This episode of Voices from the Field introduces us to New Zealand shepherd Bev Trowbridge. It’s the latest in ATTRA’s five-part series “She’s Raising Sheep.” Trained as an agroecologist in the United Kingdom, Bev has raised heritage sheep and small-frame cattle on New Zealand’s North Island for two decades. Bev tells NCAT Regenerative Grazing Specialist Linda Poole that “sheep are the best biostimulants you could have” to improve soil health, water quality, and biodiversity. She talks candidly about shepherding for the good of nature and offers tips for success, including starting with site-adapted sheep (She raises majestic and meaty Wiltshire Horns.) and joining a network of like-minded people who can learn together. Listen in to discover what herding sheep and guiding airplanes have in common!  

Related ATTRA Resources:  

• She’s Raising Sheep: Indiana’s Denice Rackley  
• Livestock and Pasture  
• Soils and Compost 
• Farm Start Up 
• Organic Farming 

Other Resources:  

• Muriwa Valley Farm  
• How Organic Farmer Bev Trowbridge Super-Sized her Soil with Micro-Organisms & Mycorrhizal Fungi  
• On the Farm – The Future of Farming  

Contact Linda Poole via email at [email protected].  

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