GRAND RONDE — Piper Klinger, who with her husband, Bob, raises sheep near the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation, was introduced to farming while a student at Ohio State University.

A native of rural southern Ohio, she did not grow up on a farm. Her father was a carpenter. While at Ohio State, she was a technician at the university’s agricultural experiment station and involved in a study of cattle.

She then attended graduate school at Oregon State University, where she spent many hours at the university sheep barn testing lambs.

That is where she met Bob Klinger, who was the sheep farm manager. When they were married, she said, they lived rent-free in a house on campus that was built to house herdsmen.

They have been farming together since 1983 and for the past 20 years have owned their farm. They raise chickens for eggs on the side.

All their sheep are of the versatile Polypay breed. Their wool is sold to Pendleton Woolen Mills. The sheep fit for breeding go for that purpose on the farm or are sold.

“The thing I like most about farming is the animals and the outdoor life,” Piper said. “It is a complete life for me. I grow my own vegetables, have plenty of eggs, and there’s never a dull moment.”

The Klingers have 47 breeding ewes, 27 replacement yearling ewes, six mature rams and four teaser rams — those that have been vasectomized so their owners can tell which ewes are in heat.

“That way,” Piper said, “we know which ewes are with which rams.”

There are five yearling rams.

Rams are marked with crayons of different colors, so the Klingers know when to start them breeding.

“Nearly all of our ewes” had twins or triplets, Piper said. If a ewe has a single birth, one of the triplets is “grafted” onto the ewe with one lamb. Two border collies herd the sheep.