Shepherds Wanted: Apply in Spain
Know any shepherds?
A friend in the business near Medina del Campo, north of Madrid
Do you know any shepherds? Any friends in the profession? Perhaps an aspiring niece or nephew? When I first started visiting Spain in the 1980's I was amazed by how many people were actively employed in the field. (Hmm, I'll stick with that pun.) I still remember how excited I was when I got the opportunity to spend all day with a shepherd in Aragon. I'm not sure I would have wanted to dedicate a lifetime to it, but what a great memory learning about the work and hanging out with the world's smartest (and happiest) dogs.
Sheep (especially the Merino breed) have always been critically important to Spain. Spain is not a farming country at scale. There are very few areas where wheat or corn grows for miles as it does in the American Midwest. Spain is mountainous, rocky, and climatically harsh, with irrigation being a common challenge. Of course, you have tenacious olive trees stretching to the horizon in the arid south. You have orchards. You have grapes that produce some of the best wines in the world precisely because of their struggles as they work against their relatively harsh environments. To some extent, the Spanish have always relied on meat to close the gap in their food production capacity. Sheep are a multi-purpose solution. In addition to meat (and wool), their milk remains a staple for cheese production. Queso Manchego is among the most famous.
A little history. As I've written before, the explosion of Spanish power and influence in the 16th Century did not bring wealth. Instead, it brought debt. The Hapsburg monarchs, using colonial production as equity, got themselves so deeply obligated to European bankers that one can argue that Spain never fully recovered. (By the way, they wasted most of that money fighting Turks and Protestants.) In any case, wool exports became a central strategy for paying off debts. In order to control and tax wool revenue, the crown basically mortgaged its domestic future to the powerful sheep owners' guild (La Mesta). Part of the deal was to give rights-of-way to sheep in perpetuity. The guild had established hundreds of miles of these rights-of-way (drove roads) throughout the Peninsula, making it almost impossible for many farmers to protect their harvests from foraging livestock. (In 1627 it is estimated that there were over 7 million sheep in Spain.) Even the streets of modern-day Madrid are part of this system, and the Crown's agreement with La Mesta has never been abrogated. If you visit Madrid in late October, you'll witness thousands of sheep traversing the metropolis to both celebrate and exercise the rights of their owners. (Watch your step please.)
Sheep-Jam near Medina del Campo
Sheep move for two reasons. First, they are transported to market. Today, this is generally accomplished by truck or train. The second reason they are moved is transhumance. This is the simple idea of moving sheep for foraging reasons, to warmer climates in winter and less arid climates in summer. Although transhumance is no longer an economic necessity, it accomplishes several things. First, it is ecologically sound. Foraging is a natural process that keeps ground cover healthy. Secondly, transhumant sheep are happy and active. We have seen the "free-range" movement here in the US as well. Finally, with the re-introduction of bears and wolves on the Peninsula, transhumant flocks with attending dogs and shepherds remain less susceptible to attack.
The importance of 21st Century transhumance has resulted in a resurgence for the profession of shepherding. Shepherds are encouraged to become certified through 4-6 month government-sanctioned training programs. Furthermore, the re-introduction of the Peninsular Black Bear has resulted in significant levels of EU funding for shepherd training and employment.
Visitors to Spain can actually participate in multi-day transhumance, or you and your group can simply spend the day with a shepherd. These experiences are unique ways to connect with people, land, and culture. Even if you don't take advantage of this opportunity, it is likely that you will end up in a sheep-jam at least once. (See the photo below.) In the past, sheep were under the king's protection while on the right-of-way. Killing or injuring one, would have resulted in the death penalty or a heavy fine for the guilty party. Although I suspect that if it happened today, you would not be executed, you might well have to face the wrath of an angry shepherd. So drive friendly!
