Working in a traditional way means that the shepherd has the care responsibility for a flock of sheep throughout the year, and for this reason is out on the fields almost every day. Especially in spring, summer and autumn, he travels across the heath and the low-yield pastures, hereby significantly contributing to the preservation of biodiversity. The word scheperen (‘to shepherd’) implies that the shepherd is goes with the flock and directs it, either or not based on a grazing plan. The shepherd uses his dogs and his shepherd’s crook. In the evening he returns to the sheepfold or the permanent night meadow. In winter the lambs are usually taken care of in the sheepfold. There are ten ‘shephered’ flocks in Drenthe, two in Overijssel, eleven in Gelderland, two in Utrecht and one flock with a traditional style shepherd in the provinces of North-Brabant, North-Holland, Friesland and Limburg. The traditional style shepherd who joined a guild, works with one of the regional breeds that have developed: Drenthe heath sheep, Large heath sheep, Schoonebeeker, Veluwe and Kempen heath sheep and Mergelland sheep. These old breeds have a genetic makeup by which they can keep alive on heath and low-yield pastures. Because of the large amount of required and varied knowledge, it takes years before a shepherd has finished his education.