Modesto Taxa Martinez has been sheepherder in Colorado and Wyoming for almost a decade. His H-2A visa allows him to work in the U.S. for up to 3 years at a time. For most of his life Modesto was a carpenter in Huancayo, Peru, a town in the central Andes. He raised his kids with his wife and when the kids moved out of the house took advantage of the opportunity to make money in the U.S. as a sheepherder.

During the winters Modesto watches his sheep in the harsh, empty plains of Wyoming’s Red Desert. Ladder Ranch, Modesto’s employer, brings him and the sheep food during the winter. In the summer they move to the higher elevations, in and out of a lush aspen forest, one of the most beautiful forests I have ever seen. Modesto and his three dogs keep the sheep safe from bears and cats, though some die of natural causes. One such death occurred during my visit and Modesto had to leave the sheep in the forest. Within two days the carcass had been scavenged by a bear and other animals.

Modesto likes the money. He likes being outside and feels responsible for the sheep: partly for their health, but also because more healthy sheep means more money for him and the ranch. He says he doesn’t mind the solitude of life in a tiny trailer. Once a week or so he gets a ride into the nearby tiny town and cell service where he calls his wife and daughters. A week after I left Modesto called me, as he said he would. All was well, last I heard.