Katahdin Sheep and Lambs provide variety

Prior to World War II, sheep and lamb were prominent parts of the American diet.

With the invention of fast food, the percentage of meals that included lamb declined. Today one often finds lamb as a specialty in fine restaurants or at gourmet shops.

Lamb is as easily prepared as roast beef and full of juicy flavor. Katahdin sheep are raised strictly for their meat. It is relatively lean and very mild-flavored. The meat may be eaten hot or cold, and may be readily substituted in most beef or pork recipes.

Developed in New England, the Katahdin Sheep were bred for excellent meat production   Katahdin lamb has a mild flavor that appeals to those who don't like a strong "gamey" taste, but never disappoints the true lover of lamb.  

Many comment that Katahdin lamb seems leaner than other breeds of lamb.

The sheep make life better for the cows and vice-versa. They graze different kinds of grass and weeds. Their presence, along with the turkeys and chickens promotes an overall good farm management practice.

There was real truth behind the children's song "Old MacDonald." Having a variety of animals on one farm made for healthier animals, gave the farmer more variety in his diet, promoted better grass and grain growth and enabled the local farmer to service his friends and neighbors. The whole community benefited from these relationships.

Why Free-Range Matters

Most animals require variety in their diet to achieve their best health.

Goats, for example, have been shown to browse 470 of the 509 plants available in the testing region.

Sheep graze differently from cows. Chickens require more than just corn and laying mash.

These nutritional requirements don't support a confinement feeding operation. Instead, nature is telling us how to best raise these animals in ways that benefit them and ultimately everyone who uses them for food. Probably the most obvious problem with confinement feeding is waste management.

The "droppings" of the animals become too concentrated for the confinement area. This results in odor, death to the soil micro-organisms and poor health for the confined animals.

Conversely, the droppings of animals that are allowed sufficient acreage serve to fertilize the soil. They provide food for the micro-organisms that assimilate all nutrients back into the grass.