Taking the heat out of California wildfires using sheep and goats, Shepherdess Brittany Cole Bush talks to Farmers Guardian US Correspondent John Wilkes

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<p>Shepherdess Brittany Cole Bush talks to Farmers Guardian US Correspondent John Wilkes. California is experiencing some of the worst ever wildfires. By August 16, a total of 5,210 wildfires burned 332,606 ha (821,887 acres).  </p><p>The Park Fire is the fourth largest in Californian history – approximately 14 times the size of San Francisco. Since late July it has destroyed 173,000 ha in Northern California. </p><p>This podcast was recorded August 4. </p><p>On the podcast this week John is joined by the entrepreneurial sheep and goat grazer Brittany Cole Bush from the Ojai Valley, Ventura County in Southern California. </p><p>Cole’s personal journey to set up her company called “Shepherdess Livestock and Land” draws global media coverage from The Guardian, French Elle and others. </p><p>Her “flerd” of sheep and goats is in demand to remove dense highly flammable vegetation for an array of governmental agencies and other property owner clients. </p><p>Cole also established “The Grazing School of the West” where she operates bootcamps.  </p><p>The school’s goal is to encourage a new generation into this burgeoning sector within the American sheep industry. Like Cole, the majority of applicants are from non-agricultural backgrounds. </p><p>In the context of the American sheep industry Cole sees herself,  </p><p>“As a black sheep. A black Navajo-Churro sheep, a Heritage breed that has to be wily, very resilient, small framed and wooly. </p><p>I represent a very unique population; a single woman owned sheep business from Southern California. The first in my family to do something like this.” </p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2206410/fan_mail/new">Message us</a></p>