Sheep as Lens Into Culture and Climate

In this course students will learn the story of how Merino sheep migrated from Spain to Vermont and shaped the identity of both places. We will explore ancient, modern, and contemporary shepherding through the lenses of fiber arts, food, gender, human-animal migration, and the environment. We’ll take field trips to local farms and festivals, and learn from readings, film, and interviews, how regenerative farming with ruminants can mitigate climate change. Students will choose an area of focus for a final project, conduct fieldwork, and contribute to an online oral history about sheep and shepherding (Spanish language skills welcome but not required).