Red Deer Farm topic of Rotary talks

    HOULTON — Mark Drew from Shakaree Red Deer Farm visited Houlton Rotary Monday, July 11, as the featured speaker for the group’s regular meeting. Before educating Rotarians about red deer, Drew gave the crowd a lesson in the languages of Star Trek. For example, did you know ‘Shakaree’ means ‘Land of Paradise’ in Vulcan?
    Also, did you know this 600-acre deer farm in New Limerick is acclaimed internationally and was the first red deer farm in the eastern United States? After learning how the antler velvet of deer was being used to treat arthritis, Gary Dwyer, realizing the business opportunity, imported 105 red deer from New Zealand in 1990.
Contributed photo/Michael Clark
GUEST SPEAKER — Mark Drew, right, was the guest speaker at the July 11 meeting of Houlton Rotary. Drew spoke of the Shakaree Red Deer Farm in New Limerick. With Drew is Rotary President Scott Dionne.
    With the help of Mark Drew, Dwyer has expanded the farm tenfold. The Shakaree Red Deer Farm now consists of over 1,000 deer and four separate properties in New Limerick. The antlers of these deer are still a prized commodity, but the expert breeding and care put into the herd has made the deer a commodity in themselves. Hundreds of live deer are exported from New Limerick to larger ranches throughout the United States every year.