Sheep can be very frustrating to work. In 1970 we went from running a 3000 cow ranch in the coulee to a farm in Deer Park with a herd of 2000 sheep. Working sheep is very different from working cows and can be very frustrating. You can drive cows but you can’t drive sheep–at least not without dogs. Gary and Fred learned this the hard way. Once we were trying to drive a group of sheep we had in a corral that funneled into a shoot at one end to go through a foot bath to treat their foot rot. The sheep absolutely refused to enter the narrow opening at the base of the funnel. They would just keep circling around the corral. If we would move to block them they would attempt to jump right over us–knocking us to the ground. Gary got so frustrated he picked up a board laying near the corral and hit the next sheep that tried to jump over him right between the eyes–HARD! The sheep dropped to the ground. We were sure he’d killed it. Luckily, after a bit, the sheep got up–and we were right back to the same fun and games. Sheep! No thanks.
Remembering the Best of Us
Legendary Recipes & Stories from the Kay L & Norma Lybbert Family