Michelle wrote:

...being irish as I am I think sheep would really cure the grass
mowing one or two would cure the problem of grass altogether...


In my very limited experience with sheep, they eat what they like and
leave the weeds for last. That encourages the weeds. Also, you have to
move them around (divide your field into several sections and rotate
through them) to keep the parasites down, so it's not as easy as "turn
them out and let them eat". Some field management required.

I have heard that goats eat anything. (But they don't actually eat tin
cans -- just chew on the labels). I have no experience at all with them.
Anyone have comments?

The problem is not the grass, it's the obsession with mowing it (and
watering it and fertilizing it and broadcasting weed killers and
insecticides etc. etc.) rant If you don't use the lawn, why do you
care how long the grass is? Long grass is still green (probably greener
than short grass). If you do use the lawn, you probably don't want all
the nasty stuff on it. /rant

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 16:06:12 -0500, Dwight Sipler
wrote:

Michelle wrote:

...being irish as I am I think sheep would really cure the grass
mowing one or two would cure the problem of grass altogether...


In my very limited experience with sheep, they eat what they like and
leave the weeds for last. That encourages the weeds. Also, you have to
move them around (divide your field into several sections and rotate
through them) to keep the parasites down, so it's not as easy as "turn
them out and let them eat". Some field management required.

I have heard that goats eat anything. (But they don't actually eat tin
cans -- just chew on the labels). I have no experience at all with them.
Anyone have comments?

THEY LIKE THE GLUE THAT'S WHY THEY CHEW ON THE LABELS
Yummy :- )
The problem is not the grass, it's the obsession with mowing it (and
watering it and fertilizing it and broadcasting weed killers and
insecticides etc. etc.) rant If you don't use the lawn, why do you
care how long the grass is? Long grass is still green (probably greener
than short grass). If you do use the lawn, you probably don't want all
the nasty stuff on it. /rant

Well you could do what I'm planning to do and that is make a maze out
of my yard so you can't see straight across my yard from any point I
plan to make a twisty path to a pond rose garden fruit trees statues
of mary and such I'm catholic so got to have mary in my garden maybe
a nice grato with benches along the path accros from nice views and
a nice garden house that will keep all my tools but look like a
little cottage It' s probably a pipe dream but I might be able to
finish it before I'm ninety six I've only got seventy years to go
he he I don't like a lot of gras but decorative grass in the right
places or some to spread out on near my pond or gratto will be nice
this is a fun group
and informational tooo
your're right about the goats though they will eat the gras to the
nubs and you certaintly won't have to wory about grass he he
Michelle
"love is the water in the garden of life"

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 16:06:12 -0500, Dwight Sipler
wrote:

Michelle wrote:

...being irish as I am I think sheep would really cure the grass
mowing one or two would cure the problem of grass altogether...


In my very limited experience with sheep, they eat what they like and
leave the weeds for last. That encourages the weeds. Also, you have to
move them around (divide your field into several sections and rotate
through them) to keep the parasites down, so it's not as easy as "turn
them out and let them eat". Some field management required.

I have heard that goats eat anything. (But they don't actually eat tin
cans -- just chew on the labels). I have no experience at all with them.
Anyone have comments?

THEY LIKE THE GLUE THAT'S WHY THEY CHEW ON THE LABELS
Yummy :- )
The problem is not the grass, it's the obsession with mowing it (and
watering it and fertilizing it and broadcasting weed killers and
insecticides etc. etc.) rant If you don't use the lawn, why do you
care how long the grass is? Long grass is still green (probably greener
than short grass). If you do use the lawn, you probably don't want all
the nasty stuff on it. /rant

Well you could do what I'm planning to do and that is make a maze out
of my yard so you can't see straight across my yard from any point I
plan to make a twisty path to a pond rose garden fruit trees statues
of mary and such I'm catholic so got to have mary in my garden maybe
a nice grato with benches along the path accros from nice views and
a nice garden house that will keep all my tools but look like a
little cottage It' s probably a pipe dream but I might be able to
finish it before I'm ninety six I've only got seventy years to go
he he I don't like a lot of gras but decorative grass in the right
places or some to spread out on near my pond or gratto will be nice
this is a fun group
and informational tooo
your're right about the goats though they will eat the gras to the
nubs and you certaintly won't have to wory about grass he he
Michelle
"love is the water in the garden of life"

Dwight Sipler wrote in
:

I have heard that goats eat anything. (But they don't
actually eat tin cans -- just chew on the labels). I have
no experience at all with them. Anyone have comments?

goats are browsers. they eat grass as a last resort, much
preferring to eat brush. those foundation plantings wouldn't
last long, but your lawn wouldn't get mowed until they were
gone (unless you have rhodies. goats will eat those & die).
plus goats do NOT respect fences. don't think a goat will stay
in a fenced area unless *they* choose to. if they don't want
to be there, no fence will keep them in.
llamas do a good job of mowing, although they prefer browsing
too.
lee