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John and Sukey Jamison’s foray into sheep farming started as a part-time project when they purchased a farmhouse in Western Pennsylvania that was attached to 65 acres of grassy hills. They decided to put the land to use by raising grazing animals on a small scale. The meat that they raised would supply Sukey’s catering business and they would sell the rest through word of mouth to neighbors.
With John working full-time in the coal mining business, Sukey would be in charge of the business, so they had to consider the size and temperament of the animals.
“We started out as a hobby farm,” said Sukey, “and I was the person handling the animals. We chose sheep because they’re small and much easier to handle than cows. And, if they step on you, it doesn’t hurt too much.”
Twenty-seven years later, the Jamisons devote all of their time to Jamison Farm, which produces 5,000 lambs annually on a picturesque 210-acre spread in the rolling Appalachian foothills near Latrobe, Pa.
Jamison Farm lamb is praised for its superior taste and tenderness by more than 50 of America’s best chefs at restaurants such as Le Bernardin, Savoy and Blue Hill in New York City; Tangerine and White Dog Cafe in Philadelphia; and Equinox Restaurant and Marcel’s in Washington D.C. Individual consumers have also discovered it, evidenced by the company’s 10,000-person mailing list.
Some say the superior taste of Jamison Lamb comes from a nutritious diet of bluegrass and white clover. Others claim it’s the cool, clear air of the rolling Appalachian hills of Western Pennsylvania. John thinks a big factor is the attention the animals receive from birth to slaughter.
“As a farmer who has been raising sheep for more than 20 years, I know that the way an animal is treated throughout its life is the most important factor in how it will taste,” says Jamison. “We graze our sheep on grass, which is what they are meant to eat. And we care for them throughout their lives.”
The Jamisons’ sheep and lambs graze in the hills of Jamison Farm nine months of the year. In winter, they’re hand-fed hay and corn. The Jamisons employ intensive rotational grazing techniques to maintain healthy, sustainable pastures. The system requires no plowing, planting or fertilizers. The sheep and lambs are regularly moved from one fenced section of pasture to another to prevent damage that results from overgrazing.
Jamison Farm is one of the few lamb producers in the country that manages its own processing, another factor that ensures a quality end product. The Jamisons slaughter and process their lambs at their own USDA plant in nearby Bradenville, Pa.
“It’s been a wonderful life,” says Sukey “It’s hard work and there’s really no vacation time, but we live in a beautiful place. We don’t need to go anywhere.”
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