Frustration - April 13, 2008
Albert and our Senior Field Studies student (Hallie, our guest blogger) made the trip to sheep camp to check on the herder and the herd and to deliver groceries. Everything seemed normal. They visited with the herder checked the sheep and the horse, delivered the groceries and headed back home. That was Friday the 11th. Sunday the 13th we received a call from the herder. He had left the sheep alone and was somewhere in Grand Junction. GREAT!!! So we found a baby sitter for the kids and started the 90 mile trip to check on where the sheep where and to make sure the horse and dogs had been fed. Unfortunately he didn't call the day he left. He skipped out on his sheep herding contract, the same one that gives him the legal right to be in the United States on a work Visa. He left the sheep alone for two days to scatter from one end of our winter country to the other. He also left the horse tied up next to the pond with half a bale of hay. Needless to say the horse was glad to see us. We untangled the chain he was tied up with and fed him some hay which he greedily ate without giving us another thought. We fed the dogs and surveyed the mess of scattered sheep we were going to have to do something about.
The good news.horseback ride! The bad news.3 hours through steep rocky country chasing little bunches of sheep that were allowed several days to scatter. Some of them cooperated and were gathered on the pond. Others.not so much! We had a few wild bunches that wanted nothing to do with the direction we were trying to impose upon them. So after a beautiful day of chasing sheep we loaded up the horses and riders and made yet another long trip home. Did I mention fuel prices.UGH!
Now is where I share the part about how difficult it has become to get help! Even through the H2A labor program. With increased security and scrutiny since 9/11/01 it takes months sometimes to get a new contract herder. Unfortunately this meant we didn't have a herder and weren't going to have one soon. So, my husband moved out! Albert gathered enough to stay at camp with the sheep until we could get a replacement herder. I guess it's true when they say "careful what you wish for". All winter Albert had been giving me a hard time about me making the bi-weekly 180 mile round trip to & from camp. Since we've been married I've been giving him a hard time about getting an English speaking sheep herder. We BOTH got what we wanted.overnight! Albert took on the role of sheep herder (his English is Very Good!!) and I was the camp tender!
While Albert spent the next week trying to get the "wild bunch" of sheep gathered back up, I went into training as the straw boss! Thank goodness we were just about finished lambing in town. But that is more of a story for another entry!
