The Dreaded Goathead

The Tribulus terrestris plant otherwise known as puncture vine or goathead weed is the inspiration for the Boise Goeathead Festival. It doesn’t matter if you ride your bike professionally, in the foothills, on your commute to work, or you just love to ride your bike around town, the odds are you have gotten at goathead in your bike tire!

Flat tires are the bane of any bikers existence! The Boise Goathead Festival aims to eradicate the goathead weed in our community by picking thousands of pounds of goatheads every year! Bringing bikers of every variety together.

Volunteering!

Did you know that picking goatheads on your own time still counts as volunteering?! Whether you meet us at a picking party, pick by yourself, or even have your own picking party with your friends, your time spent picking is still considered volunteer hours. Not only that but for 30, 75, and 125 pounds of goatheads you pick you get special Boise Goathead Festival swag! Don’t forget when you are turning in your goatheads to not only record the pounds of goatheads that you picked but also record the number of hours you spent picking!

Do’s and Don’ts of Pickin’

Do’s:

• Put goathead weeds and nutlets in a heavy duty trash bag or receptacle, to keep from spreading them further.

• Use a tool to try and get the entire root of the plant.

• Pull all nutlets out of your shoes and clothing before leaving (we do not want to leave a nutlet on the road to cause a flat tire!)

• Record your pickings here if you decide to not turn your goathead haul in at the North End Organic Nursery. This way we still get to count the pounds and you can still record volunteer hours.

• Stay hydrated!

• Have fun!

Don’ts

• Put goatheads in compost bins! This will just give the nutlets another opportunity to germinate in the cities compost program.

• Leave stray nutlets laying around after a picking party

• Walk around with nutlets stuck in your shoes

• Forget to stay hydrated!

We are so excited and proud to be a part of a community that works together towards the same goal! If you have any questions about picking goatheads or would like to report a hotspot please email us at info@boisebicycleproject.org.