To quickly recap, this series features a different farm partner or producer we work with to share some of the history and the story to help you know where your food comes from. And with many on the hunt for the best Ontario lamb, we're excited to feature Woolley's Lamb!
Woolley's Lamb (for reasons we’ll get into below) is much leaner and milder tasting than typical Ontario lamb or imported lamb. You won't want to miss out on trying this lamb so contact your sales rep for samples and Woolley's Ontario lamb prices through 100km Foods.
Woolley's Lamb: A History
Woolley’s Lamb is not just a lamb farm. Originally, it was (and still is) a very large apple and sour cherry orchard, an orchard that is one of the ten farm partners that works with Norfolk’s Fruit Grower’s Association!
There’s a good chance if you’ve purchased an apple from NFGA, you’ve purchased apples grown from Brett Shuyler and Carrie Woolley’s family farm.
It’s Brett’s family, The Shuylers, who have owned the orchards for decades. Carrie Woolley (yes, her last name IS Woolley!) is a sixth-generation farmer who studied animal sciences at Guelph University. It's Carrie who wanted to diversify the family farm by lamb farming.
Carrie explained that her goal was to create their version of a vertical farm. In this case, it doesn’t mean stacking crops vertically to make use of smaller space. Rather, it's finding ways to carry the farm through the off-season. Initiatives like this are one of the many strategies farmers use to make their operation more financially and environmentally sustainable.
What makes Woolley's Lamb a special lamb farm?
Woolley’s Lamb is only five years old but is already unique when it comes to the world of lamb. The ewes and lambs graze in the orchards year-round. Even in the winter, the lamb's thick coats are able to withstand the snowy, cold temperatures!
There’s two major benefits to this approach. First, the Ontario lambs and ewes are grass fed and supplement with hay and other roughage in winter. This results in the lambs having leaner, milder meat.
Second, this cuts down on costs for the orchard operation. Grasses don’t need mowing and cover crops aren’t as necessary. This is because the lambs fertilize and restore soil quality through their grazing habits.
Also, since Woolley's lamb is frozen, the shelf like is extended. This means Carrie and Brett can set costs and keep their lamb consistently priced. We know this is huge for chefs when it comes to menu planning!
Right now, the ewes are pregnant. Although Carrie opted to have some ewes artificially inseminated this year, most ewes are naturally impregnated in the fields.
Soon, the ewes will begin lambing! Carrie takes the health and quality of life for the flock very seriously. Each day, she goes from orchard to orchard, checking on the flocks.
In the warmer months, she checks on them multiple times a day, looking for any signs of illness or injury. Carrie emphasizes that it's important to take quick action if any lambs fall ill in order to maintain the health of the entire flock.
Carrie also makes sure that her ewes get extended breaks from being pregnant and nursing lambs. This is not always standard in lamb farming. Carrie also makes sure to shear the sheep to sell the wool. She has just started working with a smaller independent Canadian business that makes high quality wool clothing as a buyer!
The Rewards and Challenges of Ontario Lamb & Local Food
We asked Carrie and Brett about some of the challenges and rewards of farming this way. They told us that they get lots of joy and satisfaction from innovating in ways that improve their farm's environmental sustainability.
They also mention that one of their biggest challenges is connecting to the consumer directly. Being new parents and running an orchard and an lamb farm, takes up a lot of their time.
Through 100km Foods, they can connect more with chefs and consumers who purchase their lamb. This is especially because we source identify by every farm. Through partnering with us they're able to get their Ontario lamb products to Toronto markets!
If you want to learn more about Woolley’s Lamb, we recommend following Carrie on both Twitter and Instagram @CarrieWoolley1. We love reading her funny and informative posts!
Woolley's Ontario Lamb Prices & Ordering
If you’re looking to get your hands on some great Ontario lamb, contact your sales rep for samples and Woolley's Lamb prices! They'll be more than happy to add them to your next order!
Special thanks to Brett & Carrie for the information and some of the pictures in this post.