The taste of organic spring lamb...

June is the month when spring lamb starts to appear at butchers, farm shops and other food retailers around Cumbria. One of the local farms rearing organic lamb is Mansergh Hall outside Kirkby Lonsdale. The Hadwin family have their own butchery/farm shop on the farm and both the farm and their food processing is certified organic. Says Amanda Gorton, one of the daughters on the farm: "My personal favourite is lamb shoulder - a traditional family roast served with seasonal organic vegetables."

At the Croft farm in the village of Houghton just north of Carlisle, Susan Aglionby rears organic Longhorn Cattle and Suffolk lambs. Susan sells almost all of her meat locally, directly from the farm and at farmers markets. If you visit the Croft, Susan can offer you more than delicious meat: "In Houghton we have the first community woodland in Cumbria, which people can walk in and enjoy. It's so important to share what we have with people."

If you visit the west of the county, stop by Bridge End farm shop in Santon, where the Phizacklea family sells the farm's home bred organic lamb, as well as a wide range of other organic meats including beef, poultry, pork and mutton under the name of Country Cuts Quality Meats. The farm shop is open seven days a week.

Both Mansergh Hall and Country Cuts meat is available at various farm shops and speciality food shops around the county.

Content and photography supplied by artisan-food.com