the last of an ancient species of tree.
posted by recurve at 7:26 PM on January 5, 2007 [1 favorite]
NickySkye, that comment about the dreaded and dreadful snakehead walking fish deserves its own FPP. Good lord.
posted by maryh at 8:40 PM on January 5, 2007
posted by maryh at 8:40 PM on January 5, 2007
Sorry maryh, much as I respect nickyskye, if she did post it, it would still be called out as a double.
Not that it makes the critter any less fascinating or disturbing.
[disclosure: that fish creeps me the hell out.]
posted by quin at 9:54 PM on January 5, 2007
Not that it makes the critter any less fascinating or disturbing.
[disclosure: that fish creeps me the hell out.]
posted by quin at 9:54 PM on January 5, 2007
People bitch about the goats causing all this destruction because they see the denuded area and the goats are the only thing browsing there.
No, it wasn't the fault of the goats. It was the previous animals who ate up everything else. The goats are the only thing that can survive just on what is left, because they can survive on just about anything.
I blame the humans.
(Yes, I am a goat afficionado).
posted by beth at 4:45 AM on January 6, 2007
No, it wasn't the fault of the goats. It was the previous animals who ate up everything else. The goats are the only thing that can survive just on what is left, because they can survive on just about anything.
I blame the humans.
(Yes, I am a goat afficionado).
posted by beth at 4:45 AM on January 6, 2007
Regarding the snakehead:
"This species has reportedly attacked and even killed people who approached its young."
What?
posted by iamck at 7:32 AM on January 6, 2007
"This species has reportedly attacked and even killed people who approached its young."
What?
posted by iamck at 7:32 AM on January 6, 2007
Loved the fainting goats video. The things one learns on this site. Here's a little video of a goat in Israel climbing down out of a tree with nice agility.
posted by nickyskye at 11:09 PM on January 6, 2007
posted by nickyskye at 11:09 PM on January 6, 2007
Damn. That thing moves like a cat. You have to know that they are graceful, I mean they live on cliffs and all. But it's weird to actually see it in action.
If for no other reason: they have hooves. WTF goats? How do you make that work? Explain yourselves!
posted by quin at 12:56 AM on January 7, 2007
If for no other reason: they have hooves. WTF goats? How do you make that work? Explain yourselves!
posted by quin at 12:56 AM on January 7, 2007
No, it wasn't the fault of the goats. It was the previous animals who ate up everything else.
beth, it's the goats that prevent the forest from regrowing by browsing down all of the seedling trees and shrubs. Then the soil gets washed away for lack of vegetative cover. This all happened hundreds of years ago. That's why the Mediterranian looks the way it does. It's the humans fault for cutting down every tree and introducing goats.
posted by recurve at 7:33 AM on January 8, 2007
beth, it's the goats that prevent the forest from regrowing by browsing down all of the seedling trees and shrubs. Then the soil gets washed away for lack of vegetative cover. This all happened hundreds of years ago. That's why the Mediterranian looks the way it does. It's the humans fault for cutting down every tree and introducing goats.
posted by recurve at 7:33 AM on January 8, 2007
Yep, and now they're having to terrace entire mountains to try to get stuff to grow there. Awful lot of work for a cultural lack of foresight.
posted by LordSludge at 1:00 PM on January 8, 2007
posted by LordSludge at 1:00 PM on January 8, 2007
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Now I've seen everything.
posted by Dizzy at 1:03 PM on January 5, 2007