Keeping Lamb Local

Donald is making a success of selling local produce from his croft on the Isle of Lewis

This is my second year of trying to finish and sell my own lamb direct to customers, and it is slowly starting to prove worthwhile. Because of our climate and short growing season, it is no mean feat to get lambs to the right weight. It needs months of planning, fresh grazing and some creep feed. I’ve been really happy with the weights of the lambs and their consistency.

Like last year, I went away to the mainland with my first 10 meat boxes. It was a bit of a marathon journey, with 250 miles taking 11 hours, including ferries and poor roads. My fridge van proved its worth, meaning I had no concerns about the meat, but it was more than worth it in the end. Some return customers from last year were welcome, as well as new.

After getting back home, I was full of ideas and inspiration. I think I have become more interested in pushing local produce in the last few years, as I can see the benefits for producer and customer. One of the issues we have in Lewis is that most of the butchers buy their meat wholesale from Dingwall, rather than direct from crofters. To try and change things, I walked into my local butcher shop and spoke to the owner, who was more than happy to take local lamb, if I could guarantee supplies. I made my first delivery in October and it has been a great success, and I now have lambs ordered on a weekly basis right up until the local abattoir closes again at Christmas.

Very slowly, I am seeing my dream of making a living from the croft come to fruition. Obviously the meat and eggs are the main source of income, but adding value to items I previously thought little of has helped too. The wool will be turned into yarn over the next few months and the lambskin rugs are proving extremely popular this year.