First published in Great Britain as "The wisdom of sheep & other animals" by Faber & Faber, 2023.

Includes bibliographical references.

Introduction: The journey to Kite's Nest -- A cold late winter -- The four seasons -- London, 1899 -- A royal visitor -- Body language -- Love of birds -- Hardy -- BSE strikes -- When the wind blows -- Words of no syllables -- Grahame -- Civilisation and its discontents -- Compassionate sheep -- Nocturnal vigils -- Stress-free food -- Sheep playing -- On the character of cows -- proverb -- The power of music -- Trevelyan -- An extremely windy night -- At the bidding of bulls -- Wildlife corridors -- The heart of the meadow -- Milking by Braille -- Let the cows speak -- Psychology and sleep, ditto and sheep -- Dink -- Cold feet -- Exploitative animals -- proverb -- Housebuilding -- Water -- Duped by a cow -- Isaiah -- Rough-shouldered by a hen -- Ruminating on ruminants anthropomorphically -- The fire -- Ruskin -- I wouldn't thank you for an office job -- On the physiology of wool -- a national asset of immeasurable value -- Lindén -- The bovine Scarlet Pimpernel -- Communication -- Dickens -- A field of frogs -- A balanced diet -- A critical threat -- Wilcox -- Intensive care -- How not to worry -- Chanel -- Egalité, fraternité -- Under the stars -- Drovers and rovers -- Nature and nurture -- Stevenson -- A new field of study -- Don't forget to put the moth out -- Herding and droving -- Fit for a king -- Exuberance -- proverb -- A retrospective diary entry -- Life and luck -- Gray -- The old coppice -- Another use for hazel wands -- What is there to be glad about in November? -- On bottle-rearing lambs -- A woodland arrival -- On being skittish -- Christmas -- What no man learned yet -- Clare -- Staying youthful -- Midsummer madness -- Birdwatching -- Talking turkey -- Never too late -- The hunt for Red Nell -- King Diarmait -- A sheep learning curve -- Milk and comfort -- An Austro-German knitting cycle -- Allergic reactions -- Butler -- Jumping for joy -- White dot -- Dandelion -- Hale -- Making hay -- Daphne -- Trees be company -- Gambolling by night -- proverb -- All is dark again -- Sprawling beauty -- The psychology of farming -- And they're off -- Emerson -- Here is just a field of grass... -- The very minutest beauties -- Hues that lift the spirit -- Winnowing the wheat -- Barnes -- A special friendship -- Life lessons -- What's in my Land Rover -- Learning lessons -- How to navigate a field of cows -- Barnes -- Tasting the past -- Time is the only thing any of us owns -- Old hens and new tricks -- What time do bats get up? -- Tenderness and tragedy -- The keeping of secrets.

"A touching, wise and surprising chronicle of the rich inner lives of animals, drawn from Rosamund Young's extraordinary lifetime as an organic farmer. We talk a lot about sheep: following the herd, counting sheep to fall asleep and looking out for wolves in sheep's clothing. But, just like people, animals don't always follow the pack. Some are affectionate while others butt heads; some follow the leader while some guide the whole flock home. With startling beauty and tenderness, Rosamund Young reveals the remarkable emotional and intellectual complexity of the animals she lives with on her family farm, and the story of her life's work, with the intimacy of a personal diary. Just as she did in her acclaimed book, The Secret Life of Cows, Young transports readers to the wild meadows of Kite's Nest Farm, where she has worked as an organic farmer for over forty years, at the beck and call of the abundant wildlife, living in direct contact with the consciousnesses of her beloved animals. Through tender portraits of her sometimes eventful but always rewarding days at Kite's Nest, Young recounts a multitude of discoveries, such as how cows converse with one another, why sheep are so strongheaded--and why you should never, ever text whilst milking. That's a lesson you need learn only once. This is a story of joy, discovery, cooperation and, sometimes, heartbreak. But through it all, The Wisdom of Sheep is a fresh and delightful tribute to the miraculous inner worlds of the animals all around us and what we can learn about them, and about ourselves, by watching them more closely"-- Provided by publisher.

Also available online.