Herding sheep

Mitch Kezar

Slide 1 of 8

Finding the right fit

A few years ago, Kathy and Joe Donovan moved from suburban Washington, D.C., to a small farm in the mountains of Virginia. Kathy spent her childhood in Ohio and had a love for farm life, but Joe was a city boy. "It's in my genes," Kathy says. "But it's not in Joe's!"

Kathy wanted to raise animals, but wasn't sure which kind. Horses and cattle were too big for her 10 acres. Bees were a possibility, but with black bears in the neighborhood, she decided against that. She eventually chose Karakul sheep, a rare breed that comes in white, black, red and brown. They are hardy, adaptable, calm, intelligent and inquisitive.