- Brookfield Farm lamb is an artisan product, raised in a small flock and carefully reared
- Our lamb is free-range and grazes on lakeshore pastures sown with organic grass seed and clover
- We supplement the grass with a little barley in winter
- Our lamb is fully traceable and locally slaughtered by a traditional craft butcher
- Unlike supermarket meat, our lamb is hung on the bone for a minimum of 7-10 days, ensuring delicious tenderness and flavour
- Our farm is part of agri-environment scheme AEOS
- Our passion for farming sustainability and a thriving countryside with rural collaboration drives us
- Buying lamb direct from Brookfield Farm means less food miles
- You save by buying direct from Brookfield Farm
Faq
Brookfield Farm Lamb FAQ
Tell us about Brookfield Farm lamb?
When does your season start and finish?
Brookfield Lamb season starts in early August and continues through to the end of the winter, or when stock runs out. Lamb is a seasonal product and depending on the time of year, the product will change. The colour and flavour of the flesh will depend on where the sheep were raised. Spring Lamb (or new Season Lamb) is lamb under 1 year old. When lamb passes its first birthday, it is termed hogget, and at this age can make excellent eating. It’s darker in colour and richer in flavour, with a heavier fat covering. The lamb from Brookfield farm varies from 5 months to one year – meaning the meat is tender and yet has a terrific depth of flavour.
Can we visit your lambs?
We love showing our farm and lambs to visitors. Some lambs are very friendly and run up to greet you. Contact us for the next visiting day.
What do your lambs eat?
Our lambs graze mostly grass and clover, we feed a little supplementary barley in winter. They also forage herbs in the hedgerows and Lough Derg lakeshore - sorrel, water mint and other herbs which gives Brookfield lamb its distinctive flavour.
What is the “carcass weight” for a Half Lamb and a Full Lamb?
The carcass weight is based on the cold weight of the lamb 12 or more hours after processing by the craft butcher, which is about 9-12 kgs for a half lamb and 22-25 kgs for a whole lamb.
How is the lamb prepared?
Our collaboration with a craft butcher with a HSE inspected and approved cutting room where the lamb has been hung for 7-10 days, makes the lamb tender and tasty.
How much room do I need available in my freezer?
A half lamb takes up about 1 and 1/4 drawers in a standard upright 3 drawer freezer.
A whole lamb takes up about2 and ½ drawers in a standard upright 3 drawer freezer.
How much notice do you need?
With a small, carefully managed flock, lamb production is seasonal. Right now we have lambs up to weight, so about 12 days from ordering - to allow time for the all important butcher hanging to ensure tenderness.
Where do you deliver to and how much does this cost?
We use courier to deliver nationwide to our household customers. Delivery via courier costs about €15 for a half lamb. Delivery via courier costs about €30 for a full lamb.
How is the lamb packaged?
The lamb is cut to your specification (rack or chops, full leg etc) and comes in freezer bags individually labelled. Your lamb arrives ready to go straight into the freezer. Choose how many chops per freezer bag, so you can take out a dinner's worth easily.
How do I tell you about my cut preferences for a half lamb?
Choose your option below for each category:
1. Leg - Choose your option for Leg
- Whole leg Or
- Shank and fillet end Or
- De-boned rolled leg
2. Loin Chops - Choose your option – how many chops packed in a bag?
- 2 per freezer bag
- 3 per freezer bag
- 4 per freezer bag
Rack of lamb Or: All cutlets
- 2 per freezer bag
- 3 per freezer bag
- 4 per freezer bag
4. Shoulder and lap - Choose 1 option below:
- 2 per freezer bag
- 3 per freezer bag
- 4 per freezer bag
- Mince from shoulder and lap of lamb
- Whole shoulder
How do I tell you about my cut preferences for a full lamb?
1. Leg - Choose your option for Leg 1 and Leg 2
Leg 1
- Whole leg
- Shank and fillet end
- De-boned rolled leg
Leg 2
- Whole leg
- Shank and fillet end
- De-boned rolled leg
2. Loin Chops - Choose your option – how many chops packed in a bag?
- 2 per freezer bag
- 3 per freezer bag
- 4 per freezer bag
3. Rack of lamb or cutlet chops - Choose 1 option below:
1 Rack of lamb and cutlets
Cutlets
- 2 per freezer bag
- 3 per freezer bag
- 4 per freezer bag
Or: All cutlets
- 2 per freezer bag
- 3 per freezer bag
- 4 per freezer bag
Or: 2 Racks of lamb
4. Shoulder and lap
Shoulder and lap 1
Gigot lamb chops
- 2 per freezer bag
- 3 per freezer bag
- 4 per freezer bag
OR
- Mince from shoulder and lap of lamb
OR
- Whole shoulder
Shoulder and lap 2
Gigot lamb chops
- 2 per freezer bag
- 3 per freezer bag
- 4 per freezer bag
OR
- Mince from shoulder and lap of lamb
OR
- Whole shoulder
Brookfield Farm Hiveshare FAQ
What is a Brookfield Farm Hiveshare?
Brookfield Farm Hiveshare, share the joy of beekeeping. You get delicious raw Irish honey, pure beeswax handmade candles and balms. We look after the bees!
Hiveshare by Brookfield Farm is about more than honey and candles - it is also about education and the joy of beekeeping. Subscribers to a Hiveshare tp have regular communications and share in celebrations connecting you with the cycles of the seasons and life in your hive and on the farm.
How does Hiveshare work?
We look after the bees, you get the honey! The finest sustainably produced raw honey and beeswax candles directly from Brookfield Farm to you. Our Brookfield Farm Hiveshare options are currently the Bee Friend, the Bee Supporter, and our highest option, the Bee Champion for a full hive!
I thought bees were in danger?
Bees and other pollinators are under threat. Creating bee sanctuaries like Brookfield Farm will preserve these useful and amazing insects for future generations. And you can participate, as you enjoy the incredible flavours and health benefits of Brookfield Farm Hiveshare - raw natural honey and beeswax candles and balms.
Who is behind Brookfield Farm Hiveshare?
Ailbhe Gerrard studied sustainable development in University College London, and organic farming for three years in the renowned Scottish Agricultural College (SRUC). She has been awarded a 2016 Nuffield Agricultural Scholarship. Following a successful construction project management career, she is well qualified to farm at Brookfield beside her family home in Co. Tipperary.
Driven by her vision of bringing agriculture back to its sustainable roots; producing good food for people. Ailbhe has farmed Brookfield Farm for seven years, growing skills, developing new ideas and making collaborations with skilled farmers and apiarists.
Enthused by the energy generated hosting the All Ireland Permaculture Gathering on Brookfield Farm in 2014; with hundreds of festival attendees attending dozens of workshops on sustainability and food. Ailbhe launched Brookfield Farm Hiveshare - an artisan honey food product with flair.
Ailbhe’s recent activities include:
Blas na hEireann Finalist 2017 for Brookfield Farm honey!
Nuffield Agricultural Scholar 2016
Member Tipperary Food Producers', Tipperary Green Business Network, and ‘A Taste of Lough Derg’ 2017
Awarded alumnus IFOAM (Organics International) Global Organic Agriculture Leaders’ programme, scholarship winner 2015 and 2017
Winner Irish Times Artisan Food Producers' competition 2014
Organic Farming qualification - Masters in Science from SRUC 2014
Why should I purchase a Brookfield Farm Hiveshare?
You will be helping the bees and crop pollination
You will be protecting the bees by contributing to safe sanctuaries where they can live, feed and produce healthy hives and honey.
You will enjoy the flavour and health benefits of pure, Irish honey delivered direct to you.
Our bees forage on trees and wildflowers; the farm’s acres of woodland are filled with bee-friendly trees and our three hectares of bee-meadows are colourful with wildflowers.
You will help young apiarists learn beekeeping skills, support the future
Help us help the most important insect on our planet – No bees, no food!
Brookfield Farm Hiveshare is a community-supported agriculture model for honey.
Tell me about how you keep bees?
We love bees. Our happy healthy colonies of bees produce the finest wildflower honey rich in minerals, pollen and propolis. Our hives produce honey and wax harvested from our farm’s specially sown 3 hectares of wildflower meadows, blackberries, tree blossoms and from our organic clover and meadows. Our award winning raw honey is carefully extracted to preserve the delicate flavour, enzymes, proteins and anti-oxidants.
What do I get with my Hiveshare option?
Honey direct from your own Hiveshare and the joy of sharing! You are helping bees and helping us keep our sustainable farming viable.
All Hiveshare options receive a Giftbox with a Brookfield Farm Hiveshare Certificate, our famous six hour hand dipped beeswax candles, a naturally scented candle, hand made beeswax lipbalm, and the following depending on your selected Hiveshare.
Hiveshare Bee Friend - 2 jars honey
Hiveshare Bee Supporter - 6 jars honey
Hiveshare Bee Champion - 16 jars honey
View our full range of Hiveshares here.
When does the honey harvest come?
Your honey share will arrive after honey harvest time, usually in November.
How do I order? And what happens then?
You can view all our Hiveshare options HERE Choose your Hiveshare option First you are sent your specially commissioned gift box with beautiful handmade beeswax candles, beeswax balm and certificate We will send you seasonal updates and information on your bees Anticipate getting your own honey from your own hive at harvest time You can look forward to your invitation to the Wonderful Honey Celebration in August and visit Brookfield Farm, learn about beekeeping and celebrate your honey harvest Enjoy your raw Irish award winning honey Sign up again next year!
Brookfield Farm Hive Gifts & Candles FAQ
What are Brookfield candles made from?
Our Brookfield Farm candles are hand dipped and poured from pure beeswax direct from our farm hives located off the shores of Lough Derg in Co. Tipperary.
Why beeswax over soy wax?
Most candles are made from paraffin from a combination of paraffin, stearic acid (a derivative of beef or sheep fat) and beeswax with chemical additives to raise the burning point, increase hardness, and add colour and scent. These candles are toxic and add to the positive ions already polluting your indoor air. One alternative to toxic paraffin is less toxic soy wax. However, soy wax is not a natural product, either. Made from GM soy oil that has been expressed from GM soy beans through chemical extraction, then hydrogenated, as well as other vegetable oil additives like coconut oil and palm oil. Burning it releases hydrocarbons into your indoor air, as well as soya’s endocrine disruptors that affect your thyroid gland and promote carcinogenic estrogens. Remember estrogen, is fat soluble. Additional chemicals are added to soy wax to increase hardness for taper candles and change the scent from icky rancid fat to pleasant perfume. Bleach and chemical colourants, another known carcinogen, are also added. You don’t want to burn that in you home.
Beeswax is the only naturally occurring wax. It comes from the top wax of the honey comb and is part of the honey production and reproduction of bees.
How do bees make wax?
Worker bees, that live only 35 days, have a special wax producing gland on their abdomen. From day 10 to day 16 of the work bee’s life cycle, this wax gland is in peak production. Then it gradually atrophies and wax production slows down until the bee dies, and another worker bee takes her place in the hive. This wax producing gland exudes scales of transparent wax through the pores on the bee’s body. These scales are chewed by the bees to soften them, and as the waxy scales mix with the bee saliva they change colour, first to white and then to yellow, darkening with age in the hive. The worker bees consume honey and sweat it out of the gland in their abdomen as beeswax. 6 to 8 lbs of honey are consumed to make just 1 lb. of wax. The chewed up beeswax contains the same healthy pollen that the honey contains, and that’s what gives it its honey scent and its golden colour. So beeswax is basically bee sweat and bee spit. The wax is used by the worker bees to construct the honey comb, to seal the cells, and to make cells for new bees. You can find out more at beeswax.com
Can burning beeswax candles help my hayfever?
Local beeswax will contain the pollen from the plants that are growing in your region, so burning local wax candles will help you if you have pollen allergies, just like consuming raw, local honey helps hayfever.
Do you use essential oils in your candles?
We use delicious botanical essential oil scents in some of our hand poured candles, including lavender, mint, bergamot, may chang, basil, and sweet orange.