The Chief Shepherdess

The hilarious and inspiring memoir from a fresh new voice in the farming world. Perfect for readers of the hugely successful Yorkshire Shepherdess and Call Me Red.

“I grab the motionless lamb, which is frighteningly slippery, and scramble on my feet, swinging its little body around to help it breathe. I see its chest move, then it sneezes and starts breathing. It’s stunned by the delivery experience. As am I. I’m high on adrenaline. Tears are streaming down my face. I pop the lamb down on the ground and start frantically rubbing its tiny body… Looking back, I can see that this was one of the first moments of questioning whether I’m truly cut out for farming, realising that the answer might be… yes”

———————————————————————————————

Zoe Colville spent years in a fancy hair salon with a long list of clients, living on cigarettes, croissants, and a shoestring. It was everything she’d ever wanted. But when an unexpected and overwhelming loss caused her life to shift unexpectedly, she found herself on a different path. One where the only use for a hairdryer is warming new-born lambs; where the cycle of life on a farm gives new meaning on purpose, and where nature is both a strict teacher and a balm to soothe the pressures of everyday life.

Alongside her long-term boyfriend, Zoe is now a full-time farmer, business owner and activist. In this memoir, she speaks vivaciously, humourously, and candidly about the lessons learned along the way, from mental health, social media and identity to surviving as an entrepreneur in a shifting economy. And through those lessons – in love, loss, and lambing – discovering something even more important- that it’s always the right time to take a bold step and try something new.

PRAISE FOR THE CHIEF SHEPHERDESS

‘A new breed of shepherdess blazing a trail across social media, challenging outdated ideas about the job and capturing the public’s imagination along the way’ – Daily Mail

‘The shepherdess whose flock you definitely need to follow’ – Hello!

Author Biography

Zoe Colville is a hairdresser turned shepherdess. She left her fast paced London lifestyle for a simpler life back home in Kent in 2015. Since then, she has dabbled in both hairdressing and farming side by side. Leaving salon life in 2018 she took the plunge to farm full-time with her partner Chris, using Instagram to vlog their escapades and racking up a rapidly growing following. She has a partnership with farming brand Muck Boot and recently featured in Country Living’s ‘Nature & My Mental Health’ video series.