Only sheep seen on a two-week plus trip across from Arizona to Ohio. Unfortunately, they got scared away from the road and no telephoto on my camera when I wanted to take and no time to change when along I-40.

Just some photographs today of the sheep.

Today’s story may seem like it’s about camels which it partially is. In surveying a route across northern Arizona, Navy Lt. Edward Fitzgerald Beale atop his large camel, Seid, and accompanied by 24 more camels, 10 wagons, pack mules, horses, 250 sheep and 50 men following behind blazed a trail across the state. Now, Beale had learned from previous explorers going across the northern area of Arizona to have a supply of food so you don’t have to eat your pack animals or one you would ride. Thus, the sheep in the camel train!
Most of his trip took place at the end of summer as he was in Flagstaff by September 11, 1857. He reported, “The grass throughout the day has been most abundant, and we have constantly exclaimed, ‘What a stock country!’ I have never seen anything like it…” What Beale did not know was that within twenty years that thousands upon thousands of sheep would be found in the area of Flagstaff westward to Ash Fork. As Beale used the San Francisco Peaks to guide him, sheep would use the cooler temperatures of the slopes and graze on the abundant grasses that Beale had mentioned in his journal.
In crossing the Colorado River, the expedition lost two horses, several mules and many sheep. But no camels were lost. While Beale would make the return journey in January to determine the viability of such a route in winter, documentation of sheep accompanying him cannot be substantiated at this time. More research will need to be done.

Come join me at the 2019 Flagstaff Wool and Fiber Festival June 1 and 2 at the Pioneer Museum, 2340 N. Fort Valley Rd., Flagstaff. The festival runs from 9 am to 4 pm both days. There is something for all ages to enjoy: sheep, alpacas, yaks, shearing, food, craft vendors selling yarns and handmade items, demonstrations, classes and lectures.

I will be talking on three topics June 1st at 11 am. The first topic will be the wonders of wool and its versatility. Second, on one or two sheep families, most likely the Pouquettes from the Williams area, or the Espils. Last, I will introduce a new product now being produced in Arizona from sheep: cheese. The Rovey Dairy in Glendale, Arizona has been raising sheep for about 10 years and about five years ago, got involved in sheep cheese making. They are what you would call a Repurposed Dairy, environmentally friendly.

Please if you like the stories I post on this site, like and follow me.  Please comment too.  I am open to more sheep stories from the public.  If you want to know more about this industry in Arizona you can find more in my book Where Have All the Sheep Gone?  Sheep Herders and Ranchers in Arizona – A Disappearing Industry.  It is available on Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, or a signed copy can be purchased from me.  Your purchase helps me with funds to record more of the stories of the industry.  Thanks and Happy Trails!

Carmen Auza and one of their herders at the Verde River!

This week the sheep were on the trail near Cottonwood on their annual trek to the summer grazing on parts of the national forest in the northern part of the state.  The sheep had already walked about three weeks when a hiking club and my husband and I caught up with them on Monday.  Tuesday, they were moved across the Verde River and will continue their trek until June 1st when they will be allowed to be on the national forest for the summer.  Sheep ranchers pay the forest service to help keep a healthy forest by their sheep eating the tall grass and undergrowth that leads to worst forest fires.  This should be a free service to grazing animal owners!  If you put your mouse over each picture you can see the captions.

Four generations of sheep ranchers, mother, daughter and grandparents behind

Great Pyrenees – The guard dog

Joe and Carmen Auza – one of the last sheep ranchers in the state

Training a new dog

Trying to get the sheep to move across the river

Donkeys go first; if they will!

What are you looking at?

Loading the donkeys with supplies for the herders

The last of the flock to go across the Verde River.

The sheep are heading north for the summer. Just a few pictures for now.

In Richard and Sherry Mangum’s Flagstaff Album: Flagstaff’s First 50 years in Photograghs 1876 – 1926 they stated that in 1876, Flagstaff was overrun with sheep as the drought in California brought sheepherders into Arizona. The sheepherders found large expanses of open range with abundant grass and water for their flocks. Since this was a good 10 years prior to the railroad coming through, the wool from all these sheep had to be sent to market by first mule drawn wagons over dirt roads to Yuma then loaded on a boat at the Colorado River to head south around South America’s Cape Horn and onward to Boston. Wool, a non perishable product, could make this journey where beef would need refrigeration. And thus, sheep ranching was king!