What is furry, with four legs, and can munch away pesky blackberry bushes?

ItB次元官网网址檚 a question that Aldergrove Pet B次元官网网址榥B次元官网网址� Ponies proprietor Sonya Steiner is striving to answer by renting out her farmB次元官网网址檚 happy herds this summer to landowners in need.

Aldergrove resident Eric Mai Lhot first found a Craigslist ad for the troupe online.

He inquired further, hoping to be able to clear some acreage for the three-acre hobby farm he rents on the 25700-block of 16th Avenue.

As of August, Steiner provides land clearing services with the use of her animals. The start-up program comes at no cost for landowners until the business idea takes off in popularity, B次元官网网址渃reating a demand,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e working already,B次元官网网址� Steiner said, moments after releasing the group from her horse trailer into an overgrown area she had enclosed with metal paneling.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not even work for them,B次元官网网址� Steiner chuckled.

For one straight week starting Aug. 30, the animals munched on tall grass, pesky weeds, prickly blackberry bushes and other types of vegetation B次元官网网址� in the order of what they consider the most delicious.

B次元官网网址淭hey even jump up to get the stuff above in the trees,B次元官网网址� Steiner said, B次元官网网址渁nd step up on each other to reach,B次元官网网址� she laughed.

Steiner, owner of a mobile petting zoo and 40 farm animals on a 10-acre Aldergrove property, transports however many animals are needed for the job.

For Mai LhotB次元官网网址檚 mowing needs, she enlisted the help of two goats, Kajiji and Chuck Norris, an alpaca named Kuzco, and two hungry sheep named Jesse and Penelope.

The herd works year-round at birthday parties and social events including the Aldergrove Fair. Because of this, the four-legged mowers are incredibly friendly.

B次元官网网址淢y one donkey will come and almost sit in your lap,B次元官网网址� Steiner said while scratching Chuck NorrisB次元官网网址� back.

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Caz and Chase, Jack Russel brothers, also take part in grazing when Steiner visits to check up on the crew.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 natural for dogs to eat grass. It helps their digestion,B次元官网网址� Steiner said about her pupsB次元官网网址� grass-eating habits.

After a weekB次元官网网址檚 time on Mai LhotB次元官网网址檚 property B次元官网网址� mostly eating, drinking, and sleeping B次元官网网址� the crew had completely cleared the fenced-in portion of the farm.

Steiner said the mish-mash herd even eats the prickliest parts of plants, digging up their roots and feasting on them in a way that stunts future growth of invasive species.

Being ruminants, members of the group B次元官网网址渨ill eat for a while, then stop to chew their cud,B次元官网网址� as a latter form of digestion.

Along with being an eco-friendly mowing option compared to heavy-duty machinery, the animals also benefit the land by fertilizing its soil with their waste.

B次元官网网址淎nd these guys get in places that machines canB次元官网网址檛,B次元官网网址� Steiner said.

B次元官网网址淚 think the Langley Township could benefit from this because theyB次元官网网址檙e spending a lot of money clearing blackberries themselves,B次元官网网址� Mai Lhot said.

B次元官网网址淏lackberries have become a problem in our community,B次元官网网址� he added, noting that on his property, it is nearly impossible to remove the thousands of thorny vines without a small excavator, and a concerted effort to dig up the plantB次元官网网址檚 roots.

B次元官网网址淭hey still grow back because the clearing process usually spreads their seed,B次元官网网址� Mai Lhot elaborated.

On Sunday, Steiner moved the five-animal herd to an adjacent overgrown area on Mai LhotB次元官网网址檚 rented property.

The hard-working group was giddy about the plethora of plants they get to dine on this week.

For now, with her other farm animals, she continues to offer pony rides, lessons and other petting zoo packages for mobile events.

Steiner emphasized that her other animals are sitting in wait of future land-clearing projects.

Those in need of a good mow can contact Steiner at 250-682-3082.