OK, so here’s the deal. I’ve got a small pasture and a whole lot of greenery both in and out of the fenced area and I need something other than a lawnmower to manage the growth. I went to the Department of Agriculture’s website to see what they had to say about grazing farm animals and here were their selections: Bison, Emus, Ostriches, Rheas, Llamas, Alpacas, Rabbits, Sheep and Goats. For starters, let me say this about that… bison are definitely not what I had in mind! And I’ve never heard of a rhea but I’m guessing that it’s in the family of two-legged, feathered birds like an emu or an ostrich. Something about them sounds appealing… but then so does a llama. Sheep and goats are rather commonplace and rabbits are tops on the list of the epicurean coyote.
So I’m off to do some research. Maybe I’ll get lucky and discover that those four-legged predators don’t really like getting a mouthful of feathers!
You might consider renting a couple of sheep or goats when the lawn needs mowing, rather than having them full time. I think that is a fairly common practice. Bison?! I don’t THINK so!!! 🙂
A note about large birds: If they get into protective mode, they can/will get vicious. Ostriches are the worst, due to their size. They will chase you down and try to rip your stomach open. Anyhow, that is the case in the wild. Perhaps the best choice is to ask the local ag agent, if the govt still provides that service.
Emus may be the best choice, but NEVER FORGET TO USE GLOVES! A friend who was raising them in TN had the skin peeled off his hand when he was grabbing a foot/feet of one of his emus without gloves. Not a pretty sight. Apparently the leg scales are like a rasp!
Llamas spit, aiming for your face. I understand if a llama gets spat upon he will not eat for 24 hours. Other small camels may not be large enough to defend themselves. You may want to consider Guanacos, Alpacas, and Vicuñas
nonetheless if you can get them. Vicunas are really sweet and gentle. I had one eat a cookie out of my hand when I was in Chile. Her name was Cecilia.
Wow! Got the card “Life is Changing” and found your blog. Exciting! Will bookmark it and check it daily. Sounds like you are where you always really wanted to be. Congratulations!
I vote for goats. My mom got them for her four acres in Oregon and they really did a good job of keeping the brush down…also provided a great deal of entertainment with their sexual habits!