United Kingdom-Promoting Mutton.

The next Orton Farmers’ Market on Saturday (March 14) will have local mutton on sale.

Prince Charles launched the Mutton Renaissance Campaign in 2004 and demand has been increasing ever since. Local farmers, Steve and Barbara Dunning of Raisgill Hall, will be selling their mutton at the market.

"It’s ideal at this time of year," said Steve. "The meat comes from sheep that are at least two years old and then it has been well matured to bring out the flavour. "Like all our meat, it has been grazed on local fields and common uplands around Orton and it comes from Rough Fell stock. "I love the flavour – a bit stronger than normal lamb and really good if slow cooked with seasonal root vegetables or in spicier dishes like tagines and curries."

"Steve and Barbara expect to have cuts such as leg, shoulder and chops as well as diced and minced mutton, and the joints will generally be bigger than normal lamb."

Diana Brown, a former Cumbria Cook of the Year, will be demonstrating how easy it is to prepare outstanding dishes using local-bred mutton. These will include Mutton Broth with Root Vegetables and an amazing Cumberland Sweet Pie, adapted from the Herdwick Country Cookbook written by Hugh and Therese Southgate.