Jobs for herding dogs

Question
I have a 10 month old male Australian Shepherd. I love him so much, but I feel bad because I have a 3 month old baby and don't have much time to play with him and I know he's bored. All the books say that a bored Aussie will be destructive. But not my Boomer. He is the best dog Are there farms I can take him to during the day so he can work and have fun?

Answer
First off, let me say that I truly applaud you for not giving up on keeping your Aussie and making sure that he has a nice life, despite the busy life you now have raising a baby of your own.  So many times, families have their first child and no longer think they can keep a dog.  But, when a dog is not a threat to a child, and is simply in need of activity, not only can you keep him in your home, you can have a great deal of fun, and you can provide your child with the benefits of growing up in the company of a pet.  When you model responsibility for a child, they grow to be a responsible adult!
There are many ways to occupy an Aussie's mind, and they don't all have to do with sheep or cattle:-))  Dog agility is a fun sport that you can try on a small scale in your own back yard.  You can buy a starter "agility in a bag" set: http://www.affordableagility.com/agilityinbag.htm
Or, you can make your own small obstacles.  Some stakes in the ground for weave poles, a table with the legs cut down and some non-skid paint on top make a handy pause table.  Jumps from PVC piping.  There are lots of beginner agility books, or you can take lessons. (Class gives you a nice brief night out in the company of other adults - let a relative sit with the baby.  Then, motherhood won't seem quite so overwhelming either.)
Training of any kind provides mental stimulation, which tires a dog and keeps them thinking.  Clicker training can be lots of fun, and great for the dog, especially if you have a hard time getting away from the house.  Peggy Tillman's book "Clicking With Your Dog" is a great start, or you can go to www.clickerlessons.com and use the free lessons on that site - it's very well written.  When you learn to clicker train, you can even give your dog some jobs around the house, like picking up his own toys, or putting laundry into the basket.
My dogs push doors open for me when my hands are full:-))
To give your dog some socialization with other dogs, if he likes dogs that are unfamiliar to him (some dogs don't), you could try dog day care, or play groups with neighbors' friendly dogs.  As a kid, I remember that my mom would sit with other moms at the park, and all the dogs were there playing too.  Of course, it's a different world today - then, there were no leash laws.  Some farmers do give herding lessons, but it's unlikely that any serious farmer will just let your dog come over to play.  You will probably have to devote some time to play with or train your dog.  But, an Aussie can be happy with five minutes of training here and there throughout the day and a play period morning and night (try frisbee, that gets them running).  Whatever you choose, just have fun.  Your Aussie, because of his breed, is a very versatile dog, and can learn all sorts of tasks, and will be happy as long as he's with you and using his problem solving abilities.  Good luck!  And thanks for being a committed Aussie owner.