9 Ways Our Lamb is ‘Better Different’ to Supermarket Lamb

Lamb from the supermarket...

Lamb from Your Food Collective...

It’s just the same, right?

Well, no.

We reckon not all lamb is created equally...

At Your Food Collective, we connect you with delicious lamb from Hunter Natural, the company responsible for running Bona Vista sheep and beef farm just up the road in Barrington Tops.

This lamb looks different, tastes different and has a different (and probably more interesting) backstory to the lamb available at your local supermarket.

But not just different, we know this lamb is ‘better different’ to what you get at the shops.

Here are 9 reasons why:

1. Amazing grazing
   On David and Marianne Carter’s farm Bona Vista,sheep are grazed predominantly on diverse native pasture using strategic rotational grazing management to increase soil health and biodiversity.
   
   Huh? What’s that mean?
   
   Rotational grazing means groups of stock feed in one area, ideally to coincide with the most nutrient-dense phase of plant growth. When the feed’s gone, they are moved to another spot, allowing for the first area to recover and regrow.
   
   It’s good practice for the land, good for the stock and ultimately, good for the consumer.
   
   
2. You are what they eat
   Researchers say lambs fed on diverse pastures like atBona Vista have an optimal balance of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats and higher levels of vitamin and minerals than grain fed meat that you typically find on a supermarket shelf.
   
   Our friends at the Heart Foundation encourage consumption of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats for heart health and helping the cholesterol balance in the blood, so with Hunter Natural lamb, you’re on a nutritional winner!
   
   
   
3. Chilled-out and happy
   At their Barrington Tops home, Hunter Natural sheep are quiet and happy, spending more time grazing, lazing and chewing their cud rather than stressing about too much involvement from humans. (Sounds more like a great B&B than a farm, doesn’t it?)
   
   But when it’s time for human interaction, the sheep are handled using the ‘Low Stress Stock’ handling method. And while it’s not hard to outwit a sheep, this method means David and Marianne base their practices around the sheep's natural behaviours and tendencies so as to keep the flock calm and compliant.
   
   The bottom line is a relaxed sheep translates into top-quality, flavoursome and tender meat on your dinner table - yum!
   
   (Oh, and you can feel good knowing the animal lived a good life on a good  farm!)
   
   
4. Locals rule
   These lambs are not big on travel, and living just 200 km (as the crow flies!) away, they don’t have to. This proximity to Newcastle and Lake Macquarie means local families can get their hands on fresher, tastier food easily.
   
   Plus, less travel time equals less petrol and pollution - excellent news for the planet.
   
   
5. Good breeding
   David and Marianne choose to farm the Dorper sheep breed because of its superior meat qualities (lean, muscular and fine grained) and low maintenance profile. For those playing along at home that means Dorpers require no mulesing, shearing, crutching, fly strike but have excellent resistance to parasites.
   
   
6. Minimal packaging
   When you order lamb from us, you’ll receive it in as little packaging as we can possibly get away with - another win for the environment.
   
   
   
   
7. Supporting local farmers
   As you know, our farmers are doing it super-tough at the moment, and they need our support. Truth is, you’re going to be purchasing lamb for your weekly roast anyway. Why not spend your dollars close to home where it can make a direct difference to your local community?
   
   
8. Full disclosure
   Our passion for up-frontedness and transparency means we want you to know everything we know about the food you’re purchasing from us.
   
   In fact, our own foodie-curiosity combined with wonderful relationships with our beautiful producers (like David and Marianne) means we can usually not only tell you where your food comes from, but what it had for breakfast - ha!
   
   (We bet even the friendliest supermarket staff can’t do that!)
   
   
9. The donkey factor
   Ok, so we don’t know this for sure, but we’re fairly certain that David and Marianne’s flock are amongst the only ones around tended by three delightful ‘guard donkeys’. Yep, you read right, not sheepdogs, donkeys!
   
   Apparently, the donkeys take their role very seriously and are not quite so delightful toward predators such as wild dogs! (Who knew?)

Choose ‘better different’ for good

Your food choices really can make a positive difference - to the vitality of you and your family, for the producers, the animals and on a larger scale, the whole planet.

While it might often feel easier to grab a pre-packaged leg of lamb or chops from the supermarket, remember every dollar you spend has power, and you do have a choice.

A different, better choice!

And if you’re after easy, rest assured we’ve done the hard-yards for you. By supplying the best farm-fresh food to you via our local hubs, we really do make local easy.

PS: How do you like your lamb? Mince, chops, roast, sausages…. We’ve got you covered with 15 different ways to enjoy Hunter Natural lamb! Check them out and choose your favourite here.