It's The Latest Trend In Landscaping & Gardening - Rent-A-Goat!

[hatrack]

In 24 hours, the goats reduced a bed of ivy to a mat of bare vines. They riddled the once-imposing blackberry thicket with tunnels. In less than four days, the invasive plants would be vanquished, allowing sunlight to stream through the vacant lot next to the King County Metro bus depot in Bellevue.

With their four-chambered stomachs and insatiable desire to nibble on anything even resembling a plant, goats have gained credibility as land clearers among Seattle-area government agencies and private developers.

"Getting them to accept it is always the hardest part," said Craig Madsen, an Eastern Washington rancher who's part of the urban trend. His rentable herd of 270 Boer and Spanish goats has never been more in demand.

Skeptics, he's found, quickly become converts. Once the hooves hit the ground, few can question the tenacity of these ruminants to devour unwanted foliage. "It was unbelievable," said John Iwanczuk, a project manager for Saltaire Construction in Seattle. "We've been in the business for 25 years -- we're skeptical about everything. But not only did it reach our objective, we saved a pile of money and made incredible inroads with the neighborhood."

EDIT

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/319789_goats14.html

[Buzz Clik]

1. Get a herd of goats to Crawford. They'll keep George off the brush hog.

[hatrack]

2. But then he'll have nothing to do all day

God knows, he might end up back on the sauce and . . .

Oh. Sorry, never mind!

[kestrel91316]

3. And for those who insist on having grassy lawns, there's always

SHEEP. Not sure if the rental thingie is very applicable on such a small scale, though.........

[Nihil]

6. What's more ...

... in rural areas the business could double as an escort agency ...

:hide:

[kestrel91316]

8. Now you're thinkin'!

:rofl:

[Greyskye]

4. we've got those as well

I had quite the double-take a few months ago, when I drove through a fairly upscale new neighborhood on my way to work. There was a herd of goats grazing on a hillside underneath a MacMansion. Soon after that, I saw a large 'goat-trailer' on the side of the road, with a sign on the side advertising their services. This is in the foothills near Sacramento CA.

I love it!

[sinkingfeeling]

5. I'd love to have a goat or sheep to keep my 2 acres cleared, but the city

won't let me! Maybe they'd go for rentals!!

[yellowcanine]

7. All well and good, but try to keep them fenced in. You better not let them roam freely in your back

yard, or next thing you know one will be sitting on top of your car.

[Nihil]

9. Is that the biodiesel equivalent of ...

... "Put a tiger in your tank"?

:shrug:

[Javaman]

10. This ticks me off, I thought of this years ago. Plus, on top of that...

for people with very large lawns, sheep.