Cute Lamb Content Alert

We have found ourselves at this time of year once again.

It’s that time when we round up all the sheep and carefully give the young ones an ID tag to ensure they are easily recognisable.

It's also the moment in the calendar when you realise if your breeding program has truly been efficient and successful.

The time of year when your hands turn black with lanolin and dirt (though it’s mainly dirt) serves as a testament to the hard work we put into our farm each season.

And, of course, it’s the time when you go gaga over the adorable little lambs—so incredibly cute and full of life.

I thought you might like to be in on the action, so here are a couple of photos capturing the joy of the day.

(I would have liked to take more photos for you but, as you can see, my hands were full)

Steph

Spring is a time to flex.

Most of the year, our bulls sit side by side in the paddock.
They are affectionate towards each other.
They happily share the same space, the same grass, and no doubt the same stories and a few good laughs. That's what I imagine anyway.

Then comes spring.

They start to separate off, they bellow, they push and shove, they strut around and get all macho.

Check out these two showing off. And the young guy learning how it's done, keen to get in on the action.

No need for baby oil here. The sunshine does its job, gleaming off their muscles. - I'm not sure how they get so muscular when most of the time they just sit and only eat grass. If only that worked for us.

Don't underestimate the power these animals have.

Their heads are huge. 

Their shoulders are broad and their core is as solid as a tree trunk.

When we have to move our animals, cows are easy to move. Cows are mostly predictable and happy to follow the leader.

You can move a well behaved cow simply by stepping into her space and she will move away. Add a few hand signals and she will move (generally) in the direction you want.

Not so with the bulls. If they don't want to move, YOU have to wait for them. They stare you in the eye and say, “Who are you? What do you want? This is my space and I ain't going anywhere.” 

As you can imagine, that can lead to some sticky situations.

That's why we select bulls for gentle temperament (not that you can tell from this video)

Yes, like humans, cattle can be predisposed to different temperaments. 

Ours will happily have their head down and eat grass while keeping one eye out as you go about your business. (regardless of their body language you always want to be respectful)

Those gentle genetics are the ones we want to pass on to the next generation.

And it pays off.

We regularly handle and move our animals. While doing so, we want to be safe and we want our animals to not be needlessly stressed.

Animals we don't grow out to maturity for ourselves can be sold to other farmers to raise. 

Recently we had one of these farmers call us to say “they were the best animals they ever had. So docile and would eat out of your hand.” 

That's the reputation we strive for.

Whether breeding animals for us or others, breeding well mannered, gentle creatures (again, not that you can tell from this video) is overall the best way to go. 

There is less stress on the animal, less stress on the farmer, and less stress on the environment.

We strive to have a great quality product from conception onwards.

Enjoy this video and marvel at the awesome power they hold and yet they are so selective in using it. Just one more lesson for us from this beautiful world.

Steph

Calf’s First Mission: Impossible

I know winter can be cold and gloomy so let me brighten your day.

In the next few weeks we will start to hear the pitter patter of little hooves on the ground all over the farm.

For me, seeing new life on the farm always puts a smile on my face.

This video is sure to put a smile on your dial too.

Let me share a video from last year because the first calf drop of this season can't come soon enough.

This will help keep you in expectation of the first little fella to arrive for this year.

We will keep you posted.

For each of the calves, their mischief making days must start with their first steps.

In this short video, this cheeky monkey attempts what he thinks is a mission: impossible. Going from first breath, to his first steps and finally his first drink.

How long do you think it took him to go from arrival to get up and wobble over to mum for his first drink?


Watch the video to find out if you were right.

It's sure to make you smile.

How to Make and Enjoy Amazing Roasted Beef Marrow Bones

In our effort to make the most of the whole animal some of our lucky customers receive large marrow bones with their orders of beef.

“Wow. That's great but what am I going to do with that?!” is a natural response.

Don't worry, I got you.

This question motivated me to put a fun “how to” video together to make sure you don't overlook this humble bone and show you how easy it is to make the most of this delicious and nutritious option.

Imagine if your guests rock up and you serve them one of these bones with a 6 pack of a smashing craft beer, let just say, they won't forget this meal.

Plus, in less than ½ an hour, you'll be ready to sit around and dig in.

I admit, it may not sound that amazing on paper, but it was such a delight.

Tune in here to see just how easy it is to enjoy roasted beef marrow bones with sourdough bread, garden salad and craft beer.

Why eat that I hear you ask?

Bone marrow has a rich, buttery flavour and is packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids that are vital for maintaining good health.
It is high in Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, Iron, Selenium, Zinc, Collagen, glucosamine, chondroitin, and hyaluronic acid.

So what does that all mean?

Bone marrow can increase you immunological function, heart health, joint health, skin health, blood health, bone strength, weight management and cognitive function.

In short: It's great for you. Why not make the most of it using this delicious recipe.

The key is to use the best and freshest produce you can.

- 100% grass fed and finished beef marrow bones sourced from Regenerative Farms Australia.

- Fresh, crusty sourdough bread.

- Organic/Regeneratively farmed veggies from the local farmers market.

- A quality balsamic vinaigrette dressing is needed

- And of course, your favourite local beer.

Put it all together and you can’t go wrong.

Have fun.

Steph

Quick reference: 20 mins in the oven at 230 C/450 F will turn your marrow into perfection

Topside Roast recipe with Herbs and Veggies

INGREDIENTS

• SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

1.2 kg Regenerative Farms topside roast

12 French shallots, peeled, halved

3 large carrots, peeled, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tbsp wholegrain mustard

1/4 cup fresh herbs (we used thyme, rosemary, oregano), finely chopped

1 1/2 cups (375ml) beef stock

1/2 cup (125ml) red wine

800g potatoes, peeled, cut into 3cm pieces

20g butter, cubed

1/3 cup full-cream milk

1/4 cup finely grated parmesan

Steamed sugar snap peas and home made gravy, to serve

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 240°C (220° fan-forced).

2. Arrange shallots and carrots in a large roasting pan. In a small bowl combine oil, garlic, mustard and herbs. Season, stir to combine and spread over beef. Place beef on top of vegetables and pour stock and wine around the base.

3. Place beef in oven and reduce heat immediately to 200°C (180° fan-forced). Roast in oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until cooked to your liking, covering top of roast with foil if over browning. Remove roast from oven, set beef aside on a tray and cover with foil. Rest for 15 minutes. Return vegetables to oven for 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain and return potatoes to saucepan. Season. Mash with butter and milk until smooth. Stir through parmesan.

5. Slice beef and serve with shallots, carrots, parmesan mash, sugar snaps and gravy.

Roasts can sometimes easily dry out, but the herb crust will keep it moist and delicious. 
For even more accurate results, I recommend using a meat thermometer. They are easy and accurate for the perfect doneness.
Here is a guide to help make it flawless.

• Rare 60°C

• Medium rare 60–65°C

• Medium 65–70°C 

• Medium well done 70°C 

• Well done 75°C

Always remember to rest your meat after cooking. For a roast, rest it for 10-20 mins before carving.
The meat will continue to cook while resting so take it out 3°C to 6°C  below your ideal doneness.

HOMEMADE GRAVY

In a pan, add a generous knob of butter and melt. (if you like, at this stage you can add chopped onions and/or mushrooms and soften)

Add a table spoon of plain flour and stir with a whisk to get a smooth paste. Be careful not to burn it.

When its smooth and has a bit of colour, add your pan juices a little at a time and keep whisking so no lumps form. You can use the back of a spoon to flatten out any lumps if you need to.

Add the pan juices until you get the desired consistency. note: It will thicken on sitting so add a little more than you think.

Season to taste and serve immediately with your delicious roast dinner.

TIPS

1. The herb crust will work well on any of our beef roast cut.

2. Use any combination of fresh herbs you like for the crust.

3. For a creamier mash, add more milk.

Thanks Australian Beef for this recipe

Regeneratively Farmed, Oven Roasted Lamb Souvlaki with Homemade Sourdough Flatbread

This bundle of joy right here is a roast lamb banger packed with garlicky goodness and oozing with finger licking scrumptiousness.

If you think all the fun lies in the eating, then you will miss the point. Half the enjoyment is in preparing this beautiful banquet. Grab a glass of wine, turn on the tunes and lovingly caress this lamb shouldering into a haven of delight to share with friends. The time you put into the prep will reap rich rewards in the end. Lets dive in…

INGREDIENTS

SLOW ROASTED LAMB

• 2.5 kg Regeneratively Farmed lamb shoulder bone in, room temp

• 40 garlic cloves peeled

• 4 sprigs rosemary

• 4 sprigs thyme

• 2 cups olive oil

• 4 anchovy filets

• 1 tbsp baby capers

• 1 lemon zest and juice

• 250 mL white wine

• salt + pepper

CRISPY ROASTED POTATOES

• 4 large russet potatoes peeled and cut into small cubes

• 6 cloves garlic

• 3 sprigs thyme

• 3 sprigs rosemary

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1/2 cup grapeseed or vegetable oil. Beef tallow is always a winner for me.

• salt + pepper

TZATZIKI

• 1 cup plain Greek yoghurt

• 1 cucumber grated

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 garlic clove grated

• 2 tbsp dill chopped

• salt + pepper

TABBOULEH

• 2 large parsley bunches leaves removed from stems and finely chopped

• 1 bunch spring onions sliced

• 2 tomatoes diced

• 1/2 red onion finely sliced

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1 lemon juiced

• salt + pepper

SOUVLAKI ASSEMBLY

• Flat bread (sourdough flatbread recipe below)

INSTRUCTIONS

SLOW ROASTED LAMB

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius / 410 degrees Fahrenheit.

• In a small pot on a low heat, combine the 20 garlic cloves, 2 sprigs rosemary, 2 sprigs thyme and the olive oil. Bring to a slow simmer and simmer for 30 – 45 minutes or until the garlic is soft and slightly golden. Remove half of the olive oil and reserve for another use. In the same pot on the same heat, add the anchovies, baby capers and lemon zest. Cook for 5 minutes or until the anchovies have melted into the oil. Drain the oil and set to the side. Place the garlic mixture into a mortar and pestle. Pound into a paste.

• Using a sharp knife, score the fat of the meat into a criss cross pattern. Try to not cut through to the meat. Rub the garlic and herb mixture all over, pushing it into the slits. Scatter the rest of the herbs and garlic into the bottom of a dutch oven or roasting tin that will hold the lamb as snugly as possible. Place the lamb on top of the herbs and garlic. Pour over the reserved olive oil, lemon juice and white wine. Season with a very generous amount of salt and pepper. Cover very well with alfoil or a lid and place into the oven. Immediately turn the heat to 140 degrees Celsius or 300 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for 4 hours or until the lamb is extremely soft and tender and falling off the bone.

• Once the lamb is cooked, leave it to rest for 15 minutes before breaking it apart. Serve with some fresh bread and all of the juices from the pan.

CRISPY ROASTED POTATOES

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius

• Wash the potatoes in cold water then place them in a bowl and cover with cold water until they are fully submerged. Leave the potatoes to sit in the water for 10 minutes, giving them a bit of a wash to remove as much starch as possible. Drain into a colander and rinse under cold water.

• Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and add a very generous amount of fine sea salt. Add the rosemary, thyme and garlic cloves that have been slightly smashed. Place the pan on high heat and wait for the water to boil. Once boiling, cook the potatoes for 5 – 8 minutes or until fork tender.

• Drain the potatoes into a colander and discard the garlic cloves and herbs. Rough up the potatoes by mixing them with a spoon to increase their surface texture. Cover the colander with a tea towel and leave the potatoes to steam for 15 minutes.

• While the potatoes are steaming, add the oil to a baking dish and place into the oven for 5 minutes or until piping hot. Remove the tin from the oven and very carefully pour the potatoes into the tin with the hot fats, you will hear a delightful sizzling sound. Stir the potatoes through the hot fats then bake for 45 minutes, tossing them and basting them with the oil every 15 minutes.

• Remove the potatoes from the tin and serve with the lamb.

TZATZIKI 

• Grate the cucumber and place into a tea towel. Give it a big squeeze to remove as much moisture as possible.

• Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.

TABBOULEH

• Place all ingredients into a large bowl and mix to combine. Season well with salt and pepper. Taste the salad to ensure you have enough seasoning and dressing and adjust to your liking.

• Leave to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving to allow all the flavours to combine.

• Souvlaki assembly

• Drizzle a pan with olive oil and on a medium heat, heat the wrap for 1 – 2 minutes on each side or until slightly golden and toasted.

• Assemble the souvlaki by spreading 3 of the cooked garlic cloves from tin that the lamb was roasted in onto the wrap. Followed by a layer of tzatziki. Top with a generous amount of lamb, followed by tabbouleh then finished with crispy potatoes. Serve immediately.

Try your own Sourdough flatbread

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups (300g) all purpose flour

1 tbsp (12g) sugar

1/2 tsp (5g) fine sea salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup (120g) left over sourdough starter

1/4 cup (60g) Greek yoghut

1/4 cup (60 ml) oil

1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 30 ml) warm water

2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, melted

INSTRUCTIONS

Whisk the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder together in a large bowl. Add the leftover starter, yoghurt, oil, and 1 tablespoon (15ml) of water. Mix with your hands until a rough dough forms. The dough should feel soft but not sticky. Add more water or flour as needed to get the right texture. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let rest for 1 hour.

Remove the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Flatten into a rectangle, and then divide into 8 equal pieces, about 80 grams each. Cover with a damp towel.

Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough into a thin circle about 8 inches (20 cm). The exact shape does not need to be perfect - you’re looking for something slightly smaller than the width of your skillet. Melt the butter in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Warm a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat.

Place the dough into the warm, dry pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on one side. When the dough puffs up and has a few bubbles on the surface, brush lightly with some of the melted butter and flip it over. Cook for 1 to 2 mins on the other side. When finished, brush with more butter and transfer to a cutting board. Wrap in a towel to keep warm. Roll out the next piece of dough and cook the rest of the flatbreads.

These sourdough flatbreads are best enjoyed warm. You can also reheat them in a low oven, about 275 degrees F (140 degrees C) in a foil package. For crispy flatbreads, reheat directly on the centre oven rack.

Flatbreads will keep fresh stacked, wrapped, and stored at room temp for 1-2 days. Reheat as indicated above for best texture. To freeze, cover the flatbreads in plastic wrap and foil for up to 3 months.

Adapted from our lovely client Emily D and Daens Kitchen

Topside Roast recipe with Herbs and Veggies

INGREDIENTS

• SERVES 6

1.2 kg Regenerative Farms topside roast

12 French shallots, peeled, halved

3 large carrots, peeled, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tbsp wholegrain mustard

1/4 cup fresh herbs (we used thyme, rosemary, oregano), finely chopped

1 1/2 cups (375ml) beef stock

1/2 cup (125ml) red wine

800g potatoes, peeled, cut into 3cm pieces

20g butter, cubed

1/3 cup full-cream milk

1/4 cup finely grated parmesan

Steamed sugar snap peas and home made gravy, to serve

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 240°C (220° fan-forced).

2. Arrange shallots and carrots in a large roasting pan. In a small bowl combine oil, garlic, mustard and herbs. Season, stir to combine and spread over beef. Place beef on top of vegetables and pour stock and wine around the base.

3. Place beef in oven and reduce heat immediately to 200°C (180° fan-forced). Roast in oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until cooked to your liking, covering top of roast with foil if over browning. Remove roast from oven, set beef aside on a tray and cover with foil. Rest for 15 minutes. Return vegetables to oven for 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain and return potatoes to saucepan. Season. Mash with butter and milk until smooth. Stir through parmesan.

5. Slice beef and serve with shallots, carrots, parmesan mash, sugar snaps and gravy.

TIPS

1. The herb crust will work well on any of our beef roast cut.

2. Use any combination of fresh herbs you like for the crust.

3. For a creamier mash, add more milk.

Thanks Australian Beef for this recipe