John refastens an electric fence, after knocking it down with his truck.
Katahdin sheep return to the field, after being assessed and vaccinated.
Zula plays with the family’s young sheep dog. The dog was kept penned with the sheep so that she would bond with them.
Bob hands his father, John, more bands, during a castration.
John rolls a bale feeder across a field.
Bacon and egg shells are all that remains of the family’s breakfast.
Zula demonstrates FaceTime to her father.
John’s handwritten herd records.
Sheep hide in the corner of the barn after being wormed.
John attempts to jump start his cattle truck on a cold morning.
Frank and Zula Stenger talk while herding sheep to the barn.
A calf’s horns are removed using a dehorner.
Blood drips off of water trough, after several calves horn’s were removed.
A calf lies in the snow, after being castrated by banding.
A calf’s severed horn lies in the snow.
Zula and John enjoy a quick meal together.
Bob helps his father measure a recently cut tree that is destined for the house they are building on the property.
Zula pets her favorite goat, Milky Way. Although Zula does not plan on becoming a farmer, she owns several sheep.
John rakes hay in one of his fields. Making hay is one of the summer and autumn’s primary farm chores.
John and Bob eat lunch after morning spent in the fields.
John listens to the bidding at a local auction house.
“What I like the most about it is that nobody tells me what to do,” says John Stenger. “It’s liberating not to have a boss.” John has been farming in Harrison County, West Virginia for almost 40 years. On his farm, which is spread out over several pieces of land near the small town of West Milford, John raises cattle and sheep and a few goats.
John currently farms approximately 1000 acres, some of which is inhabited by his 200 cattle and 200 sheep. Other fields are used for hay or are forested. Although John does not currently have any farm hands, his children often help with chores and larger projects. However, none of the children are currently planning to take over the farm.
Although John does not have any retirement plans, the thought does occasionally cross his mind. However, the thought never stays with him long.
“There was a period about three weeks ago, when I was sick, I had the flu, and I was miserable, John says. “It was cold out. It was zero. And I was thinking “Man, it might be nice to just go to Florida in the wintertime like my dad does.” But as soon as I started feeling better that didn’t seem inviting anymore.”
Hear more from the Stenger family in their own words.