Conservation Lamb
When I heard about Lava Lake Lamb, I knew I wanted to try it. I like eating lamb. I like supporting family farmers in my state, region, bioregion, and country. I prefer meat from humanely raised, grassfed, pasture-raised animals and I like knowing that my purchases support preservation and restoration of the environment.
What makes this lamb different?
Lava Lake Ranch raises certified organic lamb the way nature intended. The lambs drink their mother’s milk and graze on pesticide- and herbicide-free grasses, herbs, forbes and legumes, such as alfalfa, for their entire lives. They’re not confined and they’re never given grain, growth hormones, or antibiotics.
Lava Lake Lamb is raised on one of the west's largest land conservation projects and all profits from the sale of Lava Lake Lamb support habitat restoration and conservation. How cool is that?
Nutritional benefits
Like other grassfed meats, Lava Lake 100% grassfed lamb contains more nutrients than meat from grain-fed animals. USDA Scientists compared grassfed lambs with grain-fed lambs raised in a feedlot and found that “lambs grazing in pasture had 14% less fat and about 8 % more protein compared to grain-fed lamb.”
Grassfed lamb is an excellent source of vitamin B-12, niacin, zinc, and a good source of iron. It’s a rich source of omega-3 essential fatty acids, the heart-healthy, inflammation and cancer-fighting fatty acids most modern diets are deficient in.
Grassfed lamb contains twice as much lutein (a nutrient that protects against macular degeneration) when compared to grain fed lamb. Lutein is also found in dark leafy greens, which grassfed lambs feed on. So they concentrate this nutrient in their meat.
Meat from exclusively grassfed animals contains up to five times more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than conventional meat. CLA has been shown to reduce cancer risk in animals. A century ago, when cancer rates were a fraction of what they are today, people were eating CLA rich animal products as a matter of course.
Ecological benefits of grassfed meat
Agricultural university research has shown that using land for pasture can be more earth friendly than using it to raise grains, and that raising animals on pasture is more economical for the farmer, which helps preserve small family farm. Pasture farming eliminates the need for herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, and chemical fertilizers, while protecting groundwater from agricultural run-off, increasing biodiversity, and reducing fossil fuel use.
If you’re already eating lamb, switching from New Zealand lamb to grassfed lamb raised in the U.S. will reduce fuel use. New Zealand lamb travels thousands of miles over several days before it reaches retail outlets in the U.S. Even when shipped to states outside of Idaho, Lava Lake Lamb is a more local choice for Americans because it travels a shorter distance.
Lava Lake Ranch supports sustainable agriculture by
1) avoiding the use of pesticides and herbicides and maintaining our organic certification on over 60,000 acres of pasture and range land
2) continually evaluating their impact on the land where their animals graze through scientific research
3) implementing a variety of habitat restoration projects. 4) participating in and supporting local farmers markets and local food distribution networks
5) conserving resources wherever they can
Their grazing lands extend over almost 800,000 acres from the deserts of the Snake River Plain to the high peaks of the Pioneer Mountains near Sun Valley. To learn about how their ranching practices protect the region’s wildlife for future generations click here. For a photo tour of Lava Lake Ranch, click here
Ordering decisions
They have so many different kinds and cuts of lamb: loin chops, French rib chops, loin of lamb, tenderloin, rack of lamb, lamb shanks, leg of lamb, stew and kabob meat, ground meat, shoulder rost, rib roast, and lamb sausage made without wheat, gluten nitrates, nitrites, msg, or fillers. I found it difficult to choose. I settled on ground lamb, lamb sausage, and lamb stew meat. My order arrived frozen, in perfect condition.
How does it taste?
Wow! So far I’ve cooked their ground lamb twice, as spiced burgers using recipes from their web site. I’ve tried two of their sausage flavors, rosemary-garlic and chorizo, and made a warming winter stew with their meat. I liked that that the ground lamb burgers and sausages were moist and flavorful, but not fatty like grain-fed lamb. I found the stew meat melt-in-my-mouth tender, and fragrant. My guests loved the meals a made with Lava Lake Lamb and I loved the leftovers.
By the way, the Lava Lake web site has an assortment of lamb recipes you can download if you’re not sure how to cook lamb or you’re looking for new ideas. I'll post one of my favorite lamb recipes and pictures in a couple of days.
Support a good cause
I highly recommend Lava Lake Lamb. I think it would make a great gift any time of year for anyone who appreciates quality food and has a concern about health and the environment. I look forward to cooking with it again. Visit www.LavaLakeLamb.com
I think that it is important to support your local farmers. It can be difficult for them in an economy that is struggling.
Posted by: Healthy food | February 13, 2009 at 08:18 AM