Here at the Club, we know that the quality ingredients we use in our cooking are what makes the end result so special. We take care to source all our meat, seafood, fruit, veg and sundries from trusted suppliers who work locally where possible – and we always want to know that the animals that end up on our customers’ plates have lived a good life.
Jack Norris of Highcliffe Hebrideans took a few moments to chat with us about the high quality lamb he rears with great care right here in the Peak District. We’ll be making the most of his produce during our summertime StrEAT evenings, al fresco street food events where we’ll be serving up the best of a variety of different cuisines in a casual, (hopefully) sun-soaked setting. Jack’s tender lamb will be prepared with garlic, onion and rosemary to make succulent gyros kebabs, served in pita with punchy tzatziki – perfect with a cold lager.
Jack grew up in the nearby village of Eyam, nurturing a lifelong passion for animals and great food and seeing the opportunity to combine these interests in the raising of lambs. At age eleven, he bought two rare breed Hebridean ewes, and has steadily built on his flock which is now at around 50 sheep, including the daughters and descendants of his original ewes.
Jack’s ewes are a mixture of traditional UK breeds which are ideally suited to the climate of the Peak District, meaning they can be reared naturally on pasture alone, creating a richer, more flavourful meat. No pesticides or fertilizers are used on the land, but the ewes graze to support biodiversity, in rare or threatened habitats in the area – Jack manages and grazes several species-rich hay meadows. They are raised to extremely high welfare standards, with prompt treatment of any issues that arise but as little as possible unnecessary intervention. Jack sees his flock all as individual animals, and treats them with care and respect throughout their lifespan.
Jack hopes to grow his flock further, but is approaching it with the care for the environment that shapes the rest of his business practises. More land is needed to avoid over-grazing and the decline in biodiversity that would lead to, so it’s a gradual process – but for the moment, we’re really glad to partner up with Jack and his delicious lambs.
We couldn’t resist a cheeky aside during our chat with Jack, and can exclusively reveal that his favourite way to enjoy tender lamb is as a traditional Sunday roast, with plenty of rosemary and garlic. Can’t argue with that – though we hope you’ll join us for our Greek street food evening to sample some of the other ways this delicious meat can be served. Find out more about our upcoming StrEAT evenings here.
Jack at Highcliffe Hebrideans can be contacted at highcliffehebrideans@outlook.com. Read about our other suppliers, including local beef farmers Hurst Farm and our partner Venison stalker here.