Joan Jarvis- January 2018

Let’s start 2018 off with the one & only Joan Jarvis as our January “Women of Wool” feature! Joan was raised on a dairy farm, where she loved to ride horses and help with various chores around the farm. On the day of tryouts for the Fiesta Day Rodeo Queen she was coming down with the measles. So she saddled up her paint horse, and before her mom realized what was going on , she headed to town. She was crowned queen and met her future husband. Now 66 years later they have 6 children, 21 grand children and 58 great grand children. Before she was married she had never eaten lamb. Now she prepares it daily and is a strong promoter of sheep and wool. She started selling pelts 50 years ago, when they were $10.00. She served as area and state make it with wool director. She has held every office in the auxiliary and is still a strong supporter of their activities. Joan was a 4-h leader for horse riding, sewing, cooking and livestock clubs. She has spent hours r at various events helping educate kids and adults about our product, the business and lifestyle. She is very proud to be a wife of a sheepman but she is much more than that they are partners in every aspect of the word. Joan works side by side with her husband and son in the daily operations of the ranch. She cooks, runs errands, drives truck, herds sheep, pulls lambs and anything else that needs to be done. She spends the summer in Idaho with the sheep. Family is very important to her. She enjoys family gatherings so the entire family spends a week end in Idaho. On holidays everyone gathers at her home. She instilled in her kids the importance of being nice to everyone and taught by example the value of hard work. All of her kids received a hand stitched quilt when the graduate and each great grandchild received a hand stitched quilt, embroidered with a lamb. Joan and Lee have attended almost every state and National convention for over 50 years. Joan enjoys people and makes friends every where she goes. Involvement and commitment are two words used to describe Joan. She is committed and involved with her family and the sheep industry.