Covering 1200 acres of naturally challenging land, Uradale has specialised in the hardy native animals that thrive in Shetland’s harsh landscape and climate: Native Shetland sheep and kye. They produce Native Shetland beef and lamb of truly exceptional quality and provenance.
They aim to return to a style of agriculture that moves in step with the resources available and shows great respect for the delicate balance of ecosystems that make Shetland so special. The farm has been certified by the Scottish Organic Producers Association (SOPA) since 2001, as well as being QMS registered, and the land is tended with biodiversity very much in mind.
Native Shetland lamb and beef were, until recently, quite cut out of the commercial meat trade. Smaller animals, reared more naturally and more slowly than most of today’s common commercial breeds, they were sadly out of step with modern supermarket requirements. Uradale recognised that these breeds were not only better suited to the land around them, but by rearing them as nature intended, they could offer a unique product with strong markets among consumers interested in flavour, quality, and the astounding differences in the nutritional make up of naturally reared, grass-fed red meat.
The farm’s sheep and cattle graze over large areas of natural pasture from heather-clad hills to herb-rich green coastlines. They are wintered on silage, produced on the farm. The flavour is naturally Shetland, full of character and flavour. Shetland Lamb is a Protected Designation of Origination product, Shetland Kye are listed as a Rare Breed, and both meats are listed as part of the Slow Food movement’s Ark of Taste register.
A man of many talents, Jakob Eunson of Uradale, is also a qualified butcher as well as being a canny stockman. He butchers all the farm’s meat himself, creating an exceptional farm to fork product, almost entirely on the farm. The finished product is much sought after, they supply local stockists such as Scoop Wholefoods, local restaurants and craft butchers like Lidgate’s of London.
The farm also produces its own 100% Shetland yarn, and they offer farm tours.
