Down on the farm....

Capt Lightning

Capt Lightning

Well-known Member
Location
Historic Buchan, Scotland
Lambing is over for the year on our friend's smallholding. These are some of the pedigree Ryeland ewes (or yows as they're called here) and their lambs. Unfortunately there were more rams than ewes born, so they'll be destined for the chop. The ewes will go on to increase the breeding flock.

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The last two lambs of the season - still in the barn.

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Oh I have got to agree, cute pictures. Do they sell the wool at all?
My neighbour down the road raises some sheep and actually uses the wool to make her own clothes from. She even spins it herself.
 

Thanks for sharing those photos Capt, I enjoyed seeing them....and the little ones are adorable! :love_heart:
 
The economics of small scale farming is a very precarious business. Wool (unless it's some specific breeds) is barely worth the cost of having the sheep shorn. Wool from these sheep will mainly be used for insulation. When it comes to raising animals for meat, the figures don't appear at first glance, to add up. You could probably buy meat at the supermarket or butchers for less, BUT, it's not just the cost.

We know everything about each animal - where it came from, who it's parents are, what it's been fed (and they are fed very well), what medication it may have received and how it's been treated. As well as that, these slow growing traditional breeds, are not farmed commercially and would possibly become extinct if small scale producers didn't keep them.
The meat is also much superior in taste!

While people love their pet dogs and cats etc... farmers care equally about the welfare of their stock.. I don't enjoy seeing animals I have helped to raise, heading off of the chop, but I'm happy that they have been treated well. It has also made me much more aware of welfare issues and I'm much more selective about I buy and eat.

Shoulder of mutton for dinner today.
 
I've just finished dinner, and the mutton was very nice. RadishRose, mutton is not very common here, except I believe, in Halal butchers. I expect that it's not so common because of the cost. Mutton comes from sheep greater than 2 years old, while lamb is usually only around 6 - 9 months old. Mutton, although from a heavier animal, has cost a lot more in feed and welfare. Between 1 and 2 years, is called 'Hogget'.

New pigs should be here in a couple of months.
 
Capt Lightning said:
I've just finished dinner, and the mutton was very nice. RadishRose, mutton is not very common here, except I believe, in Halal butchers. I expect that it's not so common because of the cost. Mutton comes from sheep greater than 2 years old, while lamb is usually only around 6 - 9 months old. Mutton, although from a heavier animal, has cost a lot more in feed and welfare. Between 1 and 2 years, is called 'Hogget'.

New pigs should be here in a couple of months.
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Oh, I see, Capt. Yet lamb here is super expensive as it is, except for Springtime/Easter when you can get a leg of lamb on sale. The center cut chops though, are my favorite and they are always expensive.

Now, I am having trouble with piglets. Thanks to the Internet, I am seeing more of them than ever in my life and am falling in love with them. I'm afraid that soon I'll be having a problem with bacon and ham :yuk:
 
-Oy- said:
Nice pix. Never been a fan of lamb - I find it a bit fatty.

Venison is my fave - but it's a bit Deer :)
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Oy, if you like the taste of beef, try moose if you find yourself at a game supper and no venison. It's hard to tell the difference.....in fact, I can't.

I think venison is okay, when stewed with lots of onion, garlic and dry red wine. :playful:
 
Not Bah-aa-ad!
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