In the photo left to right: Scott Dionne Houlton Rotary President and Mark Drew from Shakaree Red Deer Farm.

Mark Drew from Shakaree Red Deer Farm visited Houlton Rotary this past Monday, July 11th.  Before educating Rotarians about red deer, Mark gave the crowd a lesson in the languages of Star Trek.  Did you know ‘Shakaree’ means ‘Land of Paradise’ in Vulcan?

Also, did you know this 600-acre deer farm in Northern Maine 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.

With the help of Mark Drew, Mr. 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.