Changes seen over 40 years by one sheep owner.

Today’s story comes from an article written by Mr. Embach, the Arizona Wool Growers’ Association secretary in 1950 about changes that were seen by one sheep owner in the state since arriving in Arizona just before Arizona changed from being a territory to the 48^th state of the United States.

Jose “Tony” Manterola had seen Arizona through wet years and dry years; good and bad economic times. He told Mr. Embach of changes he had seen in the sheep business especially with salaries and finding good herders from when he first arrived in Arizona. He stated that he was paid $18 a month on his first job in the 1911-12 and six months later it was raised to $20 for he was recognized for his work ethic. In forty years, the salary for a herder had gone from  that $18 dollars a month to between $150 to $175 a month. Tony also reported that finding good herders in the 1950s was not easy. Spanish herders had not been coming for 25 years, since 1924. French herders were also scarce. These were some of the best men because of their work ethic and knowing sheep, their occupation in their home countries. Tony lamented that he was thankful that still in the late 1940s and early 50s lamb was a steady demand quantity for the Arizona dinner table. Too bad that is not the case today in Arizona or across the country.

Other sheep owners also expressed similar comments in various articles read by this author. One of the biggest reported was the change in diet that the early herders agreed to was by 1950 not acceptable. Where rice was a staple in the past, that had changed for most of the herders. Now they wanted more sugar, lots of coffee, and variety of meats. While that may have been a small price to pay to keep a good sheepherder, it was an additional expense to the sheep owner with having to deliver to the sheep camp more often.

And that is this week’s story.