With the white cliffs stretching to the needles to the west and the imposing structure of Brook Hill House to the east, Dunsbury farm is encased by lush green fields from which the wild roar of the sea can be heard. Style of Wight went to visit Dunsbury's owner, Susannah Seely, and Shepherd, Steve Fruin, and their flock of sheep.

The flock of Ewes at Dunsbury is about 750 strong with the majority as North of England Mules and 150 Pure Bred Poll Dorset. The former are lambed in the spring around April but the latter can be lambed any time of year, and at Dunsbury this is usually December, this allowing for 'New Season' lamb to be available much earlier in the year. The rams are a collection of Charollais, Dorset and Texel, specifically sought for leanness and good confirmation in their offspring. 

The sheep are fed on a diet of grass, with a crop of chicory/clover providing an excellent supplement for finishing lambs. The combination of salty sea air and Omega 3 rich grass provides a great environment to nurture the healthiest lambs. It is believed that the coastal trace elements picked up by the lambs last longer in the carcass and contribute to the renowned Dunsbury Lamb flavour.  Recent tasting sessions involving influential chefs from establishments around the Island have been successful in proving the quality and original flavour of the lamb.

Due to the lack of an island abattoir, finished lambs leave the island briefly before returning as carcasses  the meat is then hung for at least 10 days which enables it to mature for the distinct lamb taste. A large proportion of the lamb is distributed by 'Island Foods' of Sandown and can be found served in local establishments throughout the island. However the lamb is also available directly from the farm's shop which opens for business to the public every other Saturday morning and other local retail outlets.

The farm itself has National Trust land to the north and its coastal boarder is labelled an SSSI conservation area. Steve explains that the lamb is the next best thing to organic as he tries to keep to a minimum the use of anthelmintics in the stock and the use of fertilisers, pesticides or sprays on the pastures. Though relatively small, Dunsbury is a forward thinking business. As well as seeking to improve the product they are also making new technologies available, such as the recently brought in electronic identification (EID) tags work for them. Tagging enables traceability of the lamb back to the farm and any particular ewe that bred the lamb, making it electronic allows for greater scope and efficiency in the management of the flock.



How the best quality lambs are chosen:

There are two classes to take into account then selecting a finished lamb. The Fat Class and the Confirmation Class. The Fat Class runs numerically from 1 to 5, 1 being poor, with a very low ratio of fat to meat and 5 being very fat. The high standards of Dunsbury Lamb dictate that only lambs falling within the mid-range of the scale will be acceptable, classes 2-3. Confirmation is distinguished in the carcass  by the letters EUROP (the European standard)  'E' equal to outstanding confirmation and 'P' an unacceptable or 'reject'. Dunsbury lambs are at least R in confirmation, Steve always striving to breed better.