to the lambing sheds
History
From Basque Markina to Mountain Home, Idaho
The Barinaga family has been sheep-ranching in America for more than a century. My grandfather, Valentin Barinagarrementeria, travelled from the Basque village of Markina to Mountain Home, Idaho, in the early 1900s to make his life as a sheep-herder. He soon graduated from herder to sheep rancher. He and my grandmother Eulalia ran a ranch in southern Idaho, with up to 5,000 ewes and their lambs. Theirs was a typical American sheep ranch, and their products were lamb and wool. They never dreamed of milking their ewes, as sheep dairying was not established in this country, and the range-sheep operations of the American west did not lend themselves to dairying.
From upstate New York...
My father John grew up herding sheep and tending sheep camp, but he left the ranch for a career in engineering, and moved to Schenectady, New York, where he met and married my mother, Stephanie. I was raised in upstate New York. After an education as a biologist and a career in science journalism, I have returned to my shepherd roots.
I have plenty of help from family members. My Basque cousins of my generation, some of whom live in traditional baserris where they milk their sheep and make cheese, have generously shared their knowledge and taken me to visit other Basque shepherds and cheesemakers. And my American cousin Linda, who grew up with sheep, comes every spring to help us with lambing.
...to Marshall, California
I also have help and support from my biologist husband, Corey, who has kept his career in biotech, but spends his spare time consulting with me on everything from sheep genetics and husbandry to cheese recipes.
- Marcia Barinaga
