Lamb is delicious. It’s a wonder it isn’t more popular in the U.S. but hopefully that will change, because we’re missing out! On Spring Hill we raise the Katahdin breed, and their meat has a milder flavor than many breed. Our sheep are raised entirely on pasture where they graze all day. We supplement with locally produced grain because it makes them happy and helps them grow.
Custom
When you buy a whole lamb you choose your own cuts. With custom processing, you specify how thick the chops are sliced, which roasts to cut, how many per package, and more. You get exactly what works best for your household.
Economical
Buying a whole lamb is the least expensive way to buy pastured lamb. Since the farm doesn’t have to pay for processing, storing, transporting the meat, and selling all the individual cuts, our costs are much lower, so we pass the savings on to you.
Details / FAQ
How much does it cost?
Since we’re new to raising sheep, there is guesswork here. Because we’re on a learning curve are prices this year are low – we’re charging $4/pound hanging weight. There is an initial deposit of $100 to reserve your lamb, and that goes toward the final amount. For a medium lamb with a hanging weight of 50 pounds (that’s from a live weight of 80-120 pounds, that would be $200. You’d take home about 30 pounds of meat. We don’t have a scale and I’m not confident in estimating weights, but I do think a couple of them are on the smaller side. The processing fee is separate and paid to the butcher. Including processing, it would all come out to roughly $8/pound of lamb meat.
How much meat will I get?
Full disclosure: this is our first year raising lamb. All our sheep look great; they’re out on pasture and supplemented with locally raised grain, and I am confident the final product will be fantastic. I just don’t want to give a false impression that we have this nailed down. So, I don’t have a solid grasp on how big our lambs will be and how much meat they’ll produce. We’ll get to know this better with experience, keeping records, and improving our genetic pool, but for now, I’m guessing, and I want to be upfront about that. From what I’ve learned from others, the hanging weight of a Katahdin lamb is usually 40-60 pounds. (Live weight is 80-120 pounds.) The amount of “take-home” meat is roughly 60% of hanging weight. Of course, if you choose to get boneless cuts (please don’t! The bones add so much flavor, and lamb soup is a must) the final amount would be less.
How do I fill out the cut sheet?
Before your lamb goes to the butcher, we’ll schedule a phone call to review the cut sheet. I’ll walk you through it, answer questions, and make sure you get the meat processed in a way that best serves the needs of your household.
What do you feed your sheep?
Our sheep live out on pasture and we practice rotational grazing – that means we move them to fresh grass regularly. The majority of their diet is pasture, but we do supplement them with locally produced grain. There are two reasons for this: First, our pastures are not as high-quality as we want them to be. This is a work in progress, but in the meantime we want to ensure that our animals get adequate nutrition. Second, they love it. The entire flock starts shouting when we appear with a bucket. This also means it’s much easier to convince the sheep to move to the next paddock – all it takes is a bucket!
Is your feed organic and non-GMO?
No, neither. Buying either organic or non-GMO grain would mean sourcing feed from other countries, which is unacceptable to us. Well over half of certified organic livestock feed is imported from other countries. It is also dramatically more expensive and would force us to almost double our prices, so buying it would go against our values of focusing on local production and making local food as affordable as possible. We are very happy with the quality and safety of the grains we feed and foods we produce. The meat you buy from Spring Hill is the same meat that feeds our own family.
Where do I pick up the meat? Do you ship?
The Rice Lake Butcher Shop will call you after processing your order. Your custom-processed pork can be picked up at the Butcher Shop. We are unable to ship.
The Rice Lake Butcher Shop is located on the north end of Rice Lake. The address is 1240 Lakeshore Drive. Google Maps will take you there accurately.
The Butcher Shop phone number is 715-234-3211. Please put their number into your contacts in your phone so you don’t miss their phone call telling you that your meat is ready for pickup.
How it works
Send a message using the form below that you would like to purchase a share of lamb.
I will email you an invoice for the $100 deposit.
Schedule a phone call with me to review the cut list. I will help you decide how your want your lamb processed.
In mid November when the sheep go to the butcher, I will send you an invoice for the balance. Final cost is $4.00 per pound of hanging weight.
The Rice Lake Butcher Shop will call you when your lamb is ready. Pick it up at the butcher shop and pay them for processing.
Enjoy a truly delicious meat. Please make authentic Shepherd’s Pie – you won’t regret it.
