A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A GOOD SHEPHERD

Neighbors waving at us from their backyards might also be wondering who we are. Sure, we’re the people hired with our herd of grazing animals, happily munching and stomping through fire fuel and overgrowth. But we also appear to be a small band of gypsies.

This post will cover some good-to-know basics about the way we live and work.

Firstly, we are guided by a particular set of principles:

Regenerative Living. Regenerate, or degenerate. Those are the options. Water flows, or it festers. We believe that human needs are best met when we function interdependently in models that are equitable to all living beings. This means plants, roots, and soil. This means animals, insects, and trees. It means reciprocity—that you and me are not separate entities fighting to survive in a competitive environment. When we take good care of ourselves, each other, and the earth, we gravitate toward systems that support whole life cycles. We flow together in closed loops, in which the output of one element is the input of another—no harmful, toxic, violent, or extractive measures needed. We unleash the energy for creative expression, collaborative problem-solving, and new growth!

​Authentic Activism. We are tough-working people dedicated to earth stewardship and ecosystem restoration. We are also artists, musicians, dancers, healers, and friends. You may notice that when we aren’t setting up solar-powered fence-lines, we’re practicing yoga, writing poetry, or surfing. We also practice deep gratitude, clear communication, and radical self-love. We laugh loudly, and sing proudly. We also make mistakes. Every job site presents different challenges; even though we know a lot, we’re learning as we go. Shepherding in Southern California brings high heat, hard water, poison oak, and, depending on the time of year, quite a lot of smoke. We’re dealing with large quantities of animals, in matters of life and death. And sometimes the goats break down the fence and go visiting a section of property that isn’t in the contract. In other words, we balance a potent sense of purpose mixed with continual sources of stress—and we’re doing our best.  

Your Best is Good Enough  
We are good shepherds. We aren’t the richest, the prettiest, the biggest, the strongest, the smartest, the fanciest, or whatever. We don’t expect you to be, either. People have a tendency to think of themselves as not being good enough as they are, which limits what they think they deserve in the present moment, which prevents them from doing their best. We end up, as a society, settling for less. Less health, less wealth, less beauty, less laughter, less love. And we let the earth settle for less, too. It has been poisoned, neglected, stripped raw. We must all do our best, one moment at a time, to set things right.
 
California has a massive maintenance problem on its hands. Climate change may drive wildfire, but overgrowth feeds it. There should be millions of goats and sheep grazing the west coast. While they’re at it, people can benefit from their milk, meat, skin, and wool. While they’re at it, the trampling action of their feet and the microbial action of their feces restores vitality and resilience to the soil. They’re cute, and they bring a sense of calm.
 
 
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
 
You can sponsor-a-sheep by subscribing to our Patreon page, where we share stories, music, health, wellness, and other regenerative lifestyle offerings! You'll also get to name one of our grazing animals.
 
If you’re concerned about fire risk in your area, connect us with the local land managers. 

And finally, if you have any other questions or concerns, please use our contact form to reach out.

In Gratitude,
Gina Tang