SHE knows her lamb so well that when you buy from Sam Hayes's Mirrool Creek range she can tell you the name of the paddock the animal had been grazing in before it became a french cutlet, trim backstrap or part of a lamb and rosemary sausage or any other of the long list of cuts in the range.

"People are starting to really appreciate and care about where their food comes from these days and understand what they're eating," the 25-year-old says. "Geographically, we're in a really favourable place for growing lamb because of soil types, naturally available pastures and the climate range."

Hayes's family have owned and run the Rowallan Pastoral Company, a sheep and cereal cropping property in western NSW, since the i88os. Their livestock is sold through the Wagga Wagga prime lamb market to abattoirs and butchers.
A couple of years ago Hayes got involved with friends working at farmers' markets and, after seeing the success of other branded producers, hit on the idea to use the family lamb in a new way, selling it as processed lamb cuts.

Mirrool Creek was born and about a third of the farm's lambs are now diverted to the brand. As well as selling through farmers' markets in and around Sydney, there is a delivery service and she hopes it will start appearing on restaurant plates.