I’m thinking of moving to New Zealand, just to take advantage of this fabulous offer from Mitsubishi: buy a model called the Triton, and get a free goat! (Thanks to Grist for finding this story.) The company says the gimmick is meant to help the island nation’s rural economy recover. Goats, they say, are hardier than the more common sheep and cattle because they can weather drought – and they’ll eat just about anything. They’re producers of many in-demand products, including goat’s milk and cheese, fiber, and meat. And they’re cheaper and easier on the environment than pesticides when it comes to controlling weeds.

Goats at work

Goats at work

While all those claims are pretty valid (especially the weed-eating bit), Mitsubishi isn’t going to single-handedly save the planet and stave off recession with what amounts, after all, to a gimmick. But it might get you thinking, especially if you’ve got a little land. Why not rent a flock of goats to do the mowing and control weeds? Google did. And so have many others.  You might find some local options here. The downside? Goats are equal opportunity munchers: they’ll eat those pesky weeds and your beloved rosebush.

OK, I’m not really contemplating a move down under. I would love to have some goats, but they don’t do so well in apartments.