"Sharing a woman’s journey from suburban Newcastle to shepherding and safeguarding rare sheep in Orkney, this is radiant with personal passion and awe-inspiring nature. "
Shot-through with an infectious celebration of the majesty of the Orkney landscape, and driven by the author’s insights and dedication to her beloved, rare Orkney Boreray sheep, Jane Cooper’s The Lost Flock will captivate readers who relish personal stories of transformation and devotion. Also highly recommended for those who love immersing themselves in Britain’s natural landscapes, it’s a fascinating, entertaining, inspiring read.
Jane’s unlikely mission was sparked by her passion for knitting, which saw her drawn into the realm of rare-breed sheep and their wool. After discovering the unique, short-tailed Orkney Boreray sheep, one of the few remaining breeds of primitive sheep in Northern Europe, she and her husband uprooted their lives in suburban Newcastle to throw themselves into an adventure on the Orkney Islands. Finding themselves the sole custodians of the last flock of Orkney Boreray (she now has 54), Jane and her husband turned their hands to farming and shepherding.
Alongside sharing the author’s personal mission and journey, The Lost Flock also uncovers the fascinating history of the breed, a story that stretches back to Neolithic times, and lays bare “the power of Viking wool”. In essence, this is a well-woven blend of memoir, history, and nature writing, all suffused in the author’s spellbinding love of Orkney.
'A windswept love letter to Scotland's heritage sheep and to the Orkney farming community too.' Cal Flyn, author of Islands of Abandonment
The Lost Flock is the story of the remarkable and rare little horned sheep, known as Orkney Boreray, and the wool-obsessed woman who moved to one of Scotland's wildest islands to save them.
It was Jane Cooper's passion for knitting that led her to discover the world of rare-breed sheep and their wool. Through this, Jane uncovered the 'Orkney Borerary' - a unique group within the UK's rarest breed of sheep, the Boreray, and one of the few surviving examples of primitive sheep in northern Europe.
As her knowledge of this rarest of heritage breeds grew, she took the bold step to uproot her quiet suburban life in Newcastle and relocate to Orkney, embarking on a new adventure and life as farmer and shepherd.
Jane was astonished to find that she was the sole custodian of this lost flock in the world, and so she began investigating their mysterious and ancient history, tracking down the origins of the Boreray breed and its significance to Scotland's natural heritage.
From Viking times to Highland crofts and nefarious research experiments in Edinburgh, this is a so-far untold real-life detective story. It is also the story of one woman's relentless determination to ensure a future for her beloved sheep, and in doing so revealing their deep connection to the Scottish landscape.
An unforgettable story of a heritage breed and the importance of its existence.
'Rare-breed sheep, Scotland's most dramatic landscapes and a woman on a mission. All the perfect ingredients for an ovine true-life adventure.' Sally Coulthard, author of A Short History of the World According to Sheep
The Lost Flock features in the following genres: Lifestyle, Hobbies and Leisure, Nature and the natural world: general interest, Textiles and fibres, Agriculture and farming, Sustainable agriculture, Animal husbandry, Smallholdings, Urban farming / urban agriculture, Animal breeding, Animals and society, Wildlife: general interest, Society and Social Sciences, Society and culture: general, Social and ethical issues, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, Industrial processes, Industrial chemistry and manufacturing technologies, Other manufacturing technologies
The Lost Flock is available in Paperback, Hardback
The Lost Flock was written by Jane Cooper and published by Chelsea Green Publishing an imprint of Chelsea Green Publishing UK
The Lost Flock has 224 pages
£11.69
