Late in the night on February 2nd I was woken up to the worst news any farmer can hear. The barn is on fire. When I arrived there were already firemen from 5 different companies working as hard as they could to keep the fire contained even though the Ross Farm 1910 big barn was lost. I was picked up from the ground after screaming my sheep are in there! But all 108 ewes, 10 new born lambs, 20 wethers and 3 fainting goats were lost in the blaze. 141 lives lost, they were our past, present and future of my business as a shearer, a teacher of the fiber arts and our wool business of Ross Farms. They were more than livestock they were my life, I knew more than their ear tags, I knew their personalities who their friends were within the flock, they were expecting to lamb within the week. Many of you know my California Red girls as they were the friendliest sheep on the planet and perfect promotional sheep as they loved to be in the public. Please help me rebuild and remember my girls.

This is one of my favorite photos of the girls from the first few days I had them. I couldn't tell you who is who here but my heart aches just the same that they are all gone.