Help Wanted: Boondocks Town Needs Shepherd

shepherd (links to original article)

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 26 April 2011)

Residents of Yeşilyurt village in Taşova district of Amasya province
have had the following announcement made from the town's loudspeakers:
'shepherd wanted to look after cattle and grazing animals; monthly salary
of 1500TL, housing, three meals a day.' The village chief, retired teacher
Fikri Seyhan, said that they are looking for a shepherd to tend about 200
animals in the 150 house village which is 50 kilometers from the district
center and which has no negative infrastructure issues to speak of.

Seyhan stated that they won't take just anyone for the shepherd job and
that the winning candidate will conform to the criteria the village has set
and will have to pass a test.  He explained their search this way: 'since
most of the people are abroad there's no one left to look after our
animals in the pastures of our village. And while raising livestock has
waned in our village it nevertheless continues. We've been experiencing
a need for shepherd to put the animals out to pasture for some years
now. That's why we've started to look for a shepherd.When we didn't
find one who met our conditions we had announcements made from
the loudspeakers in Tokat's Erbaa and Amasya's Taşova districts.'

Seyhan said that they are very fussy about who they will select for the
shepherd job and he described the kind of person they want in exchange
for 1500TL per month, housing and three meals a day: 'we want the
shepherd who starts work  to love animals. We want him to look after
the animals as he would if they were his own. He must pay attention to
providing feed and water to the animals in hot weather. Also, he should
ensure that there's no damage to the lands under cultivation nearby. We're
looking for a shepherd with these conditions.'

The selected shepherd will only work during the six month summer period,
according to Seyhan. He added that 'we've provided every kind of amenity
and comfort for the shepherd. He can come with his family. They can tend
a garden and grow fruit during the summer season. Interested persons
can make an application to our village chief's office.'