Lambs

It’s Good Friday today, the Jewish Passover holiday is being celebrated this week, and we’re also well into lambing season in the UK, so what could be more appropriate than this idyllic spring picture of lambs with their mothers? Sheep farming has a long history in Britain, and fields of the woolly animals are a common sight in many parts of the country. From lowland farms to sheep roaming the hillsides in areas such as Wales, Cumbria, and Scotland, sheep are everywhere.

The animals are mainly bred for food these days, although their wool still needs to be sheared and is also sold, of course. Most of the lamb meat consumed in the UK is either British or New Zealand, with Welsh and Scotch varieties particularly prized for their fantastic flavour. Roasted until it’s pink and tender and then served with mint sauce, roast potatoes, vegetables, and gravy, lamb is a classic British Sunday lunch.

Fun fact: The National Sheep Association estimates that there are around 30 million of the woolly animals in the UK – that’s almost half the number of human residents of the country. In Northumberland, the county where I live, we have more sheep than people. So there’s something to bleat about!