Buy lamb / hogget
Lamb / hoggets
Our 100% grass fed and Certified Organic lamb / hogget is from one of our Shetland x Icelandic sheep born and raised on our nature friendly Dartmoor Farm. Their ‘job’ is to help manage the varied habitats found on the farm – in particular keeping the archaeology from being smothered by gorse and other scrub, and maintaining areas of short grassland that are nationally important for waxcaps. Allowed to mature slowly and naturally eating the wide range of grasses, flowers and herbs growing in our meadows and moorland their meat has fantastic taste, texture and marbling.
To lock-in these great rich flavours it has been expertly cut by a local Taste of the West award-winning butcher before being vacuum packed and frozen (apart from pre-orders of ½ lamb).
Like our cows, to minimise their carbon footprint, they are 100% grass-fed for life (i.e. they are never fed any cereals) which means they mature more slowly and so are not ready for slaughter until they are around 18 months old (most lamb is from animals 6 – 9 months old), and so are called hoggets, which is the name given to lambs in their second year. As a result, their meat has a finer texture than ‘normal’ lamb and is best cooked gently to bring out a real rich flavour that comes from their varied natural diet – several people have told us ‘they taste how they remember lamb used to taste’. Grass-fed meat is also naturally high in antioxidants, Omega 3, vitamins and minerals.
Care for our animals is also a core part of our ethos and we were the first upland farm in England to be accredited Animal Welfare Approved by a Greener World – a rigorous standard that is only available to farmers whose livestock have access to fields year round.
We are a working farm and don’t have a shop on site. Most people come and collect their meat, combining it with a walk. We are around most of the time, so once you have ordered using the shop below, just let us know when would be convenient (your order confirmation email has our contact info) and we’ll put your order aside and confirm that we will be in. Whilst you go on your walk, you are welcome to leave your car by the house.
We also offer free delivery locally (within 20 miles) for orders over £60 and can overnight courier to England and Wales in an insulated box for £15 (but please check before ordering).
Mutton
Following requests, we now have some mutton in stock. This is from a 3-year-old sheep who like all our sheep have been fed on just the grasses and herbs found on our farm. Mutton is full of flavour and tastes wonderful after a long, gentle cook. Mutton can take strong spices for a more exotic Easter (eg, mutton biryani) but also tastes wonderful roasted with capers or anchovies, tapenade or a generous bunch of Mediterranean herbs. If you want a fall-off-the-bone slow roast, or a traditional hotpot, mutton is for you. You can find some great recipes to cook it on the BBC website.
