STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

The Wood River Museum of History and Culture is presenting an interactive audio experience designed to teach listeners about sheep ranching life.

“Sheep Clips: A Patricia C. Lane Trailing of the Sheep Festival Archive Audio Exhibit” is being offered Wednesday through Friday, Oct. 2-4, at the Trailing of the Sheep Festival Headquarters in the Argyros lobby in Ketchum. Headquarters will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. those days.

There are two parts: “John Peavey: A Life of will and Purpose” and “Sheep Music.”

“This exhibit distills the cultural expression captured in the sheep way of life, especially from the heart,” said Mary Tyson, director of the Center for Regional History. “The John Peavey exhibit tells of his passion and dedication to sheep ranching life, and when you listen to the songs in ‘Sheep Music’ you can hear ancient human emotions come through beautiful sounds.”

The Trailing of the Sheep Festival Archive resides in a collection at The Community Library’s Jeanne Rodger Lane Center for Regional History. Each year, an internship is dedicated to working on this Archive.

Carolina Estrella, a recent graduate of Wellesley College with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and American Studies, was this year’s intern. A native of the Wood River Valley, Estrella was charged with curating a multi-media exhibit out of the materials in the Festival Archive.

The archive includes interviews with Flat Top Sheep Rancher John Peavey, who co-founded the festival before passing away in June. The archive also includes recordings of people performing songs.

“Sheepherding and its related businesses prove to be a disappearing way of life every year,” said Estrella. “Ranches continue shutting down as cheaper meat alternatives and synthetic fibers replace a sustainable way of life. Despite economic pressures, sheep continue trailing across Idaho's sage country. Herders still lead their flocks up and down these mountains. Learning about the livelihoods of people who keep the sheep industry alive solidifies their stories into the hearts and minds of the wider public for just a while longer.”

The Trailing of the Sheep Festival runs from Oct. 2 through 6. To learn more visit https://trailingofthesheep.org/.

Learn more of the Wood River Valley’s history at the Wood River Museum of History and Culture at 580 4th St. E. in Ketchum. Admission is free.