Why Does Sun Raised Food Use Hair Sheep?
Sheep are one of the most popular livestock animals in the world. They are raised for their wool, meat, and milk. There are two main types of sheep: wool sheep and hair sheep.
Wool Sheep
Wool sheep are raised for their wool. They have a thick coat of wool that is sheared once a year. The wool is used to make clothing, blankets, and other textiles. Wool sheep are typically larger than hair sheep and have a docile temperament and are easy to handle.
Hair Sheep
Hair sheep are a single-purpose animal. They are raised strictly for meat. All of the nutrients fed to hair sheep go into to the production of meat, whereas some of the nutrients fed to wool sheep are used for fiber production.
Hair sheep are typically smaller than wool sheep and have a more muscular build. They are often raised on a range, where they can graze on grass and other plants, and in our case on solar farms.
Why is Lamb so Popular Around the World?
For millennia, specific ingredients indigenous to traditional sheep-growing regions have influenced the types of dishes made using lamb, and today, popular techniques cross global frontiers for many cuts to yield eminently flavorful and satisfying dishes.
Lamb is among the most common livestock consumed throughout the world, linked to feasts and religious observances. Christians, Jews and Muslims celebrate with lamb, an essential part of the cuisine on Easter, Passover and Ramadan. Lamb is symbolic of spring, sacrifice, fertility and it unites people around a table of delicious food. For centuries, in humble homes, on the street and in the finest restaurants this versatile meat has been grilled, seared, braised, roasted, stewed and served everywhere. The lore and tradition that surrounds the way lamb has been served around the globe is a source of inspiration for new ways to prepare it.
Historical Background and Cultural Symbolism
As early as the Neolithic age, from 9000 BCE, lambs were being raised in many parts of the Mediterranean and Central Asia. Sheep were among the first livestock to be domesticated and used for their milk and wool as well as for their meat. Because they could thrive on pasture as well as on rocky terrain, sheep were prized animals. Early civilizations used every part of the animal—the skin for parchment, the fat or tallow for candle wax and even the rams’ horns as musical instruments.
For the ancient Greeks, sheep held a special significance. Animal sacrifices were common practice in classical times, and the first piece of lamb from the fire was offered to appease the gods, who, Greeks believed, liked the smell of sizzling meat. It was always a young and first-born lamb to be offered, that with the most delicate flavor and choice tender meat. One especially vivid passage in Homer’s The Iliad describes an offering before a feast. First the men wrapped pieces of lamb in “two layers of fat,” placed them on a wood fire and poured wine over them. While waiting for the meat to cook, the men held “five pronged spits” in their hands. And one of the greatest mythical heroes, Jason the Argonaut, must bring back the fleece from a golden lamb that has been sacrificed by his ancestor in order to reclaim his throne.
From Abraham, Moses and King David to Jesus Christ and Muhammad, many key Biblical and early religious figures were shepherds. So it is easy to understand the importance of lamb to many of these religions to this day. In the early Jewish tradition, the Passover festival described in the Book of Exodus required the slaughter of a male lamb “without blemish” to be roasted whole over a fire and eaten with unleavened bread. Today the traditional Passover Seder plate may include a lamb shank in reference to this.
The timing of Easter coincides with pagan springtime festivals, and lamb has become associated with rebirth and a fresh new season. Lamb forms the centerpiece of Easter celebrations in many Mediterranean countries. This paschal lamb evokes the lamb served at Passover. The iconography of the early Christian church is rich with lamb symbols, from the biblical references to Jesus Christ as “the lamb of God” and “shepherd to his flock” to the depiction of lamb in ecclesiastical paintings and sculptures. Lamb decorates altarpieces, stained-glass windows and carvings in Christian churches worldwide.
The most revered saint in the early church was Saint Agnes, a young Christian martyr. Her name derives from the Greek words for “chaste” and “pure,” and it also resembles the Latin word for “lamb.” Paintings and sculptures depict her holding a baby lamb. At the annual memorial of her death in the church where she is buried, two lambs are blessed, then their wool is used to make stoles that the Pope sends to newly appointed archbishops. In the Emilia Roman region of Italy, she is still celebrated with a cream-filled cake shaped like a lamb. (In fact, lamb-shaped breads and cakes are common at Easter in Italy, Sicily, northern France and other parts of Europe.)
Among followers of the Muslim faith, lamb holds great significance. By ancient custom on the festival of Eid-al-Adha (Eid ul-Adha or Kurban Bayrami in Tyrkey) or the Feast of the Sacrifice, devout Muslims sacrifice a lamb in commemoration of the Prophet Abraham’s willingness to honor the word of God by sacrificing his son. According to Christian Roy in Traditional Festivals: A Multicultural Encyclopedia, by performing this ritual, adherents are asking God for forgiveness, and they perform the act with respect for the animal’s life. As a show of thanks, the meat is customarily shared. A percentage of the meat goes to the needy. The remainder is spit-roasted or preserved for later use.
Lamb Cultural and Culinary Traditions
From these ancient festivals comes a dazzling palette of ingredients and cooking techniques that flavor the ways lamb is prepared and served.
Greece
Who thinks of Greek cuisine without imaging spit-grilled lamb or the ground-lamb pie called moussaka? Greeks have the highest per-capita consumption of lamb in the European Union. Since the time of Homer’s Odessy, lamb has formed a central theme in Greek culture and cuisines.
In her book, The Glorious Foods of Greece: Traditional Recipes from the Islands, Cities, and Villages, Greek culinary authority Diane Kochilas writes about three influences on the cuisine of Greece. One is the shepherd lifestyle, where the diet is based on wild greens, sheeps’ milk and cheese, grains and portable pies called pita. Lamb souvlaki, for example, is made from ground lamb spiced with cinnamon and pepper, grilled on a skewer, then served with pita bread and tzatziki, a bracing and tart combination of Greek yogurt, cucumber, lemon and wild herbs like mint and garlic. In the spirit of eating nose to tail, the Lenten fast in Greece is customarily broken with magiritsa, a soup made from a sheep’s head, offal and abundant green vegetables; the whole lamb is saved for roasting on Easter Sunday. After a few days of fasting, still common among Christians in Greece today, the rich broth is both ceremonial and fortifying.
Middle East and North Africa
Lamb is the principal festive dish of the Middle East according to food writer Claudia Roden, who writes that it is served at important religious festivals as well as after a birth, marriage or death. It might be a spit-roasted whole young lamb or grilled kibbeh, minced lamb, onions and grains. Serving a whole lamb is recognized as a symbol of the host’s generosity, especially in the city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia’s holiest city. When a whole roast lamb is served at a Muslim wedding there, the women will be served the meat carved from the bone, while the men will carve it themselves. Many dishes connected with the breaking of the fast at the Muslim festival of Ramadan are made from lamb, such as Syrian shakreeyeh (pieces of lamb in a yogurt and mint sauce) or the hearty Moroccan lentil and lamb stew harira.
Many visitors to Morocco or Tunisia will be fêted with mechoui, a whole roasted lamb that is a centerpiece of the regional cooking. To make this impressive dish, a lamb or sheep is baked in a deep pit oven much like an Indian tandoor. After a long, slow roasting, the lamb is served whole accompanied by coarse salt and ground cumin. Guests cluster around the feast using flatbread to grab pieces of the buttery meat for themselves. Also ubiquitous in North Africa are merguez, fiery, spiced lamb sausages. These regions shares cultural traditions with other Muslim and Mediterranean countries.
Visitors to Israel will find spit-roasted shawarma in open-air markets, where the meat is thinly shaved onto pita bread and served with tahini, pickled onions, sumac and other vegetables. Equally popular in other parts of the Middle East, lamb shwarma is made from layers of lamb seasoned then stacked horizontally on skewers and topped with a piece of fat. As the meat turns in front of the spit, the fat runs down, basting the meat.
Many observant Jews do not cook on the Sabbath. From this tradition comes an assortment of dishes that can be cooked slowly overnight and kept warm on the fire. For example, a dish popular among Jews in Syria is minced lamb and rice cooked in a hollowed-out pumpkin. Chickpeas, saffron, turmeric and red pepper may be added. Likewise among Muslims in Syria and other parts of the Middle East, ground lamb mixed with exotic spices, nuts and rice is a popular filling for stuffed vegetables and grape leaves.
India
Lamb figures prominently in the fragrant cooking of India, where the meat is acceptable to Hindus as well as Muslims. Indian lamb dishes may have roots in Arabic or Persian cooking and are often those served at important festivals. Haleem, for example, is a thick lamb, wheat and lentil porridge, slow cooked with bold spices and garnished generously with fresh ginger, chiles, ginger and lemon. It is associated with Ramadan and frequently served to break the fast in Muslim homes in India, Pakistan and Middle Eastern countries.
Parts of Northern India have rich lamb-cooking traditions. According to Linda Civitello in her book, Cuisine and Culture: a History of Food and People, “Every important occasion in Kashmir is celebrated with a mishani, a meal that traditionally consists of seven dishes—all of them made from lamb.” Among such dishes might be lamb meatballs, roasted leg of lamb, lamb kebabs, kidneys and roghan josh (cubed lamb simmered with chiles, cardamom, cloves, turmeric and other spices.)
Southern Mediterranean—Basque Country, Southern France and Italy
For centuries around the Mediterranean in autumn, shepherds drove their flocks from the mountains to warmer coastal plains in the south. (This seasonal movement of flocks of sheep, called the transhumance, still takes place in some areas of Italy and Spain.) Shepherding has been a cultural tradition, especially in the Basque country where spicy piquillo peppers, paprika, saffron and garlic are used liberally to flavor lamb dishes. Nothing goes to waste in this region, which contribute dishes made from lamb offal like grilled heart and tongue. Many Basque immigrants came to California during the Gold Rush years and later worked in shepherding. Today, descendants of these Basque families continue to be prominent in the American lamb industry.
The Paschal lamb remains a firm tradition in Italy, where whole roasted lamb on a spit is a prized way to celebrate Easter. The tradition continues into Easter Monday, which has evolved its own repertoire of dishes such as verdetto, lamb stewed with peas or fresh greens, cardoons and whatever is in season thickened with eggs and grated cheese. The Roman specialty is lamb stewed with red wine and anchovies, which brings umami flavor to the tender meat. Seasoning lamb with anchovies has spread to other countries in the region, as well.
Finding Culinary Inspiration in the Traditions of Lamb Cookery
Specific ingredients indigenous to traditional sheep-growing regions have influenced the types of dishes made using lamb. There was a time when only mature sheep were consumed, those with a pronounced flavor that required a heavy hand with the seasoning. This is no longer the case in the United States, where most all lamb sold into the market comes from sheep less than one year of age. The American-raised sheep are bred specifically for the table and not for their wool. Yet today we still recognize how delicious these time-tested flavor principles are when cooking with lamb.
Popular techniques cross global frontiers for many cuts of lamb. Among them is barding the leg with aromatics and flavorings. A bone-in or boneless leg of lamb can be used. Long marinating is another time-tested technique to infuse lamb muscle meats with flavor and help tenderize them during cooking. Lamb shanks and shoulder cuts lend themselves to being marinated in yogurt, white or red wine, stock and seasonings for as long as 24 hours before slow cooking.
Some of the successful ways to flavor lamb come from these rich traditions such as:
Season lamb with bright and acidic flavors.
Marinate cubed pieces of lamb shoulder in wine before stewing as for the “drunken” lamb from Catalonia.
Prepare a rich lamb broth from lamb neck, shank and bones and season it heavily with lemon juice for the Greek avgolemono, or egg-lemon soup.
Rub lamb shoulder chops or cutlets with North African chermoula—a mixture of fresh coriander leaves, saffron and onions—before grilling.
Use orange rind and such sweet spices as coriander, cinnamon and fennel when making a Sardinian-style lamb-shoulder stew.
Pair lamb with the sweet fruit flavors of apricots, figs and raisins.
Moroccan lamb tagines often call for cubed lamb shoulder slowly simmered with dried apricots, quince, raisins, prunes, pumpkin and spices.
Stuff lamb breast with ground dried fruit, nuts and rice before braising.
Glaze lamb rib or lamb chops with pomegranate juice and oil during grilling.
Use such strong aromatic herbs as mint, rosemary and thyme to balance the flavors in rich cuts of lamb.
Slow-cook a whole lamb shoulder or large pieces of the meat with many whole cloves of garlic, white wine and rosemary for a rustic Italian mountain supper.
Prepare Turkish kofta (also referred to as kafta, kofte and kefte) using ground lamb seasoned with onions, mint and fresh coriander.
Use warm aromatic spices in grilled and roasted lamb.
Combine cumin, paprika and salt to season a leg or lamb sirloin roasting in the style of a Moroccan mechoui.
In Spain and Portugal, smoky paprika and local olive oil flavor all cuts of lamb, whether for grilling or roasting.
Grilled Basque lamb sausages are made from ground lamb shoulder, some fatty pork belly and spices such as caraway, cumin and fennel seeds, dried chiles and sweet, smoked paprika.
Cooking Class at Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen
How to cook Lamb is always something that people who have not cooked lamb before ask. To help our customers learn new recipes we partnered with Chef Alyssa of Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen on May 11th, 2023. Sun Raised Foods hosted it’s first cooking class with Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen in LoSo or Lower Southend, in Charlotte. This was a Tapas Tasting Event with three cooking stations, and one Charcuterie table highlighting our award winning Finocchiona and Sweet Sopressatta lamb salami.
We offered one vegetarian station with smashed potatoes, micro greens and pickled onions. The other two stations featured our ground lamb and lamb leg steaks. We worked with homemade dough to create a ground lamb empanada. The last lamb station was a grilled lamb kebab made from leg steaks. Chef Alyssa led the class, but was assisted by her wonderful teammates, Gloria, JQ and Kaegan. The whole evening was educational and delicious!
Do you know where to “Buy Lamb Near Me”?
Many people search for lamb near where they live because it is such a specialty. Most grocery stores might offer a limited selection of lamb cuts like lamb chops, but ground lamb, lamb bones, lamb shoulder steaks, lamb shank, and other lamb cuts can be hard to find. We have even had request for lamb kidney, lamb hearts, lamb testicles, and lamb tongue which we can fulfill. Did you know that Sun Raised Foods can also ship lamb to you? Our lamb is flash frozen when processed sealing in freshness without using harmful chemicals to preserve meat.. When meat is flash frozen, it retains its color, texture, and flavor better than when it is frozen slowly. This helps to preserve the quality of the meat, and it allows the meat to be stored for longer periods of time without spoiling.
We want you to get the freshest meat possible so, holidays, weather and other circumstances may affect our delivery schedule. Your meat is packed in an insulated box with dry ice and via shipped UPS from our Cornelius, NC location to any location east of the Mississippi.
Or you can order your lamb chops or other cuts online and pickup at at our store in Cornelius! You can also pick up your order at the farmers markets in Davidson, Matthews, and Southern Pines when we are there on Saturdays. Check the Davidson Farmers Market or Matthews Farmers Market website for our schedule. Just choose PICKUP during checkout and put the market name in the notes section.
WE WON!!!
Sun Raised Foods won the Good Food Awards ‘23 for our Animal Welfare Approved Finocchiona Lamb Salami!!
As a small business, this award means a lot to our team at Sun Raised Foods, our partners, and our farmers. We sell our salami at farmers markets, farm to table dinners, and a few select restaurants. The recognition from this award will help us reach more people and hopefully expand the popularity of sustainably raised, American lamb across the country.
Thank you again to the Good Food Foundation for recognizing our lamb salami. We are proud to be a part of the Good Food Awards community and to be working towards a more sustainable, ethical, and Good Food system.
Good Food Awards Finalist - Find out if we win on April 21st!!
The Good Food Awards is an annual competition that recognizes outstanding American craft food producers and the farmers who provide their ingredients. The awards are given in 17 categories, including beer, charcuterie, cheese, chocolate, cider, coffee, confections, elixirs, fish, grains, honey, oils, pantry, pickles, preserves, snacks, and spirits. Winners will be announced April 21st!
To be eligible for the awards, products must be made in the United States, be free of genetically modified ingredients, and meet certain social and environmental standards. Our 100% lamb Finocchiona Salami was judged on its taste, authenticity, and sustainability.
The Good Food Awards are a respected symbol of quality in the American craft food industry. As a winner, we could be featured in their national marketing campaign and be promoted to retailers and consumers. The awards also help to raise awareness of the importance of supporting sustainable and ethical food production which is why we believe it’s important to care where your food is from, and what’s in it!!
What is a Tapas Cooking Class You Might Ask??
According to Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen, they are small plates with full flavor! Tapas are small, bite-sized dishes that are typically served as appetizers or snacks, and that’s exactly what we’ll be making on Thursday, May 11th from 6-9pm with Chef Alyssa. We will have three interactive cooking stations where YOU get to help make a dish. After preparing the dish, you'll get the chance to taste what you made using our delicious lamb. Plus you’ll be able to “Order What You Liked” after the event and pick up in our store, at Davidson Farmers Market, or have delivered in the Charlotte area.
We are still planning the menu. Do you have any recipe ideas you’d like to make? Let us know by emailing us at info@sunraisedfoods.com.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SALAMI AND SALUMI?
Salami and salumi are both Italian cured meats. However, there is a slight difference between the two. Salami is a type of salumi, but not all salumi are salami.
Salumi is the general term for any cured meat in Italy. It includes a wide variety of products, such as prosciutto, pancetta, and guanciale. Salami is a specific type of salumi that is made from ground pork, in our case, ground lamb and cured with salt, spices, and other ingredients. It is then fermented and dried, and can be eaten fresh or cooked. Try our award winning Finocchiona and Sweet Soppresatta today!
So, while all salami are salumi, not all salumi are salami.
Congratulations to Charlotte’s own Sam Hart for becoming a Finalist for the coveted James Beard Award.
Sam Hart, owner/chef at Biblio and Counter has been named a finalist for the James Beard Award for Best Chef Southeast!
Our State Magazine Video Release for Award Winning Sun Raised Foods Lamb Salami
Sun Raised Foods’s Finocchiona and Sweet Sopressata lamb salami are the Food Category Winner for 2022 and they have released a video featuring Sun Raised Foods for this award. We are huge fans of this publication, which has subscriptions in all 50 states. A true testament to the wonderful state of North Carolina. Watch the video created by Our State Magazine.
Ramadan begins March 22nd, 2023
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and is honored and celebrated by fasting and spiritual renewal. It is also a time to exercise self-restraint, one of the tenets of Islam. Each day, those who celebrate Ramadan fast until sun sets and the Imam calls all to the evening meal. Lamb is popular for the evening meal as it is a popular livestock throughout the Middle East and for that matter, the world. It’s versatility also makes lamb a popular dish and it is easily grilled, seared, braised, roasted and stewed.
Cooking Classes with Sun Raised Foods Lamb
Cooking classes with lamb can be a great way to explore the many ways to prepare this delicious meat. Here are a few ideas for lamb dishes that you might learn in a cooking class. These classes will also reveal how easy it is to work with lamb, and the health benefits of the often overlooked meat.
1. Rack of Lamb: This classic dish is a showstopper on any dinner table. A cooking class will teach you how to properly trim and season the lamb rack, as well as how to cook it to your desired level of doneness.
2. Lamb Curry: A lamb curry is a flavorful and satisfying dish that can be made with a variety of spices and vegetables. A cooking class will teach you how to create a fragrant curry sauce and how to cook the lamb until it’s tender and juicy.
3. Grilled Lamb Chops: Grilled lamb chops are a simple and delicious way to prepare lamb. A cooking class will teach you how to season the chops and grill them to perfection, as well as how to make a complementary sauce or marinade.
4. Lamb Kofta: Lamb Kofta are meatballs made with ground lamb and spices. A cooking class will teach you how to mix and shape the kofta, as well as hot to cook them on the stove or grill.
5. Lamb Tagine: A lamb tagine is a slow-cooked stew that’s full of flavor and perfect for a cold day. It is often cooked slow using a lamb shank. A cooking class will teach you how to prepare the lamb and vegetables, as well as how to cook everything together in a traditional tagine pot.
No matter what kind of lamb dishes you’re interested in, a cooking class will help you learn new techniques and get inspired in the kitchen.
What is Finocchiona and Soppressata?
Traditionally these two terms refer to recipes of hard salamis from the Tuscany region of Italy.
Finocchiona is a popular salami recipe that gets its name from the word “finocchio,” which means fennel in Italian. Legend has it that a light-fingered Italian lifted some basic salami and, upon being discovered he hid it a patch of wild fennel. Returning to reclaim his bounty it smelled wonderful with floral hints of the herby, anise aroma associated with fennel. With our mild tasting lamb cuts used to produce our finocchiona, it is the perfect pairing.
Soppressata is another popular recipe from the Tuscany region that uses only the best cuts of meat with a slightly coarser grind. There have been many variations over the hundreds of years of production in Italy, depending upon the region. Adding a hint of crushed red pepper and cherry juice powder allows our lamb meat to elevate this traditional Italian recipe to another level.
Try our salamis in one of our charcuterie boxes!
Farm to Table Dinner at Gilde 1546-Feb. 9th
Sun Raised Foods hosted 45 guests at the new Gilde 1546 Brewery on February 9th in their private event space. These dinner events aren’t just another means of illuminating one’s culinary senses. Between the staff of Sun Raised Foods and the chef we educate our guests as to the ease and facility of cooking lamb. We also speak about lamb salami and creating charcuterie boards. Although our Sweet Sopressata recipe is sold out, we do have our New Tuscan style Finocchiona in stock.
Chef Brandon Bost created 4 scintillating dishes starting with our award winning Finocchiona lamb salami. The second course was a Mediterranean lamb kafta made from ground lamb that was scrumptious. The third course was a braised lamb shank served with beluga lentils and carrots with a red wine reduction. The lamb shank is a wonderful winter dish. The fourth course was a cranberry tart with cherry ice cream.
Gilde chose Charlotte, N.C. as it’s first U.S. location due to Queen Charlotte being from the Mecklenburgische region in Germany. WE ARE HONORED!
Dinner at Lincoln Street Kitchen and Cocktails-Jan.19th
Farm to Table lamb dinner at Lincoln Street Kitchen and Cocktails
On Jan 19th, 2023, we held our 5th lamb dinner with the team at Lincoln Street and they continue to amaze us. From the food to the service, everything was spectacular. This was an exclusive dinner in the 20 seat Green Room.
We had a blast and ate some wonderful lamb dishes. It was the first time we showcased our new Tuscan artisanal Finocchiona lamb salami. So, if you are looking for salami near me we’ve got you covered!
We learned how to braise neck steaks and marry them with scalloped potatoes. We learned how to take lamb bones and make a rich stock that elevates the rich, delicate flavor of a butternut squash soup. Lastly, a perfectly grilled lamb chop. Enough said!
Most importantly, we made new friends and supported a local business that continues to put smiles on people’s faces.
2022 Holiday Markets Selling our Salami Charcuterie Boxes
We are fortunate to have enjoyed a wonderful holiday season between Thanksgiving and Christmas. We hope everyone had a safe holiday season with family and friends.
Between Olde Mecklenburg Brewery’s Weihnachtsmarkt Market and Light the Knights at Truist Field in uptown Charlotte we must have met hundreds of new customers and friends. We are honored that year after year our customers continue to entrust Sun Raised Foods with their gifts for family and friends for the holidays. Our curated Charcuterie boxes have everything you need to make the perfect Charcuterie Board. This is where you can find charcuterie near me - www.sunraisedfoods.com.
2022 Holiday Gift Guide
Lamb Holiday Calendar
Throughout the year, lamb is often the main course at holiday celebrtions for many people. View our Lamb Holiday Calendar to see when you should buy your lamb for the holidays
What is a Farm To Table Dinner?
In its purest, most honest form, a Farm to Table dinner means the “Table” is actually at the farm and chefs prepare and serve the food raised on the farm. These events often include a tour of the farm, when guests can see and learn about the methods used to raise the meat, poultry, fruits, and vegetables. As such, these are educational, social experiences as well as featuring foods that are as local and seasonal as you can find.
A Farm-to-Table Dinner can also take place at a restaurant where there is a direct relationship between a farm and a restaurant. Rather than buying through a distributor or a food service, some restaurants support local farms by establishing relationships directly with the farm and buying directly from them. Restaurants are usually motivated to these direct relationships by the quality and freshness of the food they get from the farms—items will often be delivered directly to the restaurant within hours of being harvested..
At Sun Raised Foods, our primary farm (the Montgomery Sheep Farm) is located in Montgomery County, North Carolina, just 60 miles from Charlotte and Raleigh, and only 30 miles from Greensboro. We offers both Farm to Table dinners at our farm in Montgomery County and at partner restaurants who care where their meat comes from and what’s in it. We believe every Farm to Table Dinner should promote connections between our guests to build community interest and support for sustainable agriculture. See Our Farm To Table Dinner Events
When is Lambing Season? Can We Visit the Farm then?
We designed the Montgomery Sheep Farm to not only provide Animal Welfare Approved lamb to Sun Raised Foods but to also be a retreat for families, companies and organizations to get away from it all while having the opportunity to learn about sustainable farming and clean energy.
Our Lambing season starts in January and lasts until late April, and we lamb again in August and September. Many of our customers have asked if they can visit and tour one of our sheep farms.
Book your Farm Stay here.
Here are some of the reviews from people who have stayed:
“Words can not describe what a special place this is! This unique farm stay MADE OUR ENTIRE SPRING BREAK! From the moment we arrived, Lucy (kindest woman ever) came outside to greet us and took us on an amazing tour of this adorable and relaxing farm. We got to play with the cutest and sweetest puppies, lambs, sheep, ponies, peacocks, and the list goes on! My almost 5 year old was in heaven!! This trip was truly a blessing! We can’t wait to come back soon!”
What Do Norwegians Prepare for Christmas Dinner?
My wife’s family is from Norway so I wanted to write about what they eat for Christmas every year.
Pinnekjøtt is a traditional Norwegian main course dinner dish based on lamb ribs. Pinnekjøtt is a festive dish typical to Western and Northern Norway, and is rapidly gaining popularity in other regions as well. This dish is largely associated with the celebration of Christmas and frequently paired with puréed rutabaga, sausages and potatoes, served with beer and akevitt.
The preparation of pinnekjøtt uses a traditional method for food preservation utilizing curing, drying and in some regions also smoking as means of inhibiting the growth of micro-organisms. Although lamb is today available fresh or frozen all year round, pinnekjøtt is still prepared both commercially and in private homes due to the flavour and maturing the preservation process gives to the meat.[2]
In home preparation of pinnekjøtt, racks of lamb or mutton are cured in brine or coarse sea salt. Once sufficiently cured, and when the weather is cold enough, the racks are hung in a cool, dark, well ventilated place to dry. In some regions, particularly in parts of Hordaland and Sunnmøre, the fresh racks are commonly smoked prior to drying. Traditionally this was done in order to prevent mold growth during the drying process.[3]
Before cooking, the racks are separated into individual ribs by cutting a sharp knife between the bones. The ribs must then be soaked in water in order to rinse out the salt and reconstitute the meat. Today pinnekjøtt is available in most supermarkets before Christmas, smoked or unsmoked, ready cut and sometimes also soaked, ready for cooking. After soaking the ribs are steamed over a little water in a large saucepan. Usually, a grid of twigs of birch is placed in the bottom of the saucepan which will allow the meat to steam more than it is cooked.
60 Guests Enjoyed our Lake Norman Farm to Table Dinner at the Harp and Crown
At Sun Raised Foods we believe in supporting “Local” and the Harp and Crown is about as local as its gets for a place to have one of our Farm to Table Dinners. The former owners of the venerable Restaurant X, husband and wife team Chris and Christina Phillips own the Harp and Crown restaurant and pub in Cornelius. The name “Harp” is for Christina Phillips, who is originally from Ireland, and the name “Crown” is for Chris Phillips who hails from England.
Chef Chris Phillips’ cooking education at West London College and his work at restaurants such as Langan’s Brasserie, a legendary London restaurant co-owned by actor Michael Caine, indicates that this chef can prepare some of the finest dishes you will ever taste.
On Thursday November 17th, Chris and Tina hosted an amazing 4 course dinner featuring Sun Raised Foods Lamb at their cozy restaurant and pub in Cornelius. See pictures from the event under past events here.
A Summary of the Farm Tour and Farm To Table Dinner on Saturday, November 5th, 2022
This was our largest farm dinner yet with almost 60 people enjoying a perfect November day. Mostly sunny and 75 degrees with few if any bugs is the best way to experience a farm. Chef Will created three delicious courses of lamb and local baker Karen Moore Sanders made a persimmon pudding using local persimmons and ice cream. See pictures from the event here.
Lamb with Lower Carbon Emissions
Compared to Lamb that are raised halfway around the world and transported to the US, Sun Raised Foods raises its animals on the pastures of North Carolina Solar farms. This means that Solar Farms reduce their use of mowing, weed eating, and spraying the vegetation that grows on solar farms. The mowing equipment uses 2-stoke engines that require a more harmful fuel. Raising animals on solar farms reduces the emissions from the transportation of imported sheep, and it reduces the emissions from mowing the vegetation on solar farms. Buying lamb raised on local solar farms that are Animal Welfare Approved means you support a lower environmental footprint for the meat you buy.
Nutritional Benefits of Lamb
