According to the World Economics Forum, over half of Americans are claiming to actively eat healthier and change their lifestyle in a way to achieve or maintain good health and wellness. As many people embark on a health journey and begin to dig into food labels and understand ingredients, they are beginning to reach for fresh lamb on the shelves. Serving as the lowest calorie red meat option, lamb is packed with vital nutrients such as iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and an excellent source of protein, to name just a few. The health benefits of including lamb on your plate is astonishing- and many Americans and people across the globe are beginning to incorporate lamb into their diets. Throughout the past few years, lamb sales have jumped around 28%, an incredible leap in the industry. As more people begin to delve into a world of health and wellness, they are willing to pay the price tag for a quality, delicious and extremely nutritious cut of lamb.
As Suffolk sheep producers, we should be excited. We have an industry goldmine standing in our barns and grazing in our pastures, as Suffolk sheep are highly sought after by butcher shops and resteraunts due to their rapid growth rate, and lamb enjoyers for their delicious meat. Understanding the needs and wants of both the industry and your local community can help you maximize profits on your Suffolk sheep.
I had the privilege of meeting with Katie Kramer, owner of Hurdwell butcher shop in Arlington, Ohio, to discuss the use of Suffolk sheep in her operation. Hurdwell serves as a place for local community to have access to fresh, local meats and a wide variety of other products. Every product in her store is sourced from a local farmer or producer, and Katie has served as a wonderful pillar for the industry through her passion and expertise in the meat industry and providing her community with locally sourced food. Prior to opening up Hurdwell in 2022, Katie worked as an attorney practicing law and taught law at Ohio Northern University. Her idea for her business started after her father was diagnosed with Alzheimers, and she began her journey of researching all about it. After she began her own research, she found that Alzheimers can have a connection to preservatives and additives added into meat. Her ardor for sourcing local meats began there, as well as her mission to provide and market these products without fear mongering. Alongside serving as a shop for the community, Hurdwell also provides meat to surrounding businesses and restaurants like Fort Eighty Eight in Findlay, Ohio.
Both the butchers and shoppers at Hurdwell love Suffolk lamb. Katie and the other meat experts at Hurdwell have a very specific profile they require for their lamb, and Suffolks seem to always make the cut. The Hurdwell lamb profile consists of lambs less than 6 months old, yield grade 2 or 3, and 80 pounds plus hanging/dress weight for more efficient processing. Butchers at Hurdwell have and continue to work with multiple different breeds of sheep, but love working with Suffolks. Butchers enjoy their high yield at a young age, dressing 80-100 pounds at 5 months old. When talking with Katie about primarily using Suffolk lamb, she mentioned that she thinks of Suffolks as the ‘Angus of the lamb world’ – desirable and delicious. Gyro patties and lamb chops are a few of the most popular cuts of lamb sold at Hurdwell, and customers just keep coming back for more delicious lamb.
The Ohio Suffolk Sheep Association would like to thank Katie Kramer, owner of Hurdwell butcher shop in Arlington, Ohio, for providing information and expertise for our blog.
Eagle Creek Suffolks new lamb out of their ram, ‘Hurdwell.’ Eagle Creek Suffolks is the lamb provider for Hurdwell.