Cervena Farmer Lyndon Matthews to Participate in the Star Chefs International Culinary Conference in New York City This September

 

Cervena Farmer Lyndon Matthews, along with Chef Graham Brown, will present a seminar focusing on how New Zealand’s sustainable farming practices impact the quality and taste of Cervena Venison at the 2008 Star Chefs International Culinary Conference, attended by more than 1,000 industry professionals.   Matthews was chosen from a nationwide search of New Zealand’s Cervena farmers whose practices are outstanding examples of sustainability.

A fourth generation farmer, Lyndon Matthews, along with his wife Millie, own and operate their farm Puketira Deer, which loosely translated from the native Maori means “hill with outstanding view”.   Located in the South Island, in the North Canterbury region one hour north of Christchurch, Lyndon runs 800 deer and 1500 sheep on 270 hectares of dry rolling hill country near the foothills of the Southern Alps. 

While he helped his dad with their farm while growing up, Lyndon’s first career was as a rural bank manager.  “I always liked deer, so I persuaded my parents, who had only raised sheep, to buy 30 deer back in 1990 when I was still a banker,” Lyndon mused.  “But I have always had a love of the land that I was brought up on and the desire to return there always featured in my goals.  So, my wife and I returned to the family farm in 1995.  The combination of farming deer and being in my beloved hills is living the dream every day.”

Lyndon’s land – a limestone composition with a dry climate combined with a location that offers no practical irrigation possibilities – has proved a challenge to run an all natural, sustainable operation that produces the highest quality animals fed on a nutritious pasture mix.  His innovative pasture management and efforts to best utilize rainfall recently won Lyndon and Millie the 2008 New Zealand Deer Industry award for farming excellence in a demanding environment; these annual awards celebrate role models who show how an environmentally sensitive approach can be part of a profitable farm business and can inspire and motivate others by example.

Lyndon has been raising deer to the high standards of the Cervena appellation since 1995. “We are proud to be raising such a high quality product using sustainable herding practices.  Our philosophy is simple – allow the animals to be raised naturally in an open pasture environment while feeding them very well.  Well fed deer are happy and healthy.  They grow quickly, with no stress.  And that produces a tender, quality product.”