In rural Upper Canada, livestock such as sheep were important for many families. Sheep were relatively easy to care for, grazing in pastures in the summer and hay in the winter. Sheep were beneficial in many ways. There wool could be used to create clothing and textiles, sheep not needed for herd development could be sold or used as meat, and the manure was vital in maintaining soil for crops. Sheep were also used by farmers in an informal barter economy, being exchanged and used for credit, or sold. In