4 minute read
local spotlight
Sun Raised Foods Raises Lamb on North Carolina Solar Farms Without Antibiotics or Harmful Chemicals
Sun Raised Foods was founded in 2018 to market lamb raised on the pastures of North Carolina solar farms. The company sells lamb salami, lamb cuts and organizes farm-to-table dinners to promote North Carolina lamb.
The Origins of Their Meat
“We believe taste begins with where and how you raise an animal,” says Sales Manager Brooks Mixon. Most meat sold in grocery stores comes from large feed lot operations that use antibiotics to increase weight gain. Over 60 percent of lamb consumed in the U.S. is imported from other countries creating a huge carbon footprint. Lamb from New Zealand and Australia are considered “wool” sheep which have stronger “gamey” taste compared to sheep raised in North Carolina which are consider “hair” sheep and have a milder flavor.
Sun Raised Foods grazes its sheep on grass and other vegetation which is abundant in the Southeast. The company prides itself on ensuring that its meat and salami come from lamb raised on farms that follow Animal Welfare Standards. “We believe well-cared-for sheep raised with less stress are more tender and just tastier for our customers,” says founder Tonje Olsen. Lamb raised on solar farms benefit from the shade created by the solar arrays which lower the temperature during the hot summer months and provide shelter from the winter rain. Sun Raised Foods’ lamb help to maintain the vegetation on local solar farms which would have otherwise been managed by mowing, weed eating and heavy herbicidal spraying. The fences around the solar farms protect the sheep from the stress of predators.
The Contents of Their Meat
According to Web MD, lamb contains important vitamins and minerals such as iron, vitamin B12, selenium, niacin, phosphorous and zinc. These are all important nutrients for vital body function, including for immune support, cholesterol management and bone health. Lamb contains monounsaturated fats that can help your heart when you eat them in moderation. They can help reduce levels of “bad” cholesterol in our blood, lowering our risk for heart disease and stroke. Lamb is high in conjugated, natural linoleic acid which has been shown to reduce body fat mass. In moderate amounts, it might be helpful for weight loss or management.
It’s important to consider what is “not” in the Sun Raised Foods Lamb. No antibiotics and no harmful chemicals are used on the lamb sold by the company. At a time with rising antibiotic resistance, this is important.
Farm To Table Lamb Dinner on November 5
To promote their lamb to our area around Charlotte, Sun Raised Foods will host a four-course, farm-to-table, gourmet, lamb dinner on November 5 at the Montgomery Sheep Farm in Biscoe, North Carolina. The Montgomery Sheep Farm is situated on a 200-acre tract of land surrounded by forests of pine in Biscoe, North Carolina, just 60 miles from Charlotte.
Guests will meet at the farm at 3 p.m. They will be greeted with a complimentary drink as they arrive and begin a tour of the farm, including its operations, their 500 sheep, 120 acres of solar panels and their Great Pyrenees dogs when everyone has arrived. The dinner, prepared by an awardwinning chef and paired with fine wines, a true culinary experience, and an opportunity to learn about local sustainable agriculture and clean energy, follows. The dinner concludes at approximately 7:30 p.m.
Four-course dinner ($95/person): for reservations and/or lodging, visit www.SunRaisedFoods.com/events or scan QR code. Sun Raised Foods is located at 20035 Jetton Rd., Ste. D, in Cornelius, North Carolina. The Montgomery Sheep Farm isat 933 S. U.S. Hwy. 220 Alt, Biscoe, North Carolina. For more information or to order lamb, call 844-417-4337, email info@SunRaisedFoods.com or visit www.SunRaisedFoods.com.