The University of Washington needed to clear a 10,000-square-feet hillside overgrown with blackberry bushes and English ivy. Because the area was so steep, it would have been difficult for gardeners to work in the area safely, so the department contracted the work to Rent-A-Ruminant, a Vashon-based company that supplies goats to do heavy munching.Goats, which have a four-stomach digestive system, are able to process the tough fibers of many pesky plants.
