People who think they know what lamb is all about may do a double take when they first eat hogget and mutton (that's meat from sheep aged more than one and two years, respectively).

These traditional meats offer all the reliable taste we expect from lamb, only more so. Most modern lamb comes from sheep four to six months old. But if the animal is given more time to range freely, all the while chomping away on tussocky bracken, heather, herbs and clovers, its meat develops an infinitely more interesting, fuller flavour that is exceptionally satisfying. The grain of the meat becomes finer too – even more pleasing to the tongue.

At this time of year, why buy anaemic and overpriced "spring" lamb from sheep fattened up indoors on compound feeds, or imported long-haul from the southern hemisphere, when hogget and mutton, patiently reared in the UK, is on offer?

Why is it good for me?

The high-quality protein in hogget and mutton sates the appetite and repairs and maintains our bodies. These meats have every essential amino acid we need, along with high levels of valuable micronutrients, including easily absorbed iron to energise us, zinc to support the immune system, and B vitamins to help us think straight. Since sheep graze on green pastures, the fat in their meat is an excellent source of conjugated linoleic acid, which is heart-healthy and helps protect us against cancer.

Where to buy, what to pay

Seek out hogget and mutton direct from farmers, at markets, in farm shops or online. Most farmers charge the same as they do for meat from younger animals. Guide prices: rolled breast £5.50 a kilo, diced shoulder £11‑14 a kilo, shanks £3 each, freezer box £90 for 10 kilos.

• Joanna Blythman is the author of What To Eat (Fourth Estate, £16.99). To order a copy for £11 with free UK p&p, go to guardianbookshop.co.uk