Julie, the Shepherd

This week, we took a field trip out to this nature park called Neot Kedumim. There, we learned about all the plants, animals, and water systems of this land that appear in the Bible. It sounds boring but was actually incredibly fascinating.

We drew water from wells, cooked pita dough we made over a fire we built and seasoned it with hyssop we picked and crushed. We also reenacted the story of Ruth (I was Naomi—don’t ask where the British accent came from) and watched a Jewish man read from a scroll that was 200 years old.

The highlight of the trip, however, had to have been the sheep herding. Anyone who really knows me knows how much I adore farm animals and how skilled I am at controlling them.

They also know I’m a compulsive liar.

The guide put us into a small group, sent us out into a flock of sheep and few miscellaneous goats, and gave us the task to bring the sheep to a circular location for 20 seconds. I danced around the piles of sheep poop as I made my way out there, keeping an eye out for snakes that might be lurking below and came up to a goat.

“Hey goat,” I said lifting my hands to push it, then seeing the dirt clumped in its hair, and deciding against it. “Uh…move goat.” I waved my hands at it its face which proved entirely unsuccessful. I kind of looked at, sighed, and nudged its neck with my leg (no, I didn’t kick the goat, okay?). It took a step and my hopes were lifted. “Yeah goat, that’s it. Keep walking.”

After a few more nudges, the goat joined the flock and it was just a matter of keeping them all together.  At one point I looked down, and behold! A stick! I felt a little like Moses as this little stick became my new prodding utensil, because no way in heck was I touching that smelly beast.

Now I know some of you reading this aren’t as experienced in the ways of shepherding as I am, so I should let you know from my vast knowledge on the subject that basically, sheep are really dumb. They’ll follow the sheep in front of them no matter what, even if it means walking off a cliff. Though I didn't send any sheep off a cliff, I did witness this phenomenon through the form of a little lamb.  

This little guy was in the front of the flock and in just 30 seconds of standing still, the poor dear snuggled on the rocky ground and fell asleep. Oh, he was just so cute sleeping there, except that like I said, he was in the front, which meant none of the other sheep would move anywhere.

He was so small, yet he had such an impact on this whole flock. We had to shake him, poke him, and even pick him up to get him to wake up. Once he got back to his feet and started moving, the rest of the flock followed and we were able to gather them in a circle. We closed them in and hastily counted to 20. Success! I’m a shepherd yet.

From this angle, it actually looks like I'm touching the goat.

Look, they actually touch them. Gross.

 Check out that stick in action.

So effective.

Yep, I made that pita. Mmm good.