Deerly Beloved

By: Melissa Hemken

Originally published in the February 2008 issue of the American Agriculturalist

Henry Ahern is well-practiced in his “tour talk.” He regularly gives tours of his Bonnie Brae Farms at Plymouth, New Hampshire, for chefs, schools, farmers, politicians and anyone in between.

Why the fuss? Henry raises 300 head of red deer, an animal gaining in popularity for its healthy venison. And that’s what brought last fall’s attendees to New Hampshire’s Small and Beginner Farmers’ Conference to his farm.

About 14 years ago, Henry and brother Bruce also were investigating endeavors to bring their third-generation farm back to life. Options included aquaculture, ostriches and llamas. Red deer were nowhere on the radar screen.

“We were attending the New Hampshire Farm and Forest Expo in February 1993 for a fish farming seminar,” recalls Henry. “We discovered a session on deer farming, and it changed our whole plan.”

In 1994, Bonnie Brae Farms became a reality with the arrival of 27 red deer. Today, the brothers raise the animals on about 70 acres. Take a walk through the farm with Henry, and he’ll be quick to point out Molly, the last of their New Zealand stock. “People ask how long red deer will live and still have a healthy calf,” he says. “I used to tell them about 16 years. Now I just say, ‘Molly is 23 years old, and had a baby this past spring.’”

Tourism on track
 

The Hobo Railroad’s and Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad’s tour trains run the track that splits Bonnie Brae Farms in half. “We’ve actually found a good use for the trains that sort of offsets the nuisance,” Henry notes.

A deal was worked out with the railroads to make the farm an official stop. “We’ll hop on and talk about the benefits of eating venison and sell some of our meat products.”

Out of the 26 deer and elk farms in New Hampshire, Bonnie Brae Farms is the largest, the second oldest and also does the most publicity. The Aherns market venison to five restaurants, local farmers markets, through mail order and at the farm.

EQIP’ed with fencing
 

Fencing is the biggest single cost for starting to raise red deer. The Aherns are currently cost-sharing some of it via the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service through the Environmental

Quality Incentive Program.

The funds are being used to construct a fence around a new pasture that abuts a wetland. September 2007 also saw the completion of an EQIP Heavy Use Area Protection contract to improve the railroad crossing and manage the runoff water from the farm and pastures on both sides of the tracks. Now, the Aherns don’t have to shovel a layer of gravel and dirt off of the tracks after rainstorms.

Bonnie Brae Farms harvests roughly a 100 animals a year in Windham, Maine. Females can be used for meat from 2 to 10 years in age and males from 18 months to 36 months.

The harvest comes in
 

The Aherns normally market stags between 26 to 30 months of age, allowing antler harvest in the “velvet” stage. With 55 to 65 days of growth, antlers are encased in soft, fuzzy hair (velvet), marketed as Velvet Antler, which is used as a nutritional supplement. It’s touted for anti-inflammatory properties, and to help increase energy and stamina. Antlers are ground into meal and packaged in capsule form in Maine.

“The stags do have nerves in their antlers when we harvest velvet,” Henry explains. “So we use a local anesthetic when we cut them off. Taking their antlers early before they drop them in the fall doesn’t harm

them. All the stags grow them for is to impress the ‘women.’”
 

To learn more about Bonnie Brae Farms and raising red deer, visit www.bonniebraefarms.com or call 603-536-3880.  
 

By: Melissa Hemken

Originally published in the February 2008 issue of the American Agriculturalist

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