Kevin Beck

Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd Kevin Beck

"Dirt, sheep, weather of all kinds, and, of course, people." So begins this lively account of a western ranching operation. Who can predict what a sheep will do? Will a horse fit under the camp wagon? Do dogs prefer a dead animal to a person? And herders, who were comfortable living totally alone for months at a time, were capable of absolute randomness. From thousand pound sheep hanging in the trees, to the "un-messable" bed, to the latest visit to jail, herder antics regularly veered into the unexpected. Tending flocks for a living, with all of the ancillary activities in support, influenced nearly every aspect of family and home life. But ranching also happened to be what our family did. It meant time with Dad, doing what our forebears had done. One thing was certain. Ranching was never just a job.