Our Team
Andrée Talbott Soares President
Andree Soares is a 3rd generation California Rancher whose Basque heritage and custom of herding livestock began over one hundred years ago in the Pyrenees Mountains. Raised in the central San Joaquin Valley in her family’s commercial sheep ranching business, Talbott Sheep Company, Andree initially followed her mother’s footsteps as a Registered Nurse. She practiced at Valley Children’s Hospital in the central valley for 28 years. In 2014, Andrée purchased Star Creek Land Stewards as a side business which has grown into her passion and is now her full time career. Andrée manages the business but is also fully committed to the larger industry as a whole. She serves as the President of the California Wool Growers Association and is the first woman to ever sit on the board of the Western Range Association. Andrée is involved in many other organizations regarding natural resource & land management in the State of California, such as the Range Management Advisory Committee, and is always eager to attend and participate in different association meetings & conventions. Fully dedicated to continuing to assist in the progress of the sheep, goat, and targeted grazing industries in California.
Emilio Huarte Operations Manager
Emilio is Star Creeks “Sheep Boss.” He has been around livestock his entire life. His father immigrated from the Basque Country in Spain and came to the U.S. as a sheepherder for Talbott Sheep Co. Following in his fathers footsteps, Emilio began working for Talbott Sheep Co. as the Foreman, and has now taken on the role of Operations Manager for SCLS. Emilio is responsible for livestock husbandry and welfare, managing herders, transportation, and equipment. His duties require thinking and planning ahead for feed and livestock movement throughout the year. He manages the breeding program for both sheep & goats, and is responsible for health & nutrition of the livestock. He is an invaluable resource to Star Creek, and many others targeted grazers in the industry. He is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to livestock management and care. Much like his own upbringing, Emilio has raised his 5 children with the same passion for the livestock. His passion for the sheep and goats is evident in the Company and contributes greatly to keeping the business going on a daily basis.
Bianca Artadi Shapero Project ManageR
Bianca is the Project Manager of Star Creek. She’s the 4th generation in her family’s sheep company & has a tremendous passion for livestock and has been around sheep all her life. She graduated from UC Davis with a Bachelors Degree in Managerial Economics in 2018, and has spent much time immersed in the world of targeted grazing, learning about the benefits of sustainable grazing through proper management. Bianca is the main communicator between our team and clients. She strategizes grazing plans with each Herder to best fit the priorities of individual projects. She creates and collaborates on project maps, organizes water sources, coordinates transportation, performs site visits and manages the herd schedules. In the non-grazing season, Bianca works to conclude post-season reviews and begins preparing the schedule for the next season. She also assists with the management of Talbott Sheep Co. her grandparents Sheep Outfit and serves on the the Targeted Grazing Committee for California Wool Growers Association and is on the CalCAN Rancher advisory board.
Shepherds
Our team of Herders consists of livestock specialists with years of experience from Peru, working here through the H2A visa program. They specialize in managing sheep and goats, and working with their border collie herding dogs. These valued employees of Star Creek Land Stewards have together helped to develop our professional grazing program. They are responsible for animal health of their herds, setting up fencing/paddocks, and moving their herds. They work closely with our Project Manager and Operations Manager to determine timing and when is best to move their herds. Every year is different, and it is key that they are in constant communication with the rest of the team to best execute every project. They are our experts on the ground and truly an immense asset to any targeted grazer. Our company, and many other sheep and goat operations around the country would not exist without their hard work.
Our herds run as either mixed herds of sheep and goats, or herds of only one species. A herd is roughly 400-1,000 animals depending on the size and scope of the project.
Dorper Sheep
The primary breed of sheep in our herds is the Dorper Sheep. This specific breed originates from South Africa and is physically better equipped for grazing in California during the summer. They are a hair sheep, as opposed to wool, meaning we do not shear them for wool products. Their hair naturally sheds throughout the warmer seasons which is why you may see them sporting some kind of dysfunctional mohawk at times. Grazing season also coincides with their breeding season, so you will probably see a mixture of males (rams) and females (ewes). During the late fall and winter, our ewes are home in Los Banos, CA lambing (having babies).
Boer Goats
Our primary breed of goat is the Spanish x Boer goat. They are not a dairy goat breed. Unfortunately, we are unable to collect delicious goat milk from them. They are however beautiful, hardy animals that do an excellent job of grazing in California and thrive off of the environment. Our goat herds are either a blend of does (females) and billies (breading males) or solely wethers (castrated males). The type of herd prescribed depends on the density of the vegetation that the animals are grazing and often the time of year. All of our female animals are home in Los Banos, CA having babies in the mid-late fall and early winter .
Border Collies
Border Collies are a crucial part of our operation. For centuries, herding dogs have been used to manage livestock. They are incredibly intelligent, fast, and reliable work dogs. Each Herder will have 1-3 border collies present in order to assist them with moving and caring for the livestock while on projects. The bond between the Herders and their dogs is very strong and clear to see when you are able to witness this amazing team work. It is important to remember that while they often seem relaxed and playful during their “off-time”, they are working dogs and not pets.
Livestock Guardian Dogs
We use mainly the Great Pyrenees breed of guard dog to protect our animals from predators. That includes mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, dogs and even people. These giants may often appear docile and lazy but they do an amazing job of protecting the herds form predators. They are a wonderful asset to have and absolutely crucial in keeping our animals safe from harm. There is typically 1 LGD in with a herd at a time if the herd is grazing in an area where our Project Manager has determined there may be threats.