Almost there...

You haven't lived until you've trailed sheep. For reals.

The anticipation absolutely sucks, but the reward when the sheep get to their destination is like no other. The camaraderie is amazing because it takes every.single.person to get it done successfully. 

Last Sunday was the last leg of the big trip and it started early. We were up and at 'em at 5:30 am and met where the sheep were taken the night before. After a quick, "Good Morning," I continued on to my destination which was the intersection on the main highway. It was a chilly morning and I found myself doing jumping jacks to stay warm.

I waited there for about 20 minutes in the middle of the street with my flag. When I heard the baa-ing I knew it was "go" time. The sheep came around the corner, I started waving my flag and stopped the first car. Thankfully, the car wasn't in a rush to get anywhere and wasn't pissed that she was stuck behind sheep. You see, some people will get super angry and annoyed and others will say things like, "Oh, neat!" or "Wow, that is a lot of sheep. How fun!"

The sheep were only on the highway for about 30 minutes until they got on the county road.

Once they got on the county road it was a piece of cake from there.

We trailed about 2 hours and hit our first rest stop. Pop and J arrange our stops beforehand since some people may not be up for a visit from the sheep.

The people that owned this lot didn't mind one bit and they want us back next year!

2.5 hours later we hit our lunch spot.

We wanted to take advantage of the feed there and give the sheep, our herders, J, Pop, Gell and myself a break so we stayed here for about 4 hours.

After that long break, we were on our way again!

See Pop's truck and sheep camp up front? He was front flagging in the car and I was trailing behind the sheep. I've learned it's best to front flag because in the back you see everything! Every time a sheep or lamb would go off trail my heart would start pounding. On top of that, any stragglers get put in the back car (my car) to be taken back to the ranch.

From now on, I want to front flag (walking) like I have in the past.

It's so fun to see all the families that make an event out of it. We had families with their lawn chairs, in their robes and some that came out to shake hands with our herders. These kids were pretty excited. 

These llamas were pretty excited too!
It never fails that animals along the way walk up to their fences to see what is going on.

People tend to try and help along the way. This guy was "helping" on his 4-wheeler keeping sheep on the trail using a rag.

The view along the way is always so beautiful. This house is just gorgeous, don't you think?

Once the sheep got to where they would stay for three nights I was able to breath again. All of the sheep (except the one mama and three babies we had to take back to the ranch) made it safely.

Thank goodness!

Here they are at their last stop for the next three days!

We took two guard dogs, Embre and Gringo up to the high country later that evening since there are bear and coyotes up in the high country. The dogs will help ward off predators.

"Take me to my sheep!"

There you have it, the sheep are up in the high country and they are happy, safe and have GREAT feed.

Funny story...

Once we got to the location above a man drove by and told us there was a bear wandering in a nearby field. I decided to try and find the bear, in my car, of course.
Smart, I know.

I snapped this picture thinking I found it!

Turns out that was a tree stump. :(

Huge FAIL on my part.

As timing would have it, just when I get this post published it's time to move again! J did a move yesterday and there is another move on Sunday. Now it's just a matter of getting them up in the mountains. We spread these moves out and stop along the way when the feed is good and if the people along the way are up for a visit from the sheep. This year is a good year for feed and the landowners up the way don't mind the sheep, so we are taking advantage of that. :)

Happy trails and wooly white tails!

Shear Relief.

What a whirlwind of excitement this past week has been.

You are well aware the sheep made it home safely last week and I am sorry to report that I didn’t make a cake like I said I would here. I made these sheep cookies instead!

They were a big hit, but J is holding me to my promise so there will be cake. Eventually.

The sheep were able to rest for one day before the shearing crew arrived. The crew of three men arrived bright and early on Thursday at 6am. They were set up and started shearing by 7am and didn’t stop until 6pm. They did this for two days.

This is their setup. Pretty nifty, eh?

You are probably thinking, how hard can it be to shear sheep? Well, I can say it’s truly a skill. For one – shearers need to know how to properly get a sheep to the ground and in sheep shearing position. They obviously don’t want to cut the sheep with the shears but must hold them in a position that prevents the sheep from breaking loose or getting cut. On top of this they have to be fast. These guys are good at all of the above.

They were able to get through hundreds of sheep in just two days!

The head guy on our sheep shearing team has won several awards for his speedy shearing skills and it shear shows! ;) 

This is how it all goes down.

The sheep are brought in from the field in bunches of about 50. They are pushed into smaller groups averaging 20 and those 20 are pushed into the shoot. As they come through the shoot J vaccinates them. Not all sheep ranchers vaccinate at shearing time, but this the way Pop has always done it and it's effective.

I have to take a second and give kudos to my husband because this was his first year shearing and he rocked it!
This was J at the end of day one. Yes, that is dirt on his face and windblown hair.
Nothing but hottness at our place.

Of course we wouldn’t have been able to have such success without our awesome help, but I don’t even think a doctor could vaccinate 1,000+ people in two days considering these sheep aren’t just standing waiting patiently for their vaccination. They are trying to run from you the entire time.

Once they are vaccinated they are marked with a chalk pen – this was Morgan’s job. We mark them so we know they have gotten their vaccination and are ready to be sheared.

After they are marked they are pushed up the shoot and get in line for their cut. The sheep line the inside of the trailer and the shearer gets a sheep (through the doors in the trailer) when he is ready.  

He shears them then sends them on their merry, wool-less way.

The wool is then “skirted” then compacted into bales with this neat machine. 

Before we knew it there was a field of naked sheep and a truck loaded with wool bales. 

Another reason for all the excitement was the arrival of our senior, Morgan. This kid is nothing short of amazing.

Morgan is a part of The Senior Field Studies program at his high school. This program allows seniors to participate in direct field studies in urban, rural and wilderness settings while earning credits. Morgan has been on a 2 week backpacking trip and leaves for a whitewater rafting trip a few days after he arrives home from being at our ranch for a week. We were lucky enough to partake in this program through our membership with the Colorado Farm Bureau.

On his first day here Morgan jumped right in and helped with shearing. He was great help - J and the crew were happy to have him. The “city” in him was nowhere to be found.  

Aside from being a huge help with shearing he introduced me to some new tunes (this kid has some great taste in music) and he made us laugh. A lot. 

Morgan has such a great personality and his mood is infectious. He’s the type of kid you want to be around as much as possible because he makes you feel good and he makes you smile. We truly enjoyed having him with us.

I’ll admit I got a teary eyed when I said good-bye.

He says he’ll be back to visit and I believe he will…even if it is just to see the animals! ;)

I was able to get in on the action too! The first time I asked if I could help I was told no. They said it was because there was too much dust flying around. Are you kidding me?! I hung my shoulders, found a sac and started picking up trash. Pathetic (I know), but I was bound and determined to contribute somehow! I came back and the guys must have felt bad for me (like the kid that was picked last in dodgeball) because when I asked a second time and J told me to, "Jump in!"

Here's to another season of (shear) success!

You can read more about shearing here.

Mutton Mondays - A letter from the Forest Service and BLM

This is a letter released to the public. Funny that our sheep and dogs are one of the few 'bands' they are talking about. This letter gives great tips for hikers and backpackers that are headed up into the mountains this summer. I also thought it would give you a little more insight on what life for the dogs and sheep is like in the high country. 

For immediate release:  June 17, 2011

 

Visitors to public lands should be aware of livestock protection dogs in the high country.

As the snow melts in the high country, hikers, backpackers and other visitors will soon be joining bands of domestic sheep in heading for public lands.  Domestic sheep are grazed on public lands under permit from late June to early October.  A band of sheep is often accompanied by a pair of livestock protection dogs, which are an effective tool used by ranchers to protect sheep from predators. These large white guard dogs are often Great Pyrenees or Akbash breeds.

The U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management will be posting signs along trails and trailheads notifying users of the dates that domestic sheep bands will be grazing in certain areas. Follow these safety tips when encountering guard dogs in the backcountry:

When approaching a band of sheep, allow time for the guard dogs to see you and determine you are not a threat. Remain calm.  If you do not appear to be a threat, the dogs will often just watch you pass by.

If you have a dog with you, it may appear to guard dogs as a threat if it gets too close to the band or tries to chase sheep. Keep your dog close to you and under control.  Leash your dog for as long as you can see sheep band.

Try not to “split” the band by walking through it; instead travel around the sheep via the least disruptive route. Keep as much space as practical between you and the sheep band, especially if you have a dog with you.  As you pass, keep line of sight between you, your pets and the guard dogs.

Bicycle riders should dismount from their bikes and walk past the band with the bike between you and the livestock protection dog. Do not remount until you are well past the sheep.

Do not:

 *   Chase or harass sheep or livestock protection dogs.

 *   Try to outrun livestock protection dogs.  If a guard dog approaches you, tell   it to “go back to the sheep,” or tell it, “No!” in a firm voice.  Do not attempt to hit or throw things at it.

 *   Attempt to befriend or feed livestock protection dogs.  They are not pets.  They are lean athletic working dogs, which are cared for by their owners.

 *   Allow your pets to run towards or harass sheep.  They may be perceived as predators by the livestock protection dog and attacked.

 *   Mistake a livestock protection dog as lost and take it with you.

Coming Home.

The alarm buzzes and I think, It can’t be time already.

As I stumble through my morning routine I am ready within minutes for Rambling Ewe Ranch’s big day.

The moon fills the sky and sheds enough light so we can find our way to the truck.
Orange flag in hand, Camelbak packed, we load up water and lunches for the herders. J checks the trailer to ensure proper hitching and we hop up in the truck.

We pick up Alberto, he lives nearby on the ranch. Elias and Daniel are waiting for us at the mountain.

Our herders are used to this early work, it’s a daily occurrence for them. For me, it's a little tough and I find myself unable to hold back the yawning.

As we all make our way up to where the sheep, Elias and Daniel are waiting, the excitement begins to build.

The mamas and babies are coming home!

Make way B-town…Sheep on Road!

I am dropped off about a mile ahead of where the sheep will get on the road and  I find myself smiling with excitement. It’s just me, the horses in the field nearby out this time of day and the road is quiet. Soon enough cars will be making their appearance. I sure hope we have happy drivers today.

It’s important the cars see me as they are driving.  My sole purpose as flagger is to alert cars that sheep are ahead and to PLEASE slow down.

Most cars slow down and enjoy the drive through the sheep. Some smile and wave and roll down their windows. Some want to chat with you about the sheep and ask how many we have this year. Many times children poke their heads out of the car to get a better view of the sheep. Other cars take heed to our signs that are posted the week prior and avoid the street altogether. That's fine too.

Some forget the sheep are on the road and are either pleasantly surprised or grumble the whole way through.

I radio J on the walkie-talkie and ask them what his status is. He replies back, "They are on the road!"

I wait to see the first sheep around the bend and start walking!  "Okie dokie! Here we go!"

Soon enough we are rocking and rolling.

J will trail the back of the herd in the truck. He slows traffic behind him as he pulls our horse trailer full of our dogs that were working on the mountain. There is an orange, bright sign on the back of the truck that says, Sheep on Road. We don't let the dogs trail on the road, we've had a car hit one of our dogs once before and want to ensure that doesn't happen again.

They want to be where the sheep are. They aren't happy campers when they aren't.

Last year the sheep wanted to run home (all 12 miles) and this year was a bit better. They weren't in such a rush.

Jigs did come along for the ride, but slept most of the time in the car. She gets by on her looks, not her hard work. ;)

Along the way, I enjoy the view of the foothills of the San Juans. It’s a lovely sight and there is something about leading hundreds of sheep to a place they love, that makes your heart happy.




And so, I am reporting back with news of a good and successful day. Today is a milestone for J and I. We made it through our first full year of sheep ranching! It's a wonderful feeling and I want to say thank you to everyone that has offered us their support, prayers and words of encouragement over the past few months.

Tonight our herders are proud of their work (as they should be) and our sheep are happy. 

"Trailing 2011"

Fleece Navidad!

Hope ya'll had a great Christmas. 

We trailed sheep today, which I'll tell you all about in a few days, but for now I wanted to share with you our sheep trailing about a week ago. 

We've been at this a little over two years now. Lambing, shearing, trailing sheep, cold winters, late nights, cold mornings, etc.

At what point do these everyday activities become the norm? For me, it seems like they may never. J asked me Friday night, "Are you all ready to trail tomorrow?"

At that very instant, I had knots in my stomach and was full of anxiety. I just don't understand why I get anxious and worried. We are out of feed here and need to start heading south for the winter. We were hoping to stay where we were for a few more weeks, but it was just too dry and there was little feed left. So, trailing it is. 

Saturday morning, we wake up bright and early and look outside. It's snowing and it's so, very cold.

Here we've been praying for snow for weeks and today of all days we get this...

Upper Left: Right before we got on the road. That is the fence the sheep came out of.
Upper Right: Animals always line up at the fences to see the sheep come thru. It's so neat.
Lower Left: It didn't budge from 25 degrees the entire trail.
Lower Right: The sheep coming down their last hill. They are about 100 ft from the gate to the pasture.

I didn't dare wish it away, but it reminded me of a saying I heard once, "Farmers and Ranchers are never quite happy. There will always be too much moisture, not enough moisture or moisture at the wrong time." It's definitely a love-hate (def more love) type of relationship.

Even though the trail today was a shorter one (only 9.5 miles), doesn't mean it was easier than others. However, it's made a bit easier when you have good help! Like the help we get from these two.

I'm a little late to introduce these two (we'll call them L&T), we've been friends for over a year now and they really are the most amazing individuals J and I have ever had in our lives. Truly. Our mutual love of In-N-Out is what brought us together, but so much more keeps us together.

L&T helped us at a tricky intersection today and it went smooth - they are awesome trailers. Pretty much professionals at this point.

The three of us were stopping cars at the intersection and while I work on stopping a motorist, I find that she is one of 'those people'. Let me define this a bit better...

There are three types of people that you run into while trailing sheep. There are the "Lovers" who enjoy driving thru the sheep. They take pictures, smile, sometimes stop to chat and a few will even turn around for seconds.

Then you have the "Grumps". These are the people that grumble thru the sheep and most likely thru everything else in life.

Then you have "Those People".  These are the people that think it's the most horrible, awful, most miserable thing to drive thru the sheep. These people don't slow down, they speed up and honk their horn because sheep know what the sound of a horn means.

I mean really, is driving thru sheep really that bad?

Anyway, as I'm stopping this motorist, I realize it's a postal service worker. I said, "Mam, would you mind stopping here for just a few minutes? The sheep are coming thru."

To which she replied in a panicked tone, "But, I have the mail!"

Oh!! Well, in that case go right on thru. I'll just let the sheep know you have some important deliveries to make. I'm sure it won't be a problem. Let me part the seas right now!

I shook my head and promised her it would be less than 3 minutes. She seemed okay with that.

After the intersection, it was a breeze. About an hour later the sheep were where they needed to be. They'll stay in this pasture for 2 weeks.

Unless it snows, of course...then we'll need to keep heading south. Love-hate I tell you...

Poo On Road. Use Alternate Route.

It's that time of year...the leaves are changing, kids are back in school, the crisp fall air surrounds us and the sheep make their way back to the ranch!

If you've been around here long then you know that the sheep coming home from the summer range up in the mountains is one of my favorite times of year! (The other is when the sheep come home in April from the winter range.)

Our herder, Daniel did a spectacular job tending to the sheep this summer and for his first year on the mountain he far surpassed our expectations! We are grateful for his hard work and dedication to the ranch. Very grateful.

Our sheep will be coming home Sunday, October 2nd and yes, once again I will be leading the pack (aka flagging oncoming traffic while I say about 100 yards ahead of the herd). I'm not worried though...I've been mentally (not so much, physically) preparing for this trek all year long. Bring it on!

If the sheep want to run all 12 miles home, then running it is! I.am.ready!

Back to the story at hand...

This weekend was our towns annual Heritage Days Festival. The history of our town is celebrated in the park and is kicked off with a 5K Fun Run and the annual "Trailing Running of the Sheep!" The other sheep rancher in the area brings his sheep off the mountain a week before we come off and times it so the sheep make it through the main street around 9am on Saturday (sheep time).

I, unfortunately didn't get many pictures, but this will give you an idea...

Our sheep used to be the sheep that came through town, but we can get another week of feed on the mountain and we have to take advantage of that! 

After the trailing and the road is covered in poo, there is a parade through town then vendors in the park. There are several events including a car show, a redneck fashion show, music and this year there was a lamb roast, the lamb provided by yours truly.   :)

It was yummy!


It's truly a great event in which my mother-in-law helped start and I do plan on having a more active role next year. It's important to keep this tradition alive. It's what this area was founded on!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!