The Practical Shepherd: Trials, Errors and Successes While Maintaining Profitability, by Abram Bowerman

It was the best of ewes, it was the worst of ewes. Abram Bowerman took an early interest in sheep and realized his first goal — becoming a real shepherd — at age nine, when he bought his first ewe at an auction. Today he owns and makes a living on several hundred sheep. The Practical Shepherd tells his story and provides practical advice for those who, like him, desired nothing more than to make a living from the land and build a farm business that can be passed down to the next generation.

Bowerman doesn’t present an everything-you-need-to-know compendium of raising sheep on pasture, so much as his story of what’s worked for him. It’s less of a comprehensive guide than a realistic tale of what a successful modern sheep operation looks like.

The book begins with a helpful discussion of the benefits of small ruminants and the foraging habits of sheep. Sheep graze differently than cattle — wanting a lot more forbs in their diet, and thus being able to survive on more marginal land — but Bowerman stresses the importance of still providing them high-quality pastures, especially during key times of the year.