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!