Shepherd Diversity

It has occurred to me in my short career that there are as many reasons for owning sheep as there are owners.  Every industry has its diversity, but I find that the sheep industry (at least in the Northeast USA) is especially diverse.

Consider another agricultural industry.  Say, corn farming.  Maybe I'm wrong but it seems like a corn farmer is a corn farmer.  There may be some that believe in GMO free corn, others that don't, or some that have 1,000 acres and some with only 10.  But the goal is generally the same; grow corn and sell it.

Now think about sheep farming.  Reasons people own/raise sheep.  I'll list a few in no particular order that come to mind:

-companions/pets
-to exhibit/compete at fairs
-to sell meat
-to sell wool/wool products
-to raise your own wool/meat
-to produce cheese
-to keep land open
-to have a tax write off
-project for kids


That's just a few reasons that I've come across.  My point in bringing this up, is that with a variety of reasons for having sheep comes a variety of people.  People I shear for come from every walk of life and are so unique.  Every political persuasion, every belief system, and every different attitude toward sheep.  To some they're a commodity; to others, they're as valuable as the family dog.

There must be a common thread, something about sheep.  But even sheep are diverse, with so many different breeds to choose from.  I never like the question, "what is the best breed of sheep?", because it is dependent on so many factors.  It always comes down to what your goals are and reason for having sheep is.

It is a rare and special privilege to be invited to shear for such interesting people.  When I share stories of some of these customers, people tell me that by the time I retire I'll be able to write a book about all the people I come across.

Communication

The profession of shearing sheep is not readily understood by the average person, since it is not a profession they hear or think about every day.  If you were in a bar in a country town in New Zealand and someone asked you what you did, to which you replied "I'm a shearer", the person asking the question would just nod and say, "right on".  Actually, by the way you're slumped at the bar stool, your dress, and your ability to down beer, they probably wouldn't have inquired; it would've been obvious.  But that's another story.

The point I'm making is that in the United States, shearing is a rare profession.  As such, each shearer makes his/her own rules.  The professionalism varies from shearer to shearer and is dependent on a variety of factors.  Logically the better you are at the craft the more business you will have.  Right?  Well, i disagree to some extent.  Competence is important.  But what some shearers don't realize is that things like punctuality, communication skills, and general courteousness are sometimes equally as important and often overlooked.

Since I still have your attention (but it's fading) I'll focus on just one of these aspects of the shearing business.  Communication.  For two years my voicemail said that I would "return your call within 24 hours".  I wanted customers to know that their phone call was important to me, and I was committing myself to calling back quickly.  And since I committed to do it, I did.  I was also saying at the same time, give me 24 hours to call you back.  Don't call me 3 times a day and bug me.  That gets irritating. 

Communication is tough.  Several times I've called someone right back only to find they've gone with someone else.  It seems like new customers find as many shearers as they can, call them all, and the first one to call back gets the job.  In the heart of shearing season when I'm working long days, it gets very hard to communicate.  But I understand its importance.  After all, I'm providing a service. 

I guess my final thought on communication is that I do my best.  I can be contacted by phone, text message, fb message, email, twitter...you get the point.  But I'm sure not perfect.  Sometimes I just don't have an answer.  When I commit to something, I do it.  So I'd rather give a vague, indefinite answer than commit and have to back out.

And lastly, to shearing customers, get in touch with me early.  Don't call and say you need my next week.  Probably not going to happen.  I love serving people & I strive to provide the best service I can.

Restructuring at Busy Corner Farm

The day has finally come at Busy Corner Farm that my brother and I "take over the farm". My dad has been slowly handing over the reigns for years now. First it was flock/breeding decisions, and now it's the finances. I've seen this day coming, now I'll find out if we're ready for it.

I look forward to being a partner with my brother. The farm gives us something in common that we enjoy doing together. Though we often have different farming aspirations, it will be good to be forced to unify our goals and try to be successful.

I like the cartoon about sheep being a less expensive alternative to lawn mowers...if only it were true!

How Much Do You Charge?

I have decided to write about a personal, often uncomfortable, yet important subject.  If you're hiring me to shear, the question "How much do you charge?" will come up at some point.  If you've tried to do your homework and research the answer before asking me to shear, you'll find that I don't publicize it.  I shear flocks of sheep ranging from one sheep up to several thousand.  There is no one size fits all formula.  I am constantly questioning myself and thinking about this subject, trying to come up with prices that are fair for both me and the customer.  I say uncomfortable because it's my least favorite part of shearing, I wish it was the same for everyone and accepted by all.

I do address the issue on my website with the following explanation:  

It always depends on how many sheep you have and how far I have to travel. Generally, I am very reasonable. I will negotiate; I don’t want price to be an issue. Tips are appreciated but not expected. 

Admittedly, this explanation is open-ended and is not at all specific.  Maybe I can explain myself a little better in this blog. 

 First, I don't have a huge ego, but I do know that sheep shearing is a skilled profession.  You should not expect me or anyone else to come shear your sheep for minimum wage.  If you care about your sheep, you should want a service performed by an experienced professional.  If your shearer is any good, other shepherds will also want them, which means he/she is in demand.  Time constraints are one dictator of price.  If you were to hire a professional from another field, say a plumber, you would expect to pay a certain amount just to get them to show up.  Before they even open their tool box, I suspect you've already been billed for an hour of service.  Also, choosing shearing as my only occupation means that this is not a part time job or hobby; I have bills to pay too!  And when it comes to automobile expenses, it's not just my gas getting there.  My truck is only 6 years old and already has 170,000  miles and will need to be replaced in the near future.

A unique thing about sheep shearing is that it is piece work.  Historically throughout the world, shearers are paid per number sheep they shear.  I've studied and have been paid rates in other parts of the country and world, and I understand that.  But here in the northeast United States, the industry works a little differently.  For one thing, there are no contractors.  People in the northeast deal with the shearer directly and avoid the middle man.  So when comparing rates you really should be looking at what a contractor charges the farmer (good luck finding that information!), not what the shearer is being paid.  Also, I'll explain later why piece work is not always the fairest way to charge.

There is shearing competition in the northeast, but it's interesting.  We are doing our own thing, but we don't want to upset each other.  Maybe some do, but I for one don't go around undercutting my competitors.  I don't need the work that bad.  I know some guys over charge (and some may under charge) but I think most of us are in a ballpark range.  When looking for a shearer, finding the one that charges the most does not guarantee you will get the best service.  Conversely, finding the "cheapest" shearer doesn't mean you're necessarily getting a deal either.  There are reasons why I want people to hire me, but price is not top of the list.  I even have a friend who won't shear for someone if their first question on the phone is "How much do you charge?".  A red flag goes up because he figures if all you care about is how much the service is costing you then you probably don't care for your sheep very well or take the time to prepare for me coming.  That's not to say it is an unfair question or one you shouldn't ask.  It's definitely a consideration because the "going rate" is a hard thing to pin down in the northeast.

I've seen some shearers advertising their rates, which I think is totally dumb.  And here's why.  At a new job, I have no idea what to expect.  10 sheep could take a 1/2 hour or it could take most of the day.  I've stated it's piece work.  But if your 3 sheep take me longer to shear than your neighbors 9, should you pay 1/3 of what your neighbor pays?  The time it takes me depends on so many factors, including the kind of sheep, size of the sheep, condition of the sheep, set up time, your preparation (mostly having the sheep caught), the handling system, what other activities (worming, hoof trimming, skirting the wool etc) are being performed simultaneously, the number of qualified people that are helping, and so on.  This is why I am hesitant when I quote a price.  And when I do, I give a range.

In summary:  I want to be reasonable.  Fair to the customer, fair to competing shearers, and fair to myself.  I haven't mentioned any number amounts yet...Like the plumber, I do have a minimum charge: $75, which usually applies to flocks of 4 or less.  When there's less than about 20 sheep, I usually quote for the whole job, not a per head price.  Like I previously explained, after the drive time and set up time, it doesn't take me any longer to do 10 sheep as it did to do 8. 

And lastly, tips.  Tips are great.  More than anything they show me you really appreciate my service.  But they are by no means necessary.  A waitress expects a tip as a major part of her income, but I don't.  

Maybe this was more confusing than helpful, I'd be glad to answer any questions you may have!  In rereading it, it also seems like a defense...like I charge a lot and am trying to justify it.  This really is not the case.  Once I've shorn for someone for a while and established a relationship with them, I find it hard to raise my prices.  I generally figure if I charge the "going rate" then my competitive advantage becomes my service and quality, and everyone is happy.  That's my goal.

 

Follow Your Dreams

Joe, my neighbor and friend, has recently been able to land a job in the sport of lacrosse, his passion.  For as long as I've known him he has been a sheet metal worker on construction sites, and a good one at that.  But his hobby has always been playing and coaching lacrosse.  With his new job at the Stringer Shack, he can now make a living doing what he enjoys.  The difference will be evident between him, a passionate connoisseur of the industry, and your average professional who is merely working a job.

For 18 years we are told to "follow our dreams".  The message actually continues for more than 18 years, but is drown out by the pressure of money.  Money, security, material possessions, however you look at it, become an exceedingly overwhelming pressure that force many people to put aside their dreams and fall into line.  Or more accurately, to compartmentalize their lives so that job = money and free time = hobby/leisure. 

My best teacher in high school always told us it did not matter what profession we pursue as long as we did it with Zest, Gusto, Animal Vigor, Intellectual Vitality, Fun and Love.  But if your heart isn't into your job, and your sole motivation is money, how can you do your job with ZG AV IV F&L?

I cannot overstate my thankfulness that I am fortunate enough to live and work my passion.  Working with sheep, shearing sheep, raising sheep, and associating with other sheep people have become more than a job or even a career path.  It's a lifestyle, a life, and one that I wouldn't trade for anything.

It breaks my heart to see people place such an importance on money that they force themselves to abandon their dreams.  I know I'll never be powerful or wealthy.  But for me, coming down the last side on the last sheep of the day or seeing newborn lambs get their first nurse is as satisfying as scoring the winning basket or crossing the finish line in a race.

Dream on!

Wearing Wool

Above pictured are my new shearing tank-tops I purchased a few months ago for the upcoming shearing season.  Anyone who knows me knows I'm not vain, especially about clothing.  But I show these shirts off for a reason.  They are 100% wool.  They're perfect for shearing, warm, dry (wick away sweat), and comfortable.  But that's only partly why I am starting to wear more wool.

I had a conversation recently about supporting the sheep industry.  Sure, I'm involved.  I'm into it every day.  But do I wear wool?  How many shepherds neither eat lamb nor wear wool?  I wouldn't go as far as saying it's hypocritical, but it certainly isn't helping their own cause.  We complain about the price of wool, or lamb, while wearing cotton and eating beef.  So I became convicted and went out and bought wool shirts.

I dream of seeing the sheep industry make a come back in the USA.  Many things I'm both aware of and unaware of would need to change.  But certainly domestic demand for wool products would be a great place to start.  So if you raise sheep and sell wool, then wear the final products.  Wool is great!

Sadie

This is my new dog, Sadie.  She's a red/white Border Collie.  Beautiful dog, and great personality.  She's 6 months old today, I've had her for almost 2 months.  Will she be a good working dog?  I doubt it.  I've only let her near sheep once, and she was afraid of them.  More interested in sniffing their droppings than even looking at them.  But that's ok, she's a good pet.  At times it'd be nice to have a good working dog, but if that's what I really wanted I would've bought one that was already trained. 

When I start shearing again in a couple months, everyone will ask, "What did you do in the off season?".  Well I didn't go anywhere exciting this year.  But I got a dog.