242TRAVEL & CULTURE: WILDWIND PASTURES
emotional and material support;
without them, I couldn’t do this,”
he says.
That list includes fellow
farmers, friends, family members,
mentors and colleagues, who
have shared everything from
farming knowledge and business
advice to short-term loans
and a pickup truck. The strong
support MacLean has received
is a testament to his strength of
character, his proven capacity
to execute a vision, and his
very genuine commitment to
providing the highest level of
care to his flock and the land.
The care lavished on
MacLean’s flock comes through
in the quality of his lamb.
Rebecca Sly, a chef who grew
up in the United Kingdom and
moved to P.E.I. two yearsago, was delighted to discover
his products.
“Lamb is extremely popular
in the U.K. I was a huge fan of
Welsh lamb when we lived there,
which is world renowned, but
I can honestly say that Adam’s
lamb beats any of the meat I had
previously eaten, hands down,”
says Sly. “The caring way in
which these animals are raised
and the wonderful pastures they
graze on definitely has a huge
impact on the flavour of the meat.
This is an example of animal
husbandry and land management
at its finest.”
A growing proportion of
MacLean’s lambs are being sold
direct to Island consumers, who
appreciate the unique quality
characteristics of pasture-
raised, grass-finished lamb.
While fostering relationships
with lamb consumers is time
consuming, MacLean feels this
is the best way to pay respect to
his animals.
“This is truly a community-
based shepherding enterprise,”
says MacLean. “The most
remarkable realization from
these past two years is that
people really do want to help
a young farmer get started,
creating so much opportunity for
new entrants to agriculture.” HFor more about Adam MacLean
and Wildwind Pastures, check out
his Instagram @adam.maclean.ADAM MACLEAN