Sheep return to Summit County Historical Society May 9
The sheep return to the Summit County Historical Society’s Perkins Stone Mansion grounds on Thursday, May 9 at 6:30 p.m. Akron favorites, shepherdess Edie Steiner and her border collies Rudy, Lincoln and Luke, will be back as well.
This is the fourth season that sheep from Spicy Lamb Farm have spent the summer on Mutton Hill.
The sheep, shepherdess Edie Steiner and her border collies have a full slate of summer activities for their fans. These range from herding and shearing, both planned for May 9; to singing, stories and games.
“Farm Fridays,” with various activities with the sheep, begin June 7; “Mutton Hill Mondays,” a look at the history of agriculture in Summit County, start June 10; and “Working Dog Wednesdays – Border Collies at Work,” with Rudy, Lincoln and Luke the center of attention, begin June 26.
Farm Fridays are scheduled at 11:30 a.m. Mutton Hill Mondays are on select dates from noon to 1 p.m. Working Dog Wednesdays begin at 5:30 p.m. Sheep events are free and open to the public and attendees are encouraged to bring a picnic. Families may tour the Perkins Mansion after each event for $5. Thank you to the R.C. Musson and Katherine M. Musson Charitable Foundation for funding the sheep on the property.
The sheep are very much in keeping with the history of the Stone Mansion, John Brown House and Mutton Hill, the name of the 150-acre Perkins farm. As Society President and CEO Leianne Neff Heppner explained, Simon Perkins, the son of the co-founder of Akron, raised Merino Saxony sheep, which produced high quality wool. Perkins hired John Brown to tend the herd. Brown went on to be known as the abolitionist who attacked Harpers Ferry, W.Va.
The Summit County Historical Society is located at 550 Copley Road. The Perkins Stone Mansion and the John Brown House will also be open for tours on May 9. For additional information, see SummitHistory.org or call 330-535-1120.