Freedom Run Farms – found at Kroger Co.
There are many breeds of sheep and not all produce a flavor profile that’s entirely desireable. Wool and milk breeds, common in Colorado and New Zealand, produce a meat that is very gamey with a high concentration of lanolin. An oily compound produced by sheep bred specifically for their wool, lanolin can impart an undesirable gamey flavor in lamb.
But instead of using the common breeds that are raised in Colorado and New Zealand, we chose to raise a heritage breed. In doing so we are helping to preserve an important agricultural product that could easily be lost to the demands of industrial agriculture.
But we’re not just raising any heritage breed. We’re raising an Appalachian heritage breed that was bred specifically for their meat—the Katahdin. An Appalachian heritage sheep breed, the Katahdin was specifically developed in this country to be a versatile, robust animal with exceptional carcass qualities of tender, mild lamb.
A TASTE OF PLACE
The pastures of Kentucky are perfect for this breed and allow them to flourish in the field and develop a taste of place. Our sheep graze and forage pastures that have been meticulously managed to produce grasses that are native to the region. Because these conditions cannot be reproduced anywhere else, and because these flavors are imparted into the animals’ meat, the resulting product is a direct reflection of the place in which it was produced.
At Freedom Run Farms
BEYOND HER OWN FLOCK, VALERIE IS DEEPLY DEDICATED TO RETURNING KENTUCKY TO ITS LAMB PRODUCING HEYDAY.
For decades, Kentucky was the primary producer of lamb in the United States—the region even developed its own regional style of lamb barbecue. However, with the onset of synthetic fabrics and the reduced demand for wool, the lamb industry bottomed out after WWII.
Valerie saw an opportunity in the rise of sustainable and heritage foods, and she’s now helping to lead the way in reintroducing lamb as both a profitable agricultural endeavor and a means for the region to reconnect with its culinary heritage.
