A day at the hill farm
8 April 2026 · By Emil Novak · Farms, Lamb
We drove out to the co-op that raises our lamb, and came back with mud on the van and a longer waiting list.
Twice a year we close on a Monday and drive out to the farms. This spring it was the hill co-op, ninety minutes north, where our lamb comes from.
The flock is out on rough grazing from April, moved between three parcels so the ground recovers. Lambs stay with their mothers far longer than the industry standard, which is why the meat has more character and why there is less of it to go around.
What you notice on the ground is how boring it is, in the best sense. No sheds, no rush, no medicated feed. Sheep eating grass slowly on a hill. It is the least dramatic supply chain imaginable, and the price on our board reflects it.
We came back with an agreement for the same allocation next year, and a reminder of why we do not list lamb between January and March.