Alumni in the News
Mark J. Bingham – B.S., Ag. Econ., 1972; M.S., Econ., 1975
SunHerald.com - March 26, 2008 To a sheep rancher, one lamb born to each ewe is common. Two lambs are ideal. Three or more, however, mean trouble, since one ewe cannot feed three lambs on her own. As a result, the third lamb is left alone to starve and die unless special provisions are made. Commonly, ranchers will hire someone, usually a child, to feed the "bum" lambs with a bottle and take care of them. Many times, the little lamb will bond to its surrogate mother and follow her anywhere allowed. Mark Jay Bingham's new color-illustrated children's book, "Woolie" (published by AuthorHouse -- http://www.authorhouse.com), creatively expounds upon the familiar nursery rhyme, "Mary Had A Little Lamb," and provides children with an applicable, real-life explanation as to how and why Mary had a lamb as her companion. The rhyming story begins on a sheep farm, when one ewe, Dolly, gives birth to a set of triplets and isn't able to feed all of them. Because of the dilemma, the owner, Marcus, calls and asks his niece, Mary, if she would be interested in caring for the third lamb, Woolie. She shows whole-hearted interest and enthusiasm, making it very easy for Marcus to give her the responsibility. Mary and Woolie become a wonderful pair and the two journey everywhere together: You remember the rhyme of the girl and her lamb, You'll always remember her name, These lines will outline the rest of the story, Mary, the lamb, and their fame. "Woolie" is a story that has repeated itself time and time again on sheep ranches around the world. Lambs have been seen walking behind their adopted mothers on city streets and inside their homes. Others have even been reported as running and following behind cars when they know their caretaker is inside of the vehicle. Not all lamb placement stories turn out like Mary and Woolie, but oftentimes they do. A fun and interesting read, "Woolie" is brought to life by the work of gifted illustrator Margo Anhder Mark. Mary becomes an adorable little girl whose goodness is visible in the images of her fun-filled life. Woolie's facial expressions create smiles that turn into chuckles and outright laughter. Her wool is always curly and fun, and her eyes and eyelashes are endearing and charismatic. Mark Jay Bingham was raised in a family of 12 children on a farm in northern Utah. His family's herd of purebred registered Columbia sheep was something he dealt with almost daily. He attended Utah State University in Logan and received a bachelor's and master's degree in agriculture economics. After working in an office setting for several years, Bingham returned to his family's farm and took over management of their herd of registered sheep. "Woolie" is Bingham's first book. He is currently working on its sequel. AuthorHouse is the premier book publisher (http://www.authorhouse.com) for emerging, self-published (http://www.authorhouse.com/GetPublished/FAQ.aspx) authors.