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--> --> June 12: Cowboys and Basque sheepherders Jeff Cheek Basques have been associated with America since Columbus. Some of his crew were Basque fishermen. They came with the Gold Rush in 1849. Finding little gold, they began to raise sheep. From 186- until the 1970s, the Basque sheepherder was an essential part of the economic growth of the West. Synthetic fabrics were not invented until the 1930s and there was a constant demand for wool. The importance of the Basque shepherd was underlined when our government began to re-write immigration laws in the 1920s. Western congressmen passed a bill "to provide relief for the sheep industry," a special quota to be assigned to Basque sheepherders. In 1940, to guarantee a continued supply of these essential workers, all Basques, even illegal immigrants, were given immigrant status. The sheepherder is often compared, unfavorably, with the cowboy. The cowboy is a mythical figure: brave, romantic, resolute, daring and courteous. Little boys dreamed of growing up to be a cowboy. No one ever dreamed of becoming a sheepherder. The Basque sheepherder was an illiterate tramp who spoke Basque, not English. He spent each year wandering the vast public lands of the west with 1,000 to 1,200 sheep. This social isolation solidified his Basque identity. He lived in a Basque world. Hard-headed businessmen saw the whole picture. The cowboy was paid $25-30 per month. His Basque counterpart received $40 per month. Most spent about $50 per year on essentials like clothing and tobacco. The remaining $430 was used to buy 40 ewes. Entrepreneurs welcomed this partnership arrangement, a sort of primitive profit-sharing plan. In four or five years, the sheepherder could amass a herd and go into business for himself, or he could return to Europe and buy his own land. For some reason, more French Basques choose to go home than their Spanish cousins. The Spanish Basques were ostracized, but they seized the opportunity to build a future for their families in the sheep industry. The Basque sheepherder earned every penny he was paid. His was a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week schedule. He had to lead his flock to new grass and water every few days. He was the veterinarian for the sick and midwife at spring lambing. He always carried a rifle to protect his charges from coyotes. In most areas, sheep were more profitable than cattle. Cattlemen were paid once per year, when the yearlings were sold each fall. The sheep man was paid twice. In the spring, they were shorn. Depending on the price of wool, each ewe produced enough wool to sell at 20 -25% of her value. When her lamb was sold in the fall, his price was usually 60% of hers. A business that produced an 80-85 cent return for every dollar invested is rare. And the key to this financial bonanza was the Basque sheepherder. Many leading Basque families proudly trace their roots back to a great-grandfather who came to herd sheep, then stayed to become a successful businessman. Cocido, or Basque Bean Stew, is a one-dish meal the tired, lonely sheepherder fixed over his campfire. INGREDIENTS: 2 cups dry pinto beans 1/2 pound salt pork, diced 1 cup chopped onions Water for boiling PREPARATION: Wash beans, soak several hours. Boil slowly until beans are tender. In skillet, brown salt pork. Add onions, cook until onions are soft. Add contents of skillet to beans, cook for 20 minutes. Serve. Leftovers can be reheated and served the next day. Jeff Cheek lives in Medford Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing