Local Lamb Lovers

So, as it turns out, the road to Sperryville that seems far too long on a rushed Friday is actually really quite short when time and the Blue Ridge Mountains are on your side. This week I had the pleasure of passing Popham’s Ford Road and continuing on through Sperryville (cute!) and on over to the perfectly delightful Mount Vernon Farm. Driving into Mount Vernon Farm the Thornton River rushes by your right side suggesting you find an old inner tube and a few good friends while up to your right the bright green pastures gobble up Turkey Mountain. Rolling white dots of fur speckle their way up the steep mountainside and leap onto cliffs in a seemingly perpetual game of King of the Mountain. On a cool, overcast Monday it feels like being in the Irish countryside.

Mount Vernon Farm is another one of Relay’s many sustainable, humane, happy, grass-fed animal farms. Cliff Miller and his family have been have been farming their 830 acres since 1827! Mike and the few farmers employed on the land practice Management Intensive Rotational Grazing which involves moving the sheep every 3 days and rotating them with the pigs and cows thus allowing all of the animals to work together to maintain the health of the grass, the land, each other, and eventually, us. More CLA’s, more Omega 3’s, fewer calories and better taste—all wrapped up into one sustainable package!

The whole farm is protected under a conservation easement and has won awards for its Chesapeake Bay friendly riparian conservation and grazing practices. They also work with the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) through the USDA to keep cattle out of the Thornton River (and other waterways) on the property. All and all, a really wonderful place to live whether you’re sheep, cow, pig, or human!

Give Mount Vernon lamb a try during these Holy days (until Sunday) and take 15% off the price by typing MOUNTVERNON in the coupon box at check out!