‘Shepherd’s Song’ A Grazier’s Quest To Heal Grasslands From California Wildfires

Director Abby Fuller’s short documentary, Shepherd’s Song explores the life of Jenya Schneider, a grazier in Central California. Schneider found her life’s purpose in working on regenerative grazing in an effort to restore the ecosystems damaged by the effects of climate change.

After the death of her parents, Schneider felt this was her calling and provided a new community where she could live with purpose. With her flock of sheep, Schneider and her partner, Jack Anderson, work to mitigate the risk and repair the damage of wildfires. The North Face is partnering with Abigail and her team to release Shepherd’s Song on their YouTube channel on October 13th.

I spoke to Fuller, who herself lives on a regenerative farm, about how she met Schneider and what she hopes this story will bring to viewers.

Risa Sarachan: What do you look for in a project?

Abby Fuller: I look for new windows into worlds we already know, or think we know. Also, finding the stories of people living unconventional and courageous lives. I want to know what drives them, where the emotion is and ideally capture that in an intimate and cinematic way.

Sarachan: What drew you to this story?

Fuller: I was very eager to tell a story around the great work being done for fire-fuels mitigation with livestock. It’s an incredible way to heal the land and prevent devastating wildfires that have become increasingly dangerous in the west. I learned about the work of nomadic shepherds like Jenya and thought it could be a meaningful story to tell.

Sarachan: How did you meet Jenya?

Fuller: I was introduced to Jenya by some mutual friends, and I knew from her openness and passion that she would be an incredible person to follow in a documentary. Jenya went to an Ivy League school and could have pursued a more conventional path in life. It struck me that this was the work that she is dedicating her life to.

Sarachan: I was fascinated to learn how perfectly suited the animals are to tend to the plants. What did you learn from Jenya and Jack about the work they are doing in California to restore landscapes?

Fuller: For me, the biggest takeaway is that utilizing sheep and other livestock as a tool to regenerate grasslands and reduce fire fuels is a no-brainer. The animals provide a great service and simultaneously can be used for wool and meat. The cost of managing livestock is minimal compared to the cost we spend on disaster relief. These animals can protect our homes, communities and farms from the increasing threat of wildfire. We should put more funding toward the work of operations such as Cuyama Lamb.

Sarachan: How do you hope this film will affect viewers?

Fuller: We have a lot to feel discouraged by happening in the world today, and so many of us often feel overwhelmed by global issues, climate change, inequality, etc. What I love about Jenya’s story is that she finds hope through her actions. Individually, we can’t solve every problem, but we can find purpose and hope by taking action in our own small corners of the world. I hope her story serves as inspiration.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

The North Face is partnering to release Shepherd’s Song on their YouTube channel on October 13th.