Latest news with #Dorper
The Age
2 days ago
- The Age
The luxury farm-stay tents so nice, they won gold
Glass of chardonnay in hand, I recline in an egg-shaped bathtub watching the sky fade from brilliant orange to a dusky violet. Kangaroos bound across distant slopes, while a resident herd of Dorper sheep trots past on a foraging mission. Stepping out of the bubbles into a fluffy white robe as stars start to twinkle above, I retreat inside through sliding glass doors, the autumn chill tempered by a roaring wood fire. 'Alexa,' I command, 'turn the lights on.' 'I'm sorry,' the contrary virtual assistant replies. 'Which light do you mean? The outside light? The deck light? The bathroom light?' Rolling my eyes, I correct myself to be more specific. 'Alexa, turn on the kitchen light.' Understood. Smart hotels may be common these days, but this is, after all, a tent – the last place I expect to be arguing with technology. However, Mudgee's Sierra Escape is more than just a bunch of fancy-pants tents with great views – it has elevated the concept of glamping to rival the comforts of a luxury hotel. In fact, this is done so convincingly that the property recently won a gold award for unique accommodation in the 2024 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, hot on the heels of its victory in the NSW state awards. What, then, makes this particular adults-only eco-retreat so special? Our home for two nights – a safari-style tent named Wirra (meaning 'to rest' in Wiradjuri) – is one of five (an original smaller tent plus four premium additions), along with one tiny home scattered across 180 hectares of rolling farmland 20 minutes north of Mudgee. With each structure perched on its own hillside, the seclusion is absolute – there's no sign of any other tents from our elevated deck, and no one in earshot either. While staff are present on the property, there is limited face-to-face contact unless specifically requested. Access through the front gate is via numberplate recognition, entry to the tents is via a pre-sent digital code, and welcome messages are sent by text.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
The luxury farm-stay tents so nice, they won gold
Glass of chardonnay in hand, I recline in an egg-shaped bathtub watching the sky fade from brilliant orange to a dusky violet. Kangaroos bound across distant slopes, while a resident herd of Dorper sheep trots past on a foraging mission. Stepping out of the bubbles into a fluffy white robe as stars start to twinkle above, I retreat inside through sliding glass doors, the autumn chill tempered by a roaring wood fire. 'Alexa,' I command, 'turn the lights on.' 'I'm sorry,' the contrary virtual assistant replies. 'Which light do you mean? The outside light? The deck light? The bathroom light?' Rolling my eyes, I correct myself to be more specific. 'Alexa, turn on the kitchen light.' Understood. Smart hotels may be common these days, but this is, after all, a tent – the last place I expect to be arguing with technology. However, Mudgee's Sierra Escape is more than just a bunch of fancy-pants tents with great views – it has elevated the concept of glamping to rival the comforts of a luxury hotel. In fact, this is done so convincingly that the property recently won a gold award for unique accommodation in the 2024 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, hot on the heels of its victory in the NSW state awards. What, then, makes this particular adults-only eco-retreat so special? Our home for two nights – a safari-style tent named Wirra (meaning 'to rest' in Wiradjuri) – is one of five (an original smaller tent plus four premium additions), along with one tiny home scattered across 180 hectares of rolling farmland 20 minutes north of Mudgee. With each structure perched on its own hillside, the seclusion is absolute – there's no sign of any other tents from our elevated deck, and no one in earshot either. While staff are present on the property, there is limited face-to-face contact unless specifically requested. Access through the front gate is via numberplate recognition, entry to the tents is via a pre-sent digital code, and welcome messages are sent by text.
San Francisco Chronicle
23-04-2025
- San Francisco Chronicle
Grisly animal remains at Bay Area train station identified as sheep; no crime suspected
Fremont police confirmed Tuesday that animal remains discovered at a local train station last week have been identified as two sheep, and no foul play is suspected. The remains were first reported on April 13, when Amtrak police contacted the Fremont Police Department after finding bags containing 'decapitated and eviscerated' animals left on a bench at the Centerville Train Station. At the time, authorities were unable to identify the species and considered the circumstances potentially suspicious. An investigation was launched, and a forensic veterinarian was called to assist. However, the initial examination was inconclusive. As a follow-up, the remains were sent to a specialized facility for DNA analysis. On Tuesday, police reported that testing conducted by a forensic veterinarian at UC Davis identified the remains as those of two Dorper sheep, a common livestock breed. 'Further investigation has not revealed any evidence of nefarious or ritualistic activity,' the Fremont Police Department said in a statement. 'The case is being suspended as there is no finding of a crime.'
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Yahoo
Mystery solved: Decapitated animals found near Fremont train station identified
(KRON) — The grisly mystery of a pair of decapitated animal remains found on a bench near a train station in Fremont earlier this month appears to have been solved — partially at least. On Sunday April 13 at around 2:30 p.m., AMTRAK police contacted the Fremont Police Department regarding a decapitated and eviscerated animal left on a bench at the Centerville Train Station. Land trust to purchase, preserve Bay Area nude beach property Fremont PD responded and found the animal remains on the bench, along with a nearby bag that contained a second decapitated and eviscerated animal. In both cases, it was impossible to determine the species of the animals. An investigation was launched, and a forensic veterinarian was contacted to assist. An initial examination from the forensic vet was inconclusive. As a follow-up, Fremont PD sent the remains to a specialized facility for further analysis and DNA testing. On Tuesday, Fremont PD said the remains had been examined by a forensic veterinarian at UC Davis. Results from that examination concluded that the remains were from two Dorper sheep, a common breed of sheep. Further investigation, police said, hasn't revealed any evidence of nefarious or ritualistic activity. Fremont PD said the case is being suspended as there is no evidence of a crime. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Wildfire mitigation: Bringing out the sheep, goats to keep vegetation in check
COURTESY 3C GOAT GRAZING Above, goats at work munch on invasive weeds and vegetation on Hawaii island. 1 /2 COURTESY 3C GOAT GRAZING Above, goats at work munch on invasive weeds and vegetation on Hawaii island. GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @ / FEB. 10 Raia Olsen, left, shown rounding up the livestock at the Mililani Agricultural Park with husband Daniel Olsen, started Oahu Grazers, which offers a flock of sheep as a form of fire risk management. 2 /2 GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @ / FEB. 10 Raia Olsen, left, shown rounding up the livestock at the Mililani Agricultural Park with husband Daniel Olsen, started Oahu Grazers, which offers a flock of sheep as a form of fire risk management. COURTESY 3C GOAT GRAZING Above, goats at work munch on invasive weeds and vegetation on Hawaii island. GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @ / FEB. 10 Raia Olsen, left, shown rounding up the livestock at the Mililani Agricultural Park with husband Daniel Olsen, started Oahu Grazers, which offers a flock of sheep as a form of fire risk management. When Raia Olsen, owner of Oahu Grazers, pulls up to the solar farm in Mililani and lets her flock of sheep out of the trailer, they know just what to do. Once she opens the trailer gate, the white Dorper sheep make a beeline for the tasty grass and get straight to work doing what they do best : munching the vegetation down to a nub. 'We'll yell out, 'Foodie, foodie, ' and one will eventually jump out and then they all start piling out, ' Olsen said. 'Sometimes we'll whistle when we move them on foot to different places. We use a certain whistle.' Oahu Grazers is a small family-run business operated by Olsen and her husband, Daniel, on the North Shore, with current contracts to keep the grass down below the panels for several solar farms, including sites in Mililani and Waipio. Those who work in wildfire management say these grazers, which can include sheep, goats and cattle, are just what Hawaii needs to help manage vast tracts of land overgrown with flammable vegetation. 'It's absolutely a win-win, ' said Mark Thorne, range and livestock specialist at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. 'There's very little downside to having a contract for grazing. You're managing the vegetation, the fuel loads, and you're creating an agricultural commodity.' Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. The challenge, however, is in growing awareness and support for the value of targeted, large-scale grazing in the isles and how best to boost this lesser-known niche of Hawaii's livestock industry. Thorne presented on the potential benefits of targeted grazing at the held in late February in Kona, noting it would be more cost-effective than other methods of clearing dry vegetation. He said it's less expensive than hiring workers to weed-whack an area for several weeks or than spraying costly herbicides, which comes with health and environmental concerns. 'We can use targeted grazing to do strip grazing, to create firebreaks or to create green zones between the woodlands and communities, ' Thorne said. This would be ideal in areas where the threat of wildfire is greatest, including the hills above Lahaina in West Maui, in Kawaihae on Hawaii island and in the wildlands above most leeward communities and alongside highways where dry grasses are often ignited. While there are a handful of ranchers who provide grazing serv ices, the market in Hawaii is still under development. Grasses abound More than a year after the August 2023 wildfires in Lahaina and Upcountry Maui, the hills throughout Hawaii are still carpeted with flammable grasses. Clay Trauernicht, UH Manoa ecosystem fire scientist, has for years of fire-prone grasses and brush that provide fuel for wildfires, once estimating the total at 1 million acres statewide. Much attention has been given to the problem since the Maui wildfires, but action to prevent these grasses from becoming fuel for fires is still a work in progress. Trauernicht, too, believes in the potential power of goats and sheep to do this work. 'It's a no-brainer, especially for near-term and large-scale fuels reduction, ' he said. 'These animals are the best tools for it. … We should be doing it everywhere we can.' It just so happens that sheep and goats love feasting on some of the very same vegetation—buffelgrass and guinea grass—that the Hawaii Invasive Species Council has labeled as among the most invasive, habitat-modifying and potentially fire-promoting grasses in the Hawaiian Islands. Goats and sheep are also good at stripping down woody shrubbery, Trauernicht said, including invasive haole koa, which poses a fire hazard because it potentially creates ember showers. Thorne estimated that 750, 000 of the 1 million acres of grasslands in Hawaii are actually in livestock production, while the remaining 250, 000 acres are former sugar and pineapple lands that remain fallow. Grazing is commonly used in Mediterranean countries and in other U.S. states, including California, Nevada and Utah. In Los Angeles, Thorne said, goats have been used to chomp down the chaparral zone of shrubs and brush that dry out in the summer to help prevent fires. There is currently not enough incentive for Hawaii livestock ranchers to offer grazing in addition to their core business, he said, but demand for the service is growing. Momentum may also be growing with the introduction of the bipartisan ' U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, joined other senators in introducing the measure in February to promote research on grazing and how it can support fuels reduction, wildfire mitigation and post-fire recovery. The legislation would support research of grazing for wildfire mitigation at land grant universities such as UH Manoa, the University of California, and Kansas State and Oklahoma State universities. Goats in action Mark Crivello, owner of 3C Goat Grazing on Hawaii island, has observed hundreds of his goats in action for 15 years. He says he's had contracts to provide the service for Hawaii County, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Hawaii National Guard. The jobs have varied from deploying his goats to clear a by soccer fields in Hilo to clearing vegetation near Hilo International Airport and at cultural sites such as Laaloa and Puapuaa Point. But the work isn't consistent year-round. Goats can reach steep terrain and 'go where machines and humans can't go, ' he said. Crivello, formerly a heavy equipment operator, promised his daughter a pet goat when she was a toddler and then fell in love with the animals. He has a no-kill policy, letting them live out their retirement years because he considers them family. 'This is my passion, ' he said. 'I live this life, breathe this life. Wherever my goats go, I live with them.' Crivello believes the animals can even help with forest conservation and preventing grass-fire cycles. Goats and sheep are ungulates, or hooved animals, and in the conservation world they are considered invasive and destructive. Fences are erected to keep feral ungulates out of sensitive areas and protect native plants and animals. But Crivello is convinced that domestic goats and sheep—if managed the right way—can also help with conservation goals. In a past project for DLNR, he used sheep, which he also owns, to help remove invasive grasses while leaving native wiliwili trees alone. The whole concept of targeted grazing means setting out the right grazers in the right place at the right time, and Crivello says he knows just how to do that. Getting started Targeted grazing is not as simple as just releasing the animals onto a site ; it takes equipment, skills and experience. Olsen started with raising cattle but got into solar grazing and now has a little over 1, 000 sheep, along with a few goats. Oahu Grazers has had contracts with the solar energy companies since 2019 and hopes to expand serv ices to include more targeted grazing for wildfire prevention. Olsen is excited about the possibility of working with Waialae Iki, a new Firewise community, to clear out a parcel of overgrown weeds to help create a fuel break. Sheep are ideal for grasses at solar sites, as they graze to the ground, she said, while goats are browsers that consume more of the top portions of vegetation and take down haole koa by 'girdling ' them and eating the bark. Having a combination of the two—and sometimes cattle—are ideal for tackling various projects, according to Olsen. Over time she was able to get equipment, including portable corrals to load onto the trailer, and electric fences. Prices for a job will vary, she said, depending on the number of acres and how much fencing and preparation are required, as well as other factors such as water accessibility. One benefit of sheep grazing, Olsen said, is that their hooves aerate the soil so that when it rains, more water can be absorbed into the ground. And when they graze, they also poop, which is beneficial as fertilizer. 'With the amount of weed whacking and tree trimming that goes on, it's clear this can be done with sheep and goats, ' she said. Grazing Research Act U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono has joined other senators in introducing the to promote studies on how grazing can support wildfire mitigation, fuels reduction and post-fire recovery.—Supports research and development of grazing land management techniques at land-grant universities like UH Manoa, the University of California, Kansas State University and Oklahoma State University.—Promotes sending information on wildlife grazing to public and private landowners and livestock owners.—Legislation is endorsed by the Environ mental Defense Fund and The Nature Conservancy.
