Don’t call them ‘sheepish’

The students at Forest Grove High’s Land Lab set their sights for glory at the Washington County Fair this week

By Christian Gaston

The Forest Grove News-Times, Jul 28, 2010, Updated Jul 28, 2010 (1 Reader comment)

Katherine Dyer (center) trims the fleece off a Columbia yearling ahead of the Washington County Fair. Dyer and her fellow Forest Grove FFA members will show sheep Thursday.

Chase Allgood / News-Times

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It was sweltering outside and the tiny barn behind Forest Grove High School was filled with the sounds and smells of sheep shearing.

But the six-month-old lamb in the hands of Heather Longshore wasn’t flinching, not even making a peep.

“I’ve put a lot of hours into her,” Longshore said with a smile.

Longshore drug a brush through the lamb’s coarse, white fleece.

On Thursday, Longshore and her fellow Land Lab managers — a crew of high schoolers that tend the school’s flock of Columbia sheep — will take their pride and joy to the Washington County Fair.

Lauren Weslow, the Land Lab’s timekeeper, beams when she talks about the flock.

“It teaches you a lot of responsibility,” Weslow said — such as waking up at the crack of dawn and spotting any small change in an animal’s behavior.

But the sheep are an understandable source of pride for Weslow.

Her yearling ewe snagged a top prize at the national convention of the Columbia Sheep Breeders Association of America in Minot, North Dakota.

Looking at the results of the junior competition is pretty much like reading a roster of Forest Grove FFA. Weslow’s there, with her childhood friend Jennie Perez. Amber Jones and Katherine Dyer both got senior showmanship awards.

Dyer said anyone who thinks taking care of a sheep is like keeping a dog healthy doesn’t get it.

“It’s twice as much work,” Dyer said.

After their strong showing at the convention, the kids, led by Charlie Vandehey, agricultural science teacher at Forest Grove High, took a detour through Yellowstone National Park.

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