Lamb raised in Unity Township, on the farm of John and Sukey Jamison, has appeared on the menus of such top chefs as Anne Quatrano of Bacchanalia in Atlanta and the late Jean-Louis Palladin of the Watergate Hotel’s Jean-Louis Restaurant in Washington, D.C.
The Jamison Farm owners will discuss their 40-year adventure at the intersection of agriculture and farm-to-table cuisine at 7 p.m Sept. 26 at the Westmoreland History Education Center, on the grounds of Historic Hanna’s Town, 809 Forbes Trail Road, Hempfield.
Their presentation is part of the Westmoreland Historical Society’s “Made in Westmoreland” series, which highlights things that originate in Westmoreland County and have gained regional, state or national significance.
The program also coincides with the recent publication of the Jamisons’ book, “Coyotes in the Pasture and Wolves at the Door,” which combines stories from the farm with 25 of Sukey’s family recipes featuring various cuts of lamb. Copies of the book will be available for purchase.
Admission is free for historical society members and costs $8 for all others. Pre-registration is requested by calling 724-836-1800, ext. 210.
The 210-acre Jamison Farm annually produces 3,000 some lambs raised on a natural diet of grasses, clover, wild flowers and hay in a free-range setting. The couple processes the resulting meat at their nearby USDA plant and ships orders directly from the farm.
They were honored as the 2017 Conservation Farmer of the Year by the Westmoreland Conservation District for their rotational grazing practices that don’t require plowing or fertilizing.
Sukey Jamison said she and her husband have talked about penning a follow-up book.
“We have lots of stories,” she said. “It’s been a fun ride. We’ve been very fortunate over the years. We’ve met people like Julia Child and Chuck Williams of Williams-Sonoma.
”There was no road map for what we did. We were early on in farm-to-table back in the 1980s and ’90s.”
One of the couple’s three children, Eliza Jamison, is a chef at Pittsburgh’s Muddy Waters Oyster Bar, where she has featured her family’s product in a four-course lamb dinner and wine pairing.
In addition to the Hanna’s Town program, John and Sukey Jamison will be making other area appearances to promote their farm and book.
They’ll be selling lamb sandwiches and copies of their book at the annual Ligonier Highland Games Saturday and Sunday at Idlewild Park west of Ligonier. They’ll also sign books as part of a wine-tasting event 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 25 at The Kitchen by Vangura in North Huntingdon.
Visit jamisonfarm.com for more information about the Jamisons. For more information about the historical society and Historic Hanna’s Town, visit westmorelandhistory.org or call 724-836-1800.
