The Shearing Life with Phoebe Smith

In our first episode of Season 3, we are brought into the fast, physical, deeply skilled world of professional sheep shearing. We sit down with Phoebe Smith, the only woman in Oregon shearing full‑time at a commercial scale. I arrived curious and left humbled, grateful to be invited in.Shearing is essential to Oregon agriculture, yet often invisible. Phoebe opens that world, sharing what it takes to shear for both fiber and meat producers, what she’s learned from shearing across the U.S. and abroad, and how she found not just a trade, but a calling.She traces her path into the work, the passion that keeps her on the road, and the realities of a profession that demands athletic strength, technical precision, and grit. It was a joy to learn from her and to place her voice and work within Oregon’s broader farming story. I am in awe of her fierce dedication, for the remarkable skill she brings to this work, all delivered with a humility that makes her even more extraordinary.