This week Chefs Chris & Juice sit down with famed lamb farmers Sukey & John Jamison of Jamison farms to talk about their incredible path to going from hippie newlyweds to the preeminent lamb farmers in the US. Their storied career begins on the path to Woodstock and took them to some of the greatest kitchens in the country.

Bio:

Sukey and John own and operate Jamison Farm and Jamison Packing in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. The Jamison's started out in the late 1970’s with zero animal husbandry expertise. Until the Pandemic, they raised and slaughtered their natural lamb, which was destined for great cooks at home and the finest chefs and restaurants across the country. They researched and developed methods for processing grass lamb and other ruminants that the meat remains tender after processing. They have developed recipes for using lamb in prepared products for further processing of their lamb. Their mission was to provide the best lamb in America to chefs either at home or at work.

               In 1994, the Jamison's bought their own USDA Slaughter/Processing Plant, Jamison Packing to insure further control over the finished product. Over the years, they have developed expertise in meat butchering. With the onset of the Pandemic and the downturn of their lamb business, they had to change their business plan and now concentrate on running their USDA plant as a farmer-oriented slaughter/cutting business. With years of experience in servicing a high-end clientele, John and Sukey work with local farmers to ensure quality slaughter and butchering in preparing their animals for sale to stores, farm markets, restaurants as well as mail order as it is all under USDA inspection.

Using their years of expertise in the farming as well as processing business, the Jamison's because Adjunct Professors at Chatham University in the Master of Food Studies Graduate Program, teaching the Meat Class yearly for over ten years. During their tenure as teachers, the students were exposed to the slaughter procedure as well as meat fabrication and further processing with hands on experience of making sausage, all under USDA inspection. The students were introduced to our HACCP plans and were made aware of the import of following the plans to ensure the success for food safety for USDA establishment # 9958.

In 2018, the Jamison published their multiple award-winning books, Coyotes in the Pasture and Wolves at the Door. The book recounts their story starting of a farm business with two mortgages, three kids, and no job. They started raising lambs on grass, developed a mail order business, got discovered by many of the chefs who were fueling the Food Revolution, bought a USDA meat plant, and somehow educated their three kids whom they hoped would support them in their golden years. Sukey and John relate how they dodged the bullets of under-capitalization, learned how to farm sustainably, and made Jamison Farm Lamb a staple on the menus of the best restaurants in the country. Coyotes in the Pasture and Wolves at the Door includes photos and Sukey’s own recipes.

www.jamisonfarm.com

www.JoinFoody.com

Chef Christopher Galarza (joinfoody.com)

Building Decarbonization Practice Guide — The William J. Worthen Foundation (collaborativedesign.org)

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