All Over Albany

Your new career in urban shepherding

Filed under jobs that you could have: The planned project to graze sheep at Albany's Tivoli Preserve is in search of a shepherd. From the job listing:

Aspiring shepherd wanted for the New York State Conservation Grazing (NYSCoG) Program. The shepherd will manage a flock of sheep at the 80 acre Tivoli Lake Preserve in Albany, NY. NYSCoG seeks to help young and beginning farmers gain access to land and infrastructure, and to begin grazing enterprises, while simultaneously assisting municipal, county and state governments in meeting vegetation management goals. The shepherd will receive the use of land, a flock of sheep, summer and winter housing for the sheep, fencing, winter hay, meds, and insurance, and will participate in grazing and pasture management planning. The shepherd will own the agricultural products of the enterprise (lambs, wool). Project begins in July 2016. Contact Dr. Gary Kleppel at Longfield Farm, 518 362 6576 or gkleppel@albany.edu

If Gary Kleppel's name rings a bell, you might remember that he's the UAlbany biologist who's been studying the use of grazing animals to combat invasive weeds. A bunch of years ago he ran a similar project at the city's Normanskill Farm. Over at the Times Union, Chris Churchill recently talked with him about the Tivoli project.

And, of course, you know about the city using goats to eat invasive weeds at the Loudonville Reservoir, a project that has continued this year.

About the Tivoli Preserve: The city of Albany has been planning a series of upgrades for the land on the north side of the city between the Arbor Hill and West Hill neighborhoods, and we hear there will be some specific details coming up in the next few months.

(Thanks, Melissa and everyone!)

earlier photo from Normanskill Farm courtesy of Gary Kleppel