Commonality of Lamb in Dishes

I think sheep are adorable! I'd love to have one in my back garden (if it was big enough!)

I love sheep. There are randomly two black sheep that live near where I live in London, and they're usually out and about in the mornings. They're SO cute!!

Oh my God--that lamb photo is so adorable!!

At my husband's work are a flock of sheep which are there to maintain the wildflower meadow (by nibbling on it of course!)  Once he took me to see them and we had a bag of bread to feed them.  Well these sheep know Mike now and they came *running* up to him and even jumping up on him with forelegs at his chest just to get some bread and nuzzles from him!

Sooooo cute!!

Yes, we eat more lamb here -- nothing fancy about it!  Mmmmmmm - lamb!  We're having lamb roast tonight as a matter of fact & hopefully curry with the leftovers another day.

If you go walking in the wintertime, the lambs often come running right up to you & follow you around the field -- I suppose because the farmers must have to come out & feed them in the winter (vs their foraging on the land quite as much -- ??).

We bought a Grand Champion lamb to butcher once... but Dad couldn't bring himself to kill him, as he was so cute.  He ran around with the horses and cattle for years.  If you want one, get some training in shearing.  I tried a few times, but I nicked him quite a bit.  And they sure need the shearing!  (Also, some dogs go attack-crazy with sheep... have to watch that.)

Otherwise, I haven't eaten meat in a long time, but I don't remember NA lamb being at all smelly, whereas here it stinks like mutton.  (Opinion, guys!)  It seems like they have a different definition of 'lamb'.  We usually slaughter at one year old, and I've been told that slaughter is at two here.  I'll ask the butcher... it might be a difference in hanging time, as well.  The breeds are basically the same, and they're all usually grass-fed.

I'm just not a fan of lamb all around, just like I don't like sausage/hot dogs and most pork products (pork chops, bacon, ham, etc).

If you go walking in the wintertime, the lambs often come running right up to you & follow you around the field -- I suppose because the farmers must have to come out & feed them in the winter (vs their foraging on the land quite as much -- ??).

At my husband's work are a flock of sheep which are there to maintain the wildflower meadow (by nibbling on it of course!)  Once he took me to see them and we had a bag of bread to feed them.  Well these sheep know Mike now and they came *running* up to him and even jumping up on him with forelegs at his chest just to get some bread and nuzzles from him!

I'm so jealous. Try as I might, I've never got very close to one! They always run off before I can get within touching range! 

I'm so jealous. Try as I might, I've never got very close to one! They always run off before I can get within touching range! 

Mike explained that it's normal for them to run off when you try to approach them.  The sheep at his work are practically pets--most of them (there are 5 or 7) were bottle fed.  And another cute thing is that they are all different kinds except for one mamma and son.

Otherwise, I haven't eaten meat in a long time, but I don't remember NA lamb being at all smelly, whereas here it stinks like mutton.  (Opinion, guys!)  

Nowt wrong with a nice bit of mutton, either! 

These are Steve's sheep photos!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/unclebucko/tags/sheep/

We used this one on our last year's Christmas card:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/51/108054485_50efa54f9e.jpg?v=0

Insert Quote
These are Steve's sheep photos!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/unclebucko/tags/sheep/

We used this one on our last year's Christmas card:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/51/108054485_50efa54f9e.jpg?v=0

Adorable!

These are Steve's sheep photos!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/unclebucko/tags/sheep/

We used this one on our last year's Christmas card:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/51/108054485_50efa54f9e.jpg?v=0

So cute!!

I found a little chart which I thought was interesting, showing the per capita consumption of lamb and mutton by country (in lbs):

New Zealand - 39.6
Kuwait - 38.9
Australia - 35.0
Greece - 31.0
Uruguay - 18.9
Ireland - 14.8
United Kingdom - 14.1
Saudi Arabia - 13.4
Spain - 13.2
Bulgaria - 9.5
Canada - 2.0
USA - <1.0

And, according to this site, lamb is one year old or younger in the UK, as well. Anything beyond that is classified as mutton.

Great photos, Carolyn! I love the Christmas card one! 

they sure need the shearing!  (Also, some dogs go attack-crazy with sheep... have to watch that.)

First off, sorry on the mis-use of the word in the title.

Second, our dogs, "Welsh Corgis", are more likely to herd the sheep than attack them.  The puppies will herd anything they can: cats, boy scouts, whatever is handy and flocking.

Like I said, it's some dogs.  Baba Blaxon was attacked by visiting poodles, and by some mixed feral dog pack.  Our shepherds never bothered him.  For some reason, coyotes were not a problem... maybe because of the other animals.

Otherwise, I haven't eaten meat in a long time, but I don't remember NA lamb being at all smelly, whereas here it stinks like mutton.  (Opinion, guys!) 

They reek over by us, but then again our village is surrounded by sheep in fields.     Its fun walking along the public footpath near the farms as they like to follow you and hope you feed 'em.  However, some of the sheep from one of the farms on the main road found a way out of the field and decide to cross the road every so often (not good when the speed limit is 50, luckily no sheep have been hurt as of yet)...