"Animals are my passion"

Ms. Brost, how did you get your flock of sheep?
It was a coincidence. I grew up with animals, but without farm animals. I was fascinated by Kangal dogs, and in 2016 I asked a shepherdess about keeping sheep so that I could offer a flock guard dog a job in the long term. On site, a lamb broke its leg and was to be killed. Of course, I couldn't let that happen, so I returned home with three sheep - including little Elsa, who was given a cast and is still part of my flock today. At the time, I honestly thought that sheep were pretty boring...

Have you since changed your mind about sheep?
Yes, because over time one animal came to another: old sheep that nobody wanted any more, or bottle-fed lambs that were too expensive for others to rear. Even lambs for slaughter, which a friend bought at auction on eBay, got a reprieve with me. I have noticed that sheep are not the smartest, but they are sociable and peaceful. They behave in a really funny and individual way, some even listen to their names. The group is a colorful mix, also in terms of breeds, so I can easily tell them apart.

Now the animals are doing ecological landscape maintenance in Offenbach; what exactly does that mean?
The sheep keep the green growth low and push back overgrown plants such as brambles. Their kicks and bites strengthen the root system, which tends to suffer under mechanical maintenance: The plant world becomes more species-rich. The animals also function like cabs, allowing beetles or lizards to travel from one meadow to another, reconnecting isolated habitats. And their droppings act like fertilizer on the soil. We started maintaining the landscape at Schultheisweiher pond a good two years ago and, following our positive experience there, we have been working as a service provider since the beginning of this year, primarily on the Mainbogen.

How do you reconcile your full-time job with your work as a shepherdess?
My free time is completely devoted to the animals, they are simply my passion. I go to the herd for at least an hour before and after work, and often longer in the evening - my dogs are my bodyguards during the day and at night. Others go on vacation, shopping or to a café, but I don't need any of that. I'd much rather have a picnic with my friends with my sheep.

Do you also get support?
Yes, the sheep sponsors help me on a voluntary basis, for example with putting up the electric fences. A specialist recently took over the shearing: It takes him five minutes to shear a sheep, whereas it takes me three quarters of an hour. Overall, the response from people has been very positive. Parents are happy that children go out with them when they can see sheep. Older people tell me over the fence in the evening what behavior they have observed in the animals. Our penultimate parade was particularly nice: we walked through the middle of Rumpenheim and many people stood at the window beaming and waving.

03.07.2020