Jeremy Shepherd (the name came before the job) has been tending to his growing flock since 2009. He sells mutton to local markets but also works his herds as mobile mowers with local farmers in Yolo County.
Whereas larger herds may stay in the same spot for up to 10 weeks, Shepherd moves his herds every one to three days, depending on the crop and time of year. “The sheep only eat byproducts of agricultural operation” he says. “My sheep enhance and do a service, with meat as a product.” The growers save on cleaning up their crops and orchards after harvest, and Shepherd saves on feed.
Here, Shepherd repositions his mobile electric fence in one of the pistachio orchards at Terra Firma Farm in Winters before opening his herd into a new paddock of pasture.
Mobile herding is part of what Jeremy Shepherd calls his experiment in sustainable meat eating. His focus is on creating an organic lifestyle for his 230 sheep, which means putting their livelihood on par with his own.
“I make the distinction of being a shepherd because I am not separate from my flock,” he says. “We are one, both needing each other. I show them the respect they need, care for and ultimately love them.”
Shepherd’s electric fence is powered by a solar panel and car battery, and his herd’s regular movement conserves energy and environmental resources. He also has 500 chickens that work as fertilizers and seven pigs he employs as “really cute garbage disposals.”
Jeremy Shepherd and his always-on-the-go flock
Growtel concept thriving in West Sac
At first it sounds like backwards thinking: revitalize a downtown area by adding miniature plots of farmland on city blocks.
How Solano County is cultivating its ag economy
Solano County is taking steps to develop a new agricultural hub that farmers and economists hope will someday house facilities to process raw ag products into purchasable commodities.
Comments
Wonderful story and photos. He has an impressive operation.
I'm interested in clearing star thistle and purchasing organic meat.