An unlikely plant is helping Narromine farming family to drought proof their property but it has also positively changed the outcome of the lamb products and they will be bringing their food to Dubbo's upcoming Beers to the Bush Festival.
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The Sippel family from Narromine first began using the Old Man Saltbush plant in the 1980's.
They run approximately 50 ewes and 47 lambs on their property and the animals only eat the saltbush.
Ben Sippel said every bit of Drovers Choice Saltbush lamb purchased will help to drought proof Australia.
"We got through the entire drought last year only needing to buy one bale of hay," he said.
Ben said the sheep didn't have a clue about the hay.
"I reckon these were the only sheep in NSW that when you drove out into the paddock with feed on the back, they didn't come running out to the vehicle," he said.
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The Old Man Saltbush plant is helping to set apart their Drover’s Choice Saltbush Lamb from other lamb products.
"The lamb is coming out with a much cleaner, fresher taste than what you're grain-fed or pasture fed animal does," Ben said.
"It's just got an extra characteristic to the eating quality in it that can't be achieved from grass and definitely not from grain."
Locals will be able to sample this product for themselves at the upcoming Beers to the Bush Festival, which will be held on March 9 at Macquarie Lions Park.
The second annual event is set to attract hundreds of people from across central west, NSW.
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Ben knew about last year's Beers to the Bush Festival and decided to get in touch with the organisers.
"We just started looking around at different events to do this year…," he said.
"I emailed them straight away and told them we do the Drovers Choice Lamb Gravy rolls… because we're basically just the one product, we're not a food van that does 20 different menu items.
Ben believes what makes a lamb and gravy roll so popular was convenience.
"It's a good sized feed the way we present it, and it's very quick to be served up," he said.
"The meat's roasted for five to six hours and then sliced up and then the gravy is added to it."
Ben is looking forward to the Beers in the Bush Festival and said there will probably be a few "swap meets" with the others stall holders afterwards.
"I'd definitely like to get the beer brewers contact numbers to say I can send them some lamb.. they become another customer," he said.
Taylor Jurd
Hi, my name is Taylor Jurd. I am a journalist with Australian Community Media, I write for the Western Magazine and Wellington Times.
Hi, my name is Taylor Jurd. I am a journalist with Australian Community Media, I write for the Western Magazine and Wellington Times.
