By David Rosen

What do you do if you've got a steep hill, overgrown with blackberry bushes, and other brush that must be cleared? A lot of people, including the City of Seattle call on goats to do the job.

Rent-A-Ruminant was contracted to clear the overgrowth on the stairs near SW Holden St during the week of April 7.

More than 40 goats converged on some of their favorite foods on the hillside and their tender Tammy Dunakin said, "This job is going to be about four days and around $3000. That's a rough estimate."

Despite the goats reputation for eating anything there are things they can't (or shouldn't) eat. "Rhododendrons, laurels, azealea, or other ornamental plants which can be problematic for goats. I scour the site before I put them in there. But other than that if it's green, they like."

Blackberrry bushes, thorns and all don't faze them. "I call it the mystery of goats. Its almost like the thornier the better. I've never had a goat with a bloody mouth.It's what they were designed to eat."