The Wisdom of Sheep & Other Animals: Observations from a Family Farm

by Rosamund Young

We talk about people behaving like sheep, which assumes that sheep all behave in the same way. That has not been my experience.

Some are affectionate, others prone to head-butting. Some are determinedly self-sufficient, others seek our help when they need it. And some can be trusted to lead the flock home. They are as individual as we are.

Farm animals are familiar to us from childhood stories, but little did we know that their inner lives are full of complexity, deep bonds and family dramas. Rosamund Young has been an organic farmer for over forty years and this is her record of a life at the beck and call of the animals while observing and preserving the abundant wildlife at Kite's Nest Farm. It is a story of joy, discovery, cooperation and sometimes heartbreak. We learn about sheep growing old disgracefully, the intelligence of supposedly 'bird-brained' hens, 'conversations' between cows and why you should never send a text whilst milking . . .

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Nature, Animals, Audiobook, Natural History, Biography Memoir

257 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 31, 2023

Reviews

[Lydia Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book. I love all animals and I have always wished I could live on a farm and have a herd of sheep and goats. The author's life is full of observations and rewarding relationships with not only the animals they breed, but so many other living creatures on the farm, and the many plants and trees as well. I loved every second of this book. I was sad when I finished it. It is a balm to the soul. I love the way all the animals are so cared for and respected and their individual personalities are drawn out as a result. Highly recommend.

[Fern Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a delightful comfort read sort of a book. Part memoir, part snippets of wisdom and part nature writing and animal psychology, ‘The Wisdom of Sheep and Other Animals’ looks back over the authors life as an organic farmer. I really enjoyed reading this as while it was non-fiction and full of information the writing style was very gentle and the descriptions made it feel as if I was there in person observing the animals with Rosamund Young. I loved how well she managed to flow together past and present and also link together personal family life and relationships and show how these co-existed together within the farm. Often writing puts things in certain boxes but this showed how all aspects of a persons life can meander together (a bit I guess like seasons and farming itself). A perfect read for cold, stormy winter days.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jacqueline freegard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was vastly disappointed in this book, having read the Secret Lives of Cows, which was excellent. I was expecting something similar about mainly Sheep (of which I am very fond). There is little mention of sheep. I would like to add, sheep will drink copious amounts of water if the field they are in is lacking nutrients. This book is meandering thoughts. More of a dip and read any page. Having said the book was disappointing, there are some touching stories about various animals. I did finish the book.

[Lady Fancifull · Rating 4 out of 5]

A life lived with the land, and its creatures – including sheep

This was not quite what I was expecting. I adore sheep, and always want to get close to them on country walks, though they don’t share, generally, such enthusiasm to get close to me. It was my love of sheep that made me decide, over 40 years ago, to become vegetarian.

Rosamund Young clearly loves sheep – and cows, chickens, turkeys, spiders, trees, wild flowers, ash trees and many more manifestations of the natural world than I do – but she is not a vegetarian. She is an organic livestock farmer. So this was less a book about soulful sheep as companion animal, or scientific exploration of sheep en masse and their history than I thought it would be.

Nonetheless it drew me in. Young and her brother Richard come from farming stock, and made the decision to ‘go organic’ 40 years ago. This is an utterly charming book. Young is most clearly someone filled with appreciation, love and respect for the non-human creatures she shares her world with. She has a sense of warmth and humour, writes well, reads a lot of poetry, appreciates that, and the literary is woven within the very practical understanding of, and relationship with, the natural world and its beauty and fragility.

Despite the fact that a farmer’s life is relentlessly busy, and in the control of climate, weather, and all sorts of events outside human control, reading this account of this kind of working life was a curiously warm and restful experience. I assume Young has always been a patient, warm, and reflective person, but if not, as a hands on farmer, must surely have learned that patience, reflection and tenderness from the bovines and ovines she has shared her life with

The lovely illustrations, too, must be mentioned. They are a delight

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I spent a lot of time in the country and on a farm when I was a child. This book brought me back to those day and I loved the style of writing and the realism
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Nip · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfectly lovely, bucolic read. I requested the newly-published "The Wisdom of Sheep" from the library after coming across a random, appreciative newspaper review. Previously unaware of the "famous" Kite’s Nest Farm in England and its highly innovative restorative practices, I also learned that Rosamund Young's family farm, where she grew up and farmed for many years, was in the Cotswolds, not far from where I grew up. This -- and the fact that I grew up alongside sheet grazing on the expansive grass "Commons" next door -- made me happy. I luxuriated in Young's patient and touching descriptions of her life dedicated to her farm animals. And I rejoiced when she invoked a passage from Thomas Hardy's "Under the Greenwood Tree," which I recently read. Now I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of Young's first (trailblazing) volume, "The Secret Life of Cows" to learn more about farming in partnership with animals.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is much to be learned from the wisdom of sheep. I was in search of a sweet, entertaining, simple story and the daily antics and personalities on this small farm in Gloucestershire were absolutely perfect. The names of the animals alone had me delighted. There are many challenges of farm life. But this was still the feel good read I needed.

[Brianna]

somehow this is the book that got me out of a huge reading slump (???) really into sheep right now, might be new retirement plan. #remindmein37years

[LibraryCin · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.25 stars

The author runs an organic farm. These are little anecdotes.

The book started well – a bit of her biography/background. But then it got into chapters of (sometimes odd, in my opinion) anecdotes. Some chapters were just a poem or a quote from literature; some were about other critters (not sheep) such as frogs, insects, butterflies, birds. Many chapters (maybe more than the ones about sheep?) were about cows. (Some of) the chapters on cows and sheep were the most interesting to me, but often she’d also throw in more literary references and other things that just were odd to me. There were some nice little illustrations and it was a very fast read.

[eva · Rating 3 out of 5]

enjoyable book with a lovely writing style but some parts are very tone deaf. the author likes to explain to us how if we all had access to homegrown vegetables and happy animals' meat we would not be depressed and anxious. and also do not forget to take walks in fields surrounded by wildflowers, those exist everywhere. thanks! i will remember that next time i have a huge farm

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Wisdom of Sheep is a collection of farm observations from Rosamund Young. Rosamund and her brother Richard grew up on a family farm that they then took over from their parents. Rosamund always wanted to keep sheep, but I guess they are more labor intensive than cattle and so she had to wait until their Mom passed away as she was her mother's main caregiver. The entries range from a few sentences to a few pages. Some are directly about the workings of the farm and some are more musings on nature and animals. The whole tone is very gentle and meandering. This was exactly what I needed after finishing Framed by John Grisham about innocent people spending decades in prison after being framed by crooked cops/prosecutors. My only complaint is that the timeline of the entries is all over the place, so sometimes it's a little hard to follow. I wish there had been a little more information about how/why she and Richard continued the farm - did neither of them want to get married or have their own family? In her bio it says she runs the farm now with her partner Gareth. Gareth is introduced in the book but I would have liked more backstory on how they went from being roommate/landlord to romantic partners while still living in the house with her brother. I'd also like to know a little more about the farm - since they name all the animals they obviously aren't raising meat, so is it dairy and wool? I feel like there are a lot of unanswered questions. There are some nice black & white drawings throughout the book but I would have liked a few pages of photographs of their farm and some of the animals mentioned. Overall, a very gentle, pleasant reading experience about living on a cattle and sheep farm in the UK.

[Claire C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love agricultural books that focus on daily life. It’s such a beautiful reminder of how tender hearted and caring farmers are.

While the farmers in my life are gruff, few words spoken kind of people - not sharing their perspectives and life lessons in beautiful words. This book is such a nice reminder that agriculture truly is the good life.

Peaceful and meaningful, while also being hard work and hard decisions.

[Emerson Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a lovely and refreshingly quiet point of view on these animals… So so wise and does so well to display her point of view of coming up on a farm and human relationship with animals. Sheep are the most special animal on earth

[Sydney Acol · Rating 4 out of 5]

just want to hold a little lambie now and feed it some milk

[Christe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful, light book about 40 years of running a cattle and sheep farm in the Cotswalds -- memoir, essays, diary entries. Individual sheep have individual personalities! Naturalist writing somewhat in the tone of Gerald Durrell's books and the Herriot memoirs about being a vet in Yorkshire (All Creatures Great and Small, etc.). Very well written. I enjoyed it very much.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book about farm life. I, too live on a small farm where I am the hand, the boss, the maid and many times the vet. So this smoothly written observation of her flock of sheep is very interesting to me. I do believe that I might write the squeal about life with goats!

$ stars

Happy Reading!

[Enchanted Prose · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.8
The joys and gratitude of a pioneering shepherdess (Kite’s Nest Farm, Broadway, Cotswolds, England; 1953 to present-day): The word shepherd, or the more uncommon female version, shepherdess, conjures bucolic landscapes and a romanticized version of simpler pleasures. Could there be a more pastoral and charmed farm with a flock of 300 sheep than Kite’s Nest Farm?

Situated outside the small village of Broadway, “The Jewel of the Cotswolds,” a UK Area of Outstanding Beauty, is Rosamund Young’s homestead: 390 acres of organically enriched grazing pastures surrounded by an abundance of diverse natural riches. These days it’s the domain of an outstanding shepherdess, who tells us, “Farming was my way of life.” It still is. Exceptionally so.

The Wisdom of Sheep: Observations from a Family Farm is a pleasure to read and behold. Warm, compassionate, sharp-eyed, Young is extraordinarily devoted to the animals in her care. Reminiscent of the delightfully entertaining All Creatures Great and Small, the 2020 PBS Masterpiece version based on the life of British veterinarian James Herriot and one of his beloved memoirs set in 1930s Yorkshire, you’ll be transported to a stunning cloistered world.

Visually, the book’s design elicits childlike wonderment and the comfort you get from a big-hearted children’s book, a tone announced on the inside endpapers. Embellished with playful and simplistic black-and-white illustrations of sheep, hens, frogs, squirrels, tractors, with a few more adorning its 260 pages, all highly valued. A new book, Believe in the World: Wisdom for Grown-Ups from Children’s Books, on the lessons of children’s books underscores the power of Young’s.

A keen observer of sheep (and cows), Young’s debut, The Secret Life of Cows came first considering, “Cows were not just part of my life but the very core of it.” Growing up on her parents’ farm with her older brother Richard surely imprinted on them “kindness towards cows” – her mother’s reason for marrying their father. Born on her grandfather’s farm, when the author was just two weeks old she was already exploring her world underfoot cows.

Young is also a wordsmith. She says, “I love the English language,” but doesn’t have to. Page after page in over 100 “observations” she displays a poetic fondness for words praising: “the hazy brilliance of the whole thing”; wildflowers attracting an “astonishment of butterflies”; the “surprise of the delicate grasses,” their “quiet greenness; the “sky dance” of birds.

Born in 1953, the lessons Young learned over her entire life and shares in her second book are aimed at the last twenty years when she and Richard started raising and nurturing sheep after acquiring the farm twenty years earlier. Young “hankered for sheep” for decades. Today the flock comprise three UK breeds: Lleyn, Shetland, and Hebridean. A shepherding journey she likens to “A Sheep Learning Curve.”

Young’s observations are drawn from her “notebook-cum-diary,” a smart idea suggested to her, and her memories. You’ll also think of these entries as reflections, missives, fragments. They’re brief but oh-so meaningful.

We marvel at what Young says and how she expresses herself. Eloquent and informed, eclectic in her literary tastes, well-schooled in Shakespeare, she also quotes poems by Keats, Ovid, Virgil, offering two of her own. Excerpts from essays by the likes of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Robert Louis Stevenson emphasize her passion for animal and natural worlds. So too do references to classical literature, children’s, and graphic novels, and a handful of ancient proverbs.

Succinct descriptors of the seasons simplify her seasonal musings and storytelling. “Spring is so brief.” “Winter is long, “laborious and relentless feeding.” “Summer is all about winter.” “Autumn will vary.”

Among my favorite entries is a quote by American poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox – “The art of being kind.” It stands out as beautifully condensing the kindness you’ll find on these pages. The author and her brother exude kindness. Up until last year, this family team also worked as true business partners and divvied up the nearly 24/7 caregiving of their mother, ill most of her life.

It must have been a devastating loss and greater burden on Rosamund Young when Richard passed away last year. Glowing memorial tributes celebrate his goodness, character, and prominence (see here and here). In “Tenderness and Tragedy,” Young expresses gratitude for a new farmer, now her partner, Gareth, who “came to my rescue.” Had she’d not been so fortunate, you still come away feeling this literary gem wouldn’t be marked by sorrow but by all the blessings. Making it a primer on how to value our precious time on earth caring for all living things, animal and human.

As a naturalist and conservationist, Young champions Nature’s wonders – birds, trees, wildflowers notably. “Nature has everything if one knows where to look.” As an animal activist, she’s absorbed her parents’ commitment to “animal welfare.” The writing displays a reverence for putting the needs of animals before the farmers, even if it meant not having any time to eat except “floating on rain and tea.” Because “if every single person should want to be an animal rights campaigner then no one would have to be.”

Cows are more independent and trusting than sheep. Both demand picking up on “layers of subtle communication” – body movements and behaviors – emphasized in the entry “Words of No Syllables.” Imparting this wisdom segues into the essence of the book’s messaging: you need to spend a lot of time around these animals to recognize their individual characteristics and needs, treating them as individuals. “Sheep are far cleverer than us.” Young explains why: unprotected victims of prey in the wilderness, their survival instinct is not to trust. They’re the “ones who decide to trust,” thus experts on judging humans. Sensing “the absence of ulterior motives,” the sheep on this farm feel the affection given them.

Every sheep and cow on the farm has a name. A testament to each distinguished singly. No small feat when you’re raising over 400 farm animals (estimate over 100 cows). Sheep have whimsical names like Dorable, Tealeaf, Dandelion, Carnation, Chocolate Brownie, Old Cocoa, and Sookey, Wookey, Tookey, triplets. Cows more aristocratic, such as Filipendula, Prometheus, Celandine Sunshine.

Young says the animal mothers have taught her “life’s important lessons.” Maternal birthing behaviors differ between cows and sheep. Cows can disappear and deliver their calves on their own (though Young is ever-mindful of their whereabouts and the possibility they might be in danger). Sheep need more assistance with lambing and “know how to ask for help.” Seven Land Rovers aid in keeping tabs on the animals to make sure they’re happy, comfortable, and not in distress.

The Youngs were ahead of their time with organic farming and regenerative agricultural methods focused on the health and diversity of the soils, promoting the well-being of the animals by feeding them nutrient-rich and pesticide-free food. In fact, Kite’s Nest enjoys the distinction of being one of the organic farms in Worcestershire County King Charles, then the Prince of Wales, visited in the 1980s, leading to converting his Highgrove Estate all-organic.

Young’s “rush to joy” to greet her sheep becomes our rush to soak up her joy.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a charming set of diary-like entries from the life of a hillside farmer in Britain, and her memories of growing up in this environment. The wisdom of farm beasts is not confined to sheep; we also get cattle, chickens, collies and more. I love the tale of a cow who was found lying down calmly in a field, and the farmer, knowing she was near to calving, led her into the barn and fed her. The cow then asked to go out again and would not rest. She led the farmer up the hill to where she'd hidden her lively bull calf in the bushes (proving that cattle have more in common with deer than with sheep, not mentioned).

A sadder story is that of the cunning fox managing to get into the escape proof and fox proof turkey run.

This is an organic farm and the rightly proud owners tell us of the battles they had to get grants without using any artificial fertilisers. I'm glad they are organic and animal welfare minded.
They use seven Landrovers. This stopped me in my tracks. What about the 'last horsemen' in Britain, on Sillywrea Farm, who use farm working horses? One or two Landrovers I could countenance, but seven? Are diesel, oil, tyre coating and brake pad lining categorised as organic? Later we meet a Rangerover, tractors and balers, and a JCB.

The author was caring for her ill mother for much of this book, and when that lady passed away, her brother and co-farmer also became seriously ill. At this point she faced being the sole working farmer, though she had two strong helpers.
An old countryside poem or two are introduced, including Stevenson's friendly cow all red and white. This is often an entertaining read and will appeal to those who enjoy countryside stories.
No photos were in my advance copy, I would have liked some.

I read an e-ARC from Net Galley. This is an unbiased review.

[Lucy Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher Faber Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It was a delight to return to Kite’s Nest organic farm in Worcestershire after thoroughly enjoying "The Secret Life of Cows". The book documents the trials and tribulations of everyday life on the farm. I find Young to be such a warm convivial presence, reading her writing is like chatting to an old friend.

Young is passionate about all aspects of farm life and this passion and enthusiasm pervades the whole book. There are very interesting points made on how government policy has an impact on farming life and how aggressive farming methods have such an adverse impact on the natural world.

I would thoroughly recommend this book to those who enjoy natural history books and anyone who is interested in the countryside. Interspersed with delightful illustrations by Joanna Lisowiec it would make a lovely Christmas present. A truly comforting read, perfect now the nights are longer.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strangely, The Wisdom of Sheep seemed to be more about cows…to begin with. But in the end, the sheep came through, which was good, as I love sheep and wanted to hear about them. The author was keen to disabuse us of the notion that all sheep are alike, and it was rather wonderful to hear about their individual characters - the relationships with their young, and the rest of the flock, as well as humans, with even an understanding of Rosamund’s feelings. Conversely, the understanding that Rosamund Young has for her animals is enviable. I just wouldn’t like to have to go out in the cold at midnight to deal with them. Clearly an armchair farmer.

[Matt Barker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite what I was hoping for. Some ‘nice’ interesting tales, but. Overall it failed to live up to my expectations.

[Bookwormbadger · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely gentle diary-style book about life on the author's Cotswold farm, Kite's Nest. Her live of the animals, along with her clear passion for sustainable farming, shine through on every page. A delight.

[Rob Mead · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too sanctimonious in places, but you can’t help but admire the conviction. The animals are, of course, wonderful

[Alice Clasper · Rating 1 out of 5]

Find it fairly disingenuous that, throughout, Young is at pains to describe how ‘caring’ Kite’s Nest is when ultimately it’s still a farm which profits off exploiting animals

[Maggie John · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s not necessarily a page turner so if that’s what you’re used to, it’s probably a bit slow at times. However, it’s a really lovely read which shines light on looking after the nature around us.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Observations, yes. Wisdom, not so much. So disappointed by this book.

[Haley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high expectations for this book; it’s right up my alley. Anyone who knows me knows that this perfectly feeds my delusions for the life I could be living — nature, animals, farmland in the U.K.

That being said, this didn’t fully live up to my hopes. I expected a day-to-day diary of life on the farm. Instead, it is more of a collection of individual scenes and musings. That is totally fine, and something I’ve enjoyed previously with other books (for example, with Late Migrations). In this case, it unfortunately felt extremely repetitive.

I think I would have enjoyed this book much more had it been about half the length! I really did appreciate the emphasis on the relationship between humans and nature, the individual personalities and whims of the animals, the striking descriptions of the landscape. I just started to appreciate it less reading the same thing for the third, fourth, fifth time…

Even still, there were moments that left me feeling very moved:

“Dandelion and her daughter have appeared supremely happy for the last year, but recently a group of lambs the same age as Carnation came down to the fence one day and seemingly persuaded her to ‘leave home.’ She leaped the fence and danced off up the hill surrounded by her new companions. We are all busy trying to work out what Dandelion is thinking. It’s so easy to anthropomorphise, and I do so often, but only to describe the things I see to other humans in a language they understand. She looks a bit lost, lonely, bemused, offended even, but she hasn’t followed her daughter as she could have. She doesn’t like sheep except her own lambs. I often wonder if she knows she is a sheep, after I reared her and she spent the first ten weeks of her life consorting with our cats. People I know say they ‘like their own company.’ I think she does too. After four days on her own, patrolling our farmyard and the paddocks to which she has access, she chose to go with the very newest lambs and their mothers to the Lake Field, far away from the direction Carnation had gone. Our observations and ruminations continue.”

[Emma Demopoulos · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I had higher hopes for this one. It did have several elements I enjoyed, like the short chapters, nature sounds in the audiobook, and delightful stories about animals. I thought more of it would be about sheep, but significant portions were about cows; it should have been renamed "The Wisdom of Cattle." The biggest reason for the lower rating was I simply disagreed with a handful of ideologies proposed in the book. While the short form made for a quick read, it didn't do any favors for tackling deeply complicated issues like over-farming practices, organic vs GMO, and food accessibility. It's all well and good to suggest that organic is better for the environment and humans, but much like the ecosystem there's significantly more at play here. I can't imagine telling someone living in a food mirage that they better switch to organically grown food or else they risk their health. Don't you think they already know? Don't you think they would if they could? Demonizing GMOs doesn't help the people you believe they are harming. Thoughtful consideration to the environment, farmers, and the public is a must. Society (mostly large corporations) need to be held accountable for their actions, and an overhaul of our current food system is required if we want to keep living on a sustainable/living planet. I just didn't appreciate how a couple topics were handled in the book.

[Addie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosamund Young has a way of telling her stories that evoke nature's peace, the sweetness of flora, and the laughter spontaneously found while living and walking on a farm. Each chapter was short and easy to read in tiny bursts of uplifting wonder. While I was tempted to read it all as fast as I could, so eager for the next dose of calm, I chose instead to lengthen out my reading to bring that revitalizing wholeness her words have to as many of my days as possible. Her observations, her love of nature, her knowledge, her ability to put pen to paper, are all gifts that now bless any who pick up her books to read them. I was so glad to stumble across this book while shopping in England, and even driving past Kite's Nest as we took our own wanderings there, and I can hardly wait to read her first book: The Secret Life of Cows, which is no doubt filled with as much heartwarming as this one was; which first gave me the calm I needed while traversing England's amazingly, dreamily beautiful, yet harrowing (because of 60mph around blind curves) back country roads. Which I believe should be driven more at a tractor's pace in order to enjoy the sweet natural findings of which Rosamund speaks of in her books. There is no better way to observe and enjoy nature than at a slow pace.

[Toby Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

A loose stream of observations and thoughts by a literary-minded organic farmer in Broadway, Oxfordshire. The observations from a lifelong countrywoman are interesting, but they are just strung together. She could have ordered her material into connected chunks e.g. cattle behaviour, sheep behaviour, insects, and then made some deductions. As it is, it is annoyingly disjointed and whimsical – a notion comes into her head, she jots down a sentence or two without rhyme or reason – and it’s off to a clean page – like as not a small poem

It is too earnest too be amusing, and I believe anthropomorphic - she attributes more sense to the animals and to nature generally than is credible.

Finally, it is a cop-out: how irritating of her to write (p. 229): “but there are many things that I can’t write about: the really stressful or the truly heart-breaking or the intimate. TB tests, as an example of the first category, would be impossible to describe.” Huh? The book might have been gripping if she’d gone to the effort to engage us.