It's always fun to see the goats on top of Al Johnson's roof in Door County. But what may impact the goats from going up there?
You know, it didn't always start as goats.
The restaurant opened in Sister Bay in 1949. Every year for Al Johnson's birthday, his friend, Wink Larson, would give him a unique gift ranging anywhere from a duck to a baby pig.
But one year, Larson gifted Johnson a goat named Oscar, and the rest is history.
So, the goats don't live on Al Johnson's roof.
Every morning from late May to mid-October, someone picks up the goats from a 40-acre farm about a mile and a half away from the restaurant.
Once the goats make it, the pickup truck backs up to a ramp that allows the goats to climb up to the roof.
There are a few reasons you might not see the goats on top of Al Johnson's.
First, because of the cold and snowy conditions we experience during the winter in Wisconsin, the goats are not on the roof during the season. Instead, they're in a nearby barn on the outskirts of Sister Bay.
The weather plays a pivotal role in the decision to bring the goats to the roof. The goats will also not go on the roof if it's too cold, too hot, windy or raining.
Kit Butz from Al Johnson's says, "the perfect goat weather would be a sunny, 68-degree day with no wind."
Along with the weather, the goats come down from the roof around 2 or 3 p.m. each day so they can go back to the farm at night.
If you're looking for the best time to see the goats, choose a warm, sunny day during the summer months.
If you're not able to travel to Al Johnson's to see the goats for yourself, no worries! The restaurant has set up two Goat Cameras that show different views of the sod roof.