Portland Airport Hires 40 Goats, Lone Llama To Clear Shrubs And Thistles

Airport annoyances really get our goat. But actual goats ? Those are always welcome.

Portland International Airport this week hired a fleet of 40 goats to eat unwanted blackberry plants, thistles and shrubs near the airfield , local news station KWG reports.

While the goats munch away, a lone llama will fend off predators like coyotes.

It's all a plan to clear invasive plants from airport grounds without having to spray herbicides or pull weeds by hand.

It's also another display of Portland's total awesomeness . The airport -- dubbed one of America's happiest -- recently said goodbye to a retro-fabulous carpet design that inspired its own clothing line , bike helmets and poetry . Yes, poetry.

While the funkadelic carpet is no more , the goats and llama will reportedly stick around the airport for about three weeks, until all unwanted plants are gone.

The animals follow in the hoof-steps footsteps of the brave goats, llamas, sheep and burros who grazed at Chicago O'Hare Airport in 2013 and 2014. That herd demanded a celery salary of nearly $20,000 for their two-year weed-eating contract .

Hey, for that price, we'd eat weeds, too.