Sustainable
Sheep Farming at
Border Springs Farm
By Linda Sechrist
Some species of animals, as well as mammals, have had their second passion, raising and training
efforts and value respectably recognized - a pig (Babe and Charlotte’s
border collies and livestock guardian
dogs. “This began as a hobby,” quips
Web), a deer (The Yearling), and even a whale (Free Willy). Yet few have Rogers, “but the plan went awry and
ever gone so unnoticed as sheep, which contributed honorably to
now I have 250 ewes and a dozen
dogs.”
the course of history with little recognition. A man who goes out of his way to
create a sustainable enterprise, Rogers
S
heep and their wool, the first commodity in the world of sufficient value to
has managed to do what the major-
warrant international trade, enabled Queen Isabella of Spain [1451-1504] to
ity of sheep farmers cannot do today
finance the voyages of Columbus, who took sheep aboard his ships on the
– sell their wool. “Selling wool often
journey to the new world in 1493 as a “walking food supply” for his crew.
means losing money for those of us in
More than 500 years has altered little about the basics of sheep farming,
this business,” notes Rogers. “Once a
which added to Spain’s treasury. Today, man’s oldest organized industry is still
year the big wool co-ops send 18-
hard work. Shepherds, like Craig Rogers, owner of Border Springs Farm in Patrick
wheelers up and down the east coast
Springs, still count their sheep, feed lambs whose mothers can’t, attend the births
to gather sheared wool, which the
of lambs in the spring, shear wool, take care of their own veterinarian needs, and
driver weighs. Several months later the
herd their charges with the help of trusted sheep dogs, which they train.
farmer gets a check for 40 cents on the
Rogers turned in his microelectronics manufacturing business, and profes-
pound, which is less than what it costs
sorial career, for a shepherd’s staff, 12 sheep and two working dogs in 2003.
to shear the wool.”
Although shepherding seems an unlikely profession for this mechanical engineer,
This year on shearing day, Rogers
he considers it an avocation, which affords him a wholesome way of life, an
sold his Texel wool for the first time
opportunity to humanely raise healthy livestock and the chance to pursue his
to local spinners who purchased it for
12
Southwestern Virginia
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