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Erica Wides
Internship report
I arrived at Jamison farm at dusk, tired and hungry after a seven-hour drive through an ice storm. I had little idea of what to expect of the internship, other than what previous interns had written. I had these vague images of shepherding, or feeding bottles to baby lambs, things I think I remembered from storybooks about farms I read as a child. I was ready for anything, happy to be away from work for a while, learning and doing something new. Sukey Jamison greeted me in her warm, cozy kitchen (and it’s enviable stove and collection of All-Clad) with a bowl of soup and a glass of wine, and that’s where the whole experience began.
The farm is located in a beautiful, hilly region that immediately reminded me of Scotland, all rolling green hills and more sheep than people. As we sat and talked that night they filled me in a little on the history of the region, their farm and family, and the world of sustainable farming. Since I have spent some time with the Jones family at the Chef’s Garden, it was very interesting to learn about the different challenges in raising meat as opposed to vegetables. While the Joneses rush to get their products to chefs with hours of harvesting, the Jamison’s dry-aged lamb needs a long, slow temperature-controlled rest before it reaches its peak of palatability.
As the weather cleared and spring bloomed, my days began to take shape. The first few days I went to the “plant” with Sukey. The plant is where the lambs are killed and processed. I met all the key players on the team; the guys on the kill floor, the USDA inspector, etc. They were friendly, but seemed amused by this urbanite 4’11” girl who wanted to see what their work was all about. I was quickly dubbed alternately “shorty” (very original), or “Betty Crocker” (only slightly better). But they were all good-natured about my being there, and really taught me a lot. I helped on the kill floor for a day, and I was put in charge of “wash and weigh”. This happens after the lambs have been killed, skinned, eviscerated and inspected. I had to hose them down, slide the carcass onto a scale, record the weight, and put the little blue USDA stamp on the meat. Then I had to slide the lamb into the cooler for it’s first stage of slow cooling. Sukey and the Meaty Boys also instructed me in cutting. Having been a chef and instructor for 15 years, I thought I knew how to butcher. Apparently, this was not so.
After I figured out the complicated streets of downtown Latrobe PA, I drove myself to work every day. I helped in the plant, cutting, packing, making sausage and soup with the Meaty Boys and Sukey. Then afternoons were spent in the barn at the farm, packing and shipping. Sukey Jamison is the strongest woman on the planet, by the way.
Evenings were usually spent eating lamb and drinking away John’s Cotes du Rhone collection. I think we ate lamb 15 out of 21 nights, and I could still eat it every night. It is truly an artisanal product, tasting of the grassy terroir, well-marbled and succulent. The best lamb I have ever eaten, for sure. It almost felt decadent to eat that well every night, but I forced myself…Dinnertime also included much conversation. John has great stories, and when discussing matters of business, I felt honored that they asked my opinion.
A few things really struck me about the whole process. I was really surprised by how little contact is made with the lambs on a daily basis. They really do just eat grass, 24/7. John explained to me that they had at one time kept the lambs indoors part-time, but that they were much healthier living outside year round. They’re born, live, eat and (sometimes) die right in the field, with very little human intervention. I’ve also begun to understand the challenge of running a small, family-owned business. Hurdles arise at every turn, whether it’s a lack of labor, a broken cooler compressor, a bungled delivery or the dreaded Orf (a real disease I learned about, but thought was a joke).
Overall, the experience was great. I learned quite a bit about farming and lambs, made some new friends, and know every story about Jean-Louis Palladin and then some…
The Jamisons are great people, very generous with their knowledge, their home, and their wine. I had a wonderful time, and thank them and the JLP Foundation for this fantastic opportunity.
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