Product: Free-range lamb
What: Great-tasting lamb from meat-breed Coopworth sheep raised free-range on a regenerative farm on the free-draining granitic soil of the Macedon Ranges.
Where: Sidonia, Macedon Ranges, Dja Dja Wurrung / Wurundjeri Country
Who: Father and son John and Teddy Stewart
John, your family has been in the region for a long time.
My family settled in 1865, and I was fortunate enough to buy 500 acres (202 hectares) from my uncle a decade ago.
Why is Coopworth lamb so good to eat?
Our family has been breeding Coopworths for 40 years, and we know this breed is all about flavour. Coopworth is a composite breed of Romney and Border Leicester old-fashioned English meat breeds. We also crossbreed the Coopworth with the White Suffolk, another excellent meat breed. All that breeding leads to fat that is dense and delicious, giving a rich covering that roasts to a golden crust, locking the succulent meat within. We produce both lamb from younger sheep and hogget from animals aged 12 to 18 months. Although we don’t produce a lot of hogget, it is highly sought-after.
How do you manage your farm?
We use organic fertiliser, a blend of bacteria, kelp, fish, worm juice, guano, and trace elements. Our aim is to feed the bugs in the soil, which then feed the grass, which feeds the sheep. We sow 23 different grasses, legumes, and deep-rooted herbs to produce what we regenerative farmers call a “salad mix” that the sheep forage and graze on. It’s nutrient-dense, and we graze intensively, moving our flock every few days.
You’re known for your animal husbandry.
That’s right. We don’t use dogs. I check the animals daily and provide them with free-choice minerals in the paddock all year round. Shade is crucial for sheep, so we plan our grazing to ensure there is shade in summer and shelter for lambing. We plant, on average, hundreds of trees every year – great for shade and shelter.
Where can we get your lamb?
Come and see us in person at the St Kilda, Gasworks, Eltham, Lancefield, and Flemington farmers’ markets. You can also buy a box online at our website (mrlamb.com.au) or visit Watts Fresh in Kyneton and Macedon Ranges Land and Sea in Romsey. Enjoy slow-roasted lamb shoulder at Marchesa in Kyneton or try the slow-cooked lamb shanks with polenta at The Cosmopolitan in Trentham. Pippa’s Kitchen also uses our lamb in their ready meals (available at pippaskitchen.com.au).