As a company that seeks to live up to the principles of sustainability, be ecologically-conscious, and invest in the local community, Lava Lake Ranch subscribes to the tenets of movements such as Slow Food, as well as the concept of artisanal production in the way we create our product. This means our free ranging, grass-fed lambs are raised much the same way they have been raised for centuries, with care by seasoned shepherds who take tremendous pride in the craft of raising the finest lambs in the region. They graze only on the natural bounty of a vast and biologically diverse landscape, moving through life with the rhythms of the seasons. With nearly one million acres of rangeland available for grazing, the lambs are assured access to wild pasture.

As spring arrives, shepherds tend the lambs and their mothers as they roam the vast rangeland, walking a distance of up to 125 miles, starting near Craters of the Moon National Monument and moving gradually on to higher-elevation pastures as longer, warmer summer days arrive. Both Panama and Columbian sheep were originally bred for this mountainous terrain, and our herders will tell you they positively thrive in the clean mountain air. Throughout their lives, Lava Lake lambs and their mothers are raised humanely and without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones.

Lava Lake participates in our local farmer’s market, is a client of a local distributor, and sells lamb to some of the finest restaurants in our local community. Additionally, Lava Lake works with schools and other food and sustainability organizations in our region to help create a thriving local agricultural economy.

Moreover, our sustainability efforts carry over into our business practices. The profits from our lamb sales go toward funding our conservation efforts. Happy, healthy lambs, a thriving local economy, and a beautiful, healthy landscape - grass-fed goodness with a clear conscience!