EATING LOCAL | HILL REARED LAMB
No two days are the same for Travelling Basket and this one was no exception, gathered in the cosy farmhouse kitchen, the smell of roasting lamb wafting through an air of excitement. Last year Baddinsgill Farm launched it's very own meat box scheme providing local heather hill reared meat boxes to local and British Customers and we had the very great pleasure of documenting this wonderful moment and exciting new chapter.
We had an absolutely wonderful day showcasing just how tasty and versatile their heather reared Blackface lamb is. It was a pleasure to be able to work alongside the incredibly talented chef Clare Marriage, to style and shoot the most scrumptious cuts and roasts.
Whilst gathered in the fabulously warm farmhouse kitchen, catching up on the farm
news, scrubbing rainbow homegrown vegetables and working away on a handful of equally fabulous Sunday lunch creations, complete with sides, garnishes and sauces, they talked us through how the majority of meat available in the supermarkets today gets there and how the local alternative is just so much better.
"The supermarket shelves have a tendency to be flooded with lamb shipped all the way from New Zealand. Now it may be sunny and pretty down under, but it doesn't make the lamb taste any better. In fact, the lamb was butchered on averaged over 4 weeks ago before it reaches you after having been shipped round the globe. Instead of supporting this somewhat strange system, why not try some lamb grown in our excellent rainy and pretty Scotland!" That's what Baddinsgill Farm can offer you - a local alternative. "Our lamb has absolute minimal mileage because we work with local businesses. You'll receive a box full of fresh vacuum packed lamb ready for your culinary creations. Your lamb is selected from the fields and hill parks when your order is placed by the order deadline, and is processed by the abattoir and butcher within 14 days. So it's really gate to plate, farm to fork. You get the idea. We're a family farm working with a small local abattoir and small award winning local butcher to produce a fantastic local product. Little on size, big on taste."
You can order your own whole or half lamb box by emailing the Baddinsgill team at orders@baddinsgill.com and it will be shipped to your door, vacuum packed in wonderful sheep wool cool insulation boxes with a note from the Shepherdess.
We were so impressed by the energy, knowledge and enthusiasm of the team at Baddinsgill and we certainly have an abundance of lamb in Scotland, it's hard to resist. Whilst collapsing tripods and packing lights back into the car, we couldn't help but wonder why didn't we all support a local meat box scheme, fresh and local, straight to your door.
Now then, we're sufficiently peckish so we'll be seeing you soon so until then, N&J