Delicious and nutritious! Sheep graze on California Golden Poppies

The Antelope Valley Press ^ | April 23, 2003 | RICH BREAULT

[BenLurkin]

Soft rolling hills, their sides ablaze in the vibrant colors of Antelope Valley's wildflowers, are a very inviting sight to all - even sheep.

While many people converge upon fields of California golden poppies with cameras to hopefully catch a wonderful memory, sheep are hoping to catch a meal.

In fields of wildflowers located near the Antelope Valley California Poppy State Reserve, located 15 miles east of Lancaster, herds of sheep graze on poppies and other wildflowers, a spring ritual that is believed to enhance future poppy blooms.

The sheep are not grazing on poppies in the reserve. They munch on their gastronomic delights on private lands leased by sheep growers.

It is against California law for people to pick wildflowers on public lands or on private property without permission. But for sheep on leased private land, the same doesn't hold true.

"Sometimes while working at the poppy reserve, I'll be on patrol and see a herd of sheep on the other side of the fence grazing among the wildflowers," said Bob McKnight, a ranger with the Mojave Desert Sector of the California State Parks System.

"However, inside the reserve there have been no real incidents of people picking the poppies."

Milt Stark, an Antelope Valley resident and author of several books, including "A Flower-Watcher's Guide to Spring-Blooming Flowers of the Antelope Valley," said that grazing sheep may actually be beneficial to wildflowers.

"There is a lot of evidence that shows poppies need disturbed soil to do well and to help the germination process," Stark said. "And the sheep's hooves help disturb the soil.

"In fact, I have seen sheep mow down areas of poppies and those areas come back the same season."

Stark said not enough is known about how and why wildflowers prosper or fail to prosper.

"During planning for the reserve in the 1980s, we hoped some experiments would be done to help us study wildflowers," Stark said. "We wanted to see what works and what doesn't. About the only thing done at the reserve are controlled burns every few years.

"Why is it that in certain years when flowers at the reserve are sparse, they are plentiful in nearby areas where there was grazing the previous year? If we don't try to find out, we probably never will. Is it the disturbed soil, fertilizer from the sheep (scat), water saturating the ground better?"

[BenLurkin]

The poppy display is a great one this year. Come on out and see them! Just follow the signs to the Poppy Preserve. (It is WEST of Lancaster!)

[WSGilcrest]

Was down there last spring and got some great pics. Now, where did I put THAT disc? :)