9 Lessons of a Shepherd Intern

#9-It is possible to back up a large truck with a sheep cage in the back down a very narrow dirt road without bringing harm on truck, person, animal or environment (you do end up with sweaty palms though).

#8-Setting up electric fence in parched, rocky earth takes a long time, a mallet, a good hat and some personal fortitude.

#7-A tired shepherd and a determined intern can lift a large, sick ewe up a hill and into a truck - just barely.

#6-An unexpected ladybug colony at first appears creepy, but makes your heart smile when you realize they are gentle ladybugs and not giant, pinching ants.

#5-Blackberry bush stalks continue to reach out to rip your skin and clothes to shreds, even after sheep have relieved them of their leaves.

#4-Crowding sheep remind me of what it feels like at the Outside Lands concert.

More than one similarity to sheep

#3-Very important - DON'T open the gate unless you know the plan or Dan the shepherd tells you it's ok.

#2-If you open said gate without a plan or ok and sheep make a run for the hills, two clever border collies and a confident shepherd can fix your mistake pretty quick.

#1-Farming is an incredibly difficult profession that at times offers very little reward.

This weekend felt like a dose of reality to mix in with my idealized farming ambitions. Farming is physically, mentally and emotionally taxing and doesn't always provide the financial return desired for time, effort and labor put in. I can't help wondering, am I cut out for this? can I be successful at this? should I scale down my aspirations?

By late summer most small farmers in this area are run ragged from a long, hot season of watering, feeding, protecting and harvesting whatever their farm is producing. We can show our support for them by buying from them at farmers markets, sure, but what are some more ways we can show support and appreciation for our local farmers? The Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op has a program to raise money for local producers and to preserve future farmland; it's called Once Farm at a Time. If any farmers are reading, what are some ways in which you would appreciate support from your community?

Weekend in the West



Sometimes sheep will wait their turn


Saturday I enjoyed working at the Auburn farmer's market (beef and sausage this week!), then sweated through moving sheep in Rocklin in the afternoon. I absolutely admire people (and animals) who work and live outdoors everyday; a life so weather dependent, so different from working in a temperature controlled office, with a ceiling.

After I was done in sheep-land, I headed out of town (via a drive around shimmering North Lake Tahoe) to visit a friend in the pretty and quiet desert town of Minden, NV.

On Dan's recommendation, we sat down to dinner at JT Basque, a local family style restaurant, no menu necessary. We received a green beer bottle filled with red wine and shot glasses to drink it from; then bread, soup, salad, beans, french fries, beef stew, a choice of entree (I had roasted rabbit and carrots, my friend tried lamb chops for the first time), ice cream and coffee! The food was well prepared and full of flavor and the company was awesome and we had leftovers, yay.  

And yet, the weekend was not over. For the 4th, we went to a beef brisket bbq at Dan's and I hardly have to say, the food was great!

I had a hard time putting my fork down long enough to get a picutre

The dogs got to have a little fun working sheep (a border collie's most favorite thing to do).  Watching everyone else with their fantastic dogs really gets me thinking... 

Paul and his new border collie, Ben 

 The littlest shepherdess

A weekend filled with family, friends and food, I don't think it could have been any better!