This puts us in the narrow channel between the Blackfish Creek Estuary and the open waters of Indian Neck and gives our oysters their perfectly balanced brine, buttery flavor, and crisp clean finish. But before I slurped, I had to take a #shellfie. Theyre all just squirting away, my cute little clams. Then slosh, suck, splat we made our way over to her oyster racks: rows of mesh containers suspended just above the sea floor so the oysters can soak up the tidal nutrients. Aw, Shucks!By Will Sabel CourtneyOysters are serious business for William Young.As if running a six-acre oyster farm alongside his girlfriend, Allison Paine,. After two to three years we hand select each oyster to be sure that we sell the finest, freshest, most delicious oysters on the market. They consistently produce the highest quality oysters and littlenecks, which we are proud to bring fresh to your event! The relatively cold water helps slow the metabolism of the oyster, which causes the oyster to build reserves of glycogen which gives the . The clams dig themselves in and begin to grow, also pumping water and feeding off the nutrients in the water. The margin for error that separateshappy end-customers and the not-so-happy ones is absurdly small. We start the process by purchasing tiny seed from a local hatchery. By the early 1800s, the wildoyster fisherieswere exhaustedand early forms of aquaculture took its place. Field Point Oyster Farm Wellfleet I wish I had a video of me slurping this puppy, but I don't. One is 31-year-old Jared Collins, whose family has been here for five generations. The Wellfleet oyster is world famous, featuring a briny finish, deep cut, substantial meat, and a clean shell. The best companieshelp educate their customers, who in turn, help inform the consumers. I feel like I have an obligation to go and I enjoy watching people enjoy oysters so much.. It clicked. With your support, GBH will continue to innovate, inspire and connect through reporting you value that meets todays moments. The study also found that the majority of growers, 58.5 percent, sell to small local wholesalers. In Memoriam 1947-2018. This method of farming is called bottom cropping and it replicates an oyster's natural environment. They help get theraw goods from point A to point B in the most efficient way possible. . Nothing beats oystering.. It helps to have a decent oyster knife and to open the oysters thoughtfully and carefully, keeping in mind that you are using leverage, not force, to open the shells. "You can't buy happiness, but you can buy Wellfleet oysters." meet the farm crew - Wellfleetoysterfarm We pull the small boats by hand when it gets shallow on The Ranch. If you are a scallop lover, you may want to attend the 48th annual Cape Cod Scallop Festival in the fairgrounds in East Falmouth. Somebody pinch me. We are partnered with our friends at Wellfleets Finest Oyster Co to bring the highest quality oysters and littlenecks straight from their farm, to your party or event. Field Point Oyster Farm Sustainability In Wellfleet, An Oyster Farmer's Life Is Dictated By The Tides - WGBH.org Measuring in at nearly7 inches long, this behemoth bivalve made all of the other"market-sized" oysters look pathetically puny. However, because of the decline of whaling and the mackerel catch in the late 19th century, the fleet declined; it was completely free of schooners by 1900. I set out on a gray, misty dawn to meet some of them. 37 were here. Its not just you losing work, it could shut down the whole harbor.. We thought it was great fun and I encourage folks to try to get in on one. The closure fell on October 13, two days before thousands flocked to Wellfleet for music, art, beer, and, off course, shellfish. Hold the oyster so the narrow tip is at 12 oclock and the bill the wide, rounded end is at 6 oclock.. Id rather be outside in the rain than indoorsalmost anytime. The whole OysterFest is promoting what I do for a living, what we do for a living, OConnell says. The shellfish constable Andy Koch, center, checks James Gray's oysters to see they are at least three inches, while Russell Apgar, left, continues the hunt. Father to Jacob, Justin and Lauren and husband to Maureen. Wellfleet has beenrenowned for its bountiful bivalve population for centuries. Call when you feel inspired. It. 4:45AM, pre-dawn:Michelle and I got up, got dressed, and tiptoed out of the The Holden Inn. There was only one person to call on: William Young, a k a Chopper, an oysterman for 27 years, and the world oyster shucking champion in 2008 (he opened 30 oysters in two minutes, 47 seconds). All rights reserved. This was the Wellfleet I set out to discover firsthand. Like oysters, they are planted from seed, however, the clams are placed directly on the ocean floor. Call when you feel inspired. He picked up a MONSTER-sized oyster from out of nowhere and plopped it downon top of the shellfish pile. Field Point Oyster Farm. A single oyster has been found to filter up to 50 gallons of water a day. The phytoplankton rich waters provide the Wellfleet oysters everything they need to produce a consistently exceptional oyster. Finely J.P.s Restaurant (554 Route 6; 508-349-7500; finelyjps.com). From icing oysters as soon as they are harvested, tumbling and shaking the bivalvues, and paying attention to any threats that may leach into the water supply, its all in a day's work. Basically being able to shuck an oyster and having it not explode is key to the quality and grade of an oyster, Hay adds. document.write(theYear) 10 to 12 feet of seawater flowin and out of the harbor daily, bringing with it rich nutrients from the Gulf of Maine. Look west from the pier toward Great Island and you'll see us out there most every day. OConnell wasnt always a Wellfleet man. A few hours later, I was at Mr. Youngs house. The Eastham Oyster Demands Attention Twelve years later, OConnells one of 17 farms off of Indian Neck. With each step I took across the flats the shallows of the sea floor that become exposed at low tide my sad little Havianas sank deeper into the mud, which was teeming with snails and with hermit and horseshoe crabs. I held the glistening shellin my hand and felt its weight. It was the best time I ever had, he said. Shellfish farming is hard and rewarding work. Wellfleet Oysters - Chefs Resources The town was home to 30 whaling ships at the time of the American Revolution. I struggled to wrap my head around the realities of this lifestyleso early in themorning, but it nonetheless filled me with awe. The harbor's richness supports both wild oysters and farmed oysters. Tel: 774-722-9158 Huge tides, a sandy bottom, and clear cold water give Holbrook Oysters their distinctive balance of salt and sweet with a super clean finish. I looked around and recognized several different styles of racks, bags, nets, and cages, but there were also a few that I had never seen before (like that pyramid contraption in the photo above). Irving has been farming and harvestingshellfish in Wellfleet for about 40 years now, but he treats every day with the same kind of enthusiasm that he had on his first. Wellfleet Oyster Reef Restoration | Center for Coastal Studies There are very few natural oyster reefs left in the world as most of them have been decimated by overfishing. According to SPAT, the cold water temperatures slow down the bivalves' metabolism, allowing them to effectively carbo-load in the salty waters, creating a sweeter oyster with a clean, sharp flavor. After I got out of the service, I spent my days oystering and I loved it the solitude, the sunsets. In aneconomic impact studyof the shellfish industry by University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 19.1 million oysters were sold in the 2013-14 season. East Dennis Oysters now compete with Wellfleet Oysters as the most sought after product on the market. A graduate of Wellfleet High School, he built his home from scratch, falling in love with the aquaculture-focused town in the process. The Farm Holbrook Oyster Unfortunately there were no tours the week we were there. Oyster seed, small baby oysters about the size of a fingernail that are spawned in hatcheries around New England, are purchased in the springtime. Tel: 774-722-9158 William Young unloads after dragging for oysters. Bookstore & Restaurant (50 Kendrick Avenue; 508-349-3154; wellfleetoyster.com). Therefore, oysters are self-sustaining and can actually improve local water quality. If you're visiting the Cape, be sure to look out for their blue-green umbrella in the water! A few weeks after the beds reopened, the temperatures have slowly begun to drop throughout Massachusetts and on the Cape. This truly is where the wild ones grow. Wear gloves, he said, pointing to a few nasty-looking gashes in his palm. It's oyster time. 2mm hatchery seed begins in these mesh bags. Roy is Hays right-hand man, originally starting on the floor, and now the head of sales and purchasing. Barbara Austin works her oyster farm in Wellfleet, Mass. French explorer Samuel de Champlain even named it "Port Aux Huitres" in 1605. Although Irving has had his hand in just about every aspect of the seafood businessfrom wholesale to retail to restaurantshe's scaled back his empire to focus on what he loves doing most: farming. Wellfleet just happens to be in the right place at the right time. ", "Our boutique oysters are not only the best oysters in terms of flavor but are as healthy an oyster as you will ever find.". Of those oysters sold, 58 percent were farmed on Cape Cod. if (theYear < 1900) Call when you feel inspired. Get all the latest from Sanditon on GBH Passport, How one Brookline studio helps artists with disabilities thrive. The eastern shore waters of the U.S. have high salinity, which yields oysters with a cleaner, sharper flavor. Hayis the head of WSC, the wholesale branch ofMacs Seafood, a local restaurant and fish market group started by Alex and his brother Mac that specializes in seafood, especially that harvested or caught locally. She pulled to a stop at her clam beds. We got a peek into what actually happens after the oysters are harvested. Embracing his new title, Cummings named the business Wash-A-Shore Oyster Ranch. Fishermen are independent people. I hadmy first Puffer's Petite on the first day of 2014and still enjoy them in the city today. Sounds like a lot of fun. We enjoyed it. As a business WSC works to create this identity in its purchasing as a whole. Oysterology Product Specifications Specie: Crassostrea virginica Originally settled in the 1650s by the Europeans as Billingsgate (after the famous fish market in East London), the name "Wellfleet" is disputed; some argue that it comes from "Whale Fleet", after the burgeoning whaling industry in the town, while some say it comes from a brand of oyster popular in England at the time, in order to help sales. We care for our oysters like children, giving them the space to grow to their maximum potential. Opening Hours: When the tide is out we are in. This time frame also shifts an hour every day, so no two days in the week are alike. Holbrook Oyster Fresh from the Flats of Wellfleet. Never pry, he said, thats how they break. An hour (and a dozen broken oysters) later, I was getting the hang of it. ), Fanny Bay. Cape Cod Oyster Tour: Breaking Dawn in Wellfleet for Puffer's Petites A few miles from OConnells grant, his buyers Alex Hay and Dan Roy sit across from each other in an upstairs office of theWellfleet Shellfish Company (WSC). They're awesomeif I was working this alone, I would get nothing done." Instead, a small squadron of men (and a few women) grow them on the. We may have some very dedicated growers that are very loyal to us. How an oyster farm in Wellfleet produces some of the best oysters For people with disabilities needing assistance with the Public Files, contact Glenn Heath at 617-300-3268. These days, its one of those summer towns whose population balloons from a humble 3,000 or so on a winter weekday to a bursting 21,000 on Memorial Day weekend. Website by Byler Media. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. Wellfleet oysters are east coast oysters harvested from the waters around Cape Cod. Puffer Oyster Farm is located on the tidal flats of Mayo Beach, amongst one of the oldest oyster beds in the state. Pierless Fish. A confluence of geographic and climatic factors contribute to its productivity. Most farmers that I knowpurchase their seed annually from hatcheries, which may or may not be located anywhere near the actual farm. The best places in Wellfleet to try local oysters: The Wicked Oyster (50 Main Street; 508-349-3455; thewickedo.com). From the shore, his truck is one of many that dot the curving horizon 400 yards off Indian Neck, the slick sand glass-like in the afternoon sun. Field Point Oyster Farm's grow out bags are made in France, and comply with the highest standards of quality and environmental protection: ISO 9002 and ISO 14001. There are about 80 grants plots rented from the town government in Wellfleet, most about three acres each. Each farm is unique in the way it grows oysters and clams based on tidal exposure and the physical makeup of the bottom of the seafloor. How to Shuck an Oyster - Wellfleet SPAT "We've tried a little bit of everything," chuckledIrving. At that point, the sun had just come up over the horizon and it cast a beautiful pink and gold glow across everything. We were on our way to rendezvouswith father-and-son duo Irving and Jake Puffer, growers of "Puffer's Petite" Wellfleet Oysters, and we were running late. (Most oystermen raise clams as well.). I love the water. Back in the 1970s, there were maybe three other people out here, said Mr. Atwood, a retired Navy officer. 3 Best Oysters on Cape Cod - Robert Paul Properties Even though our reef is relatively small it ensures that there is natural seed that will be released into Wellfleet's waters, helping to propogate oysters for the wild fishery. Im definitely a water man, he says, looking out over the series of home-welded racks, the skeletons that support his growing oysters. Aquaculture has deep roots in Wellfleet, and the techniques and methods for growing shellfish have been passed down for generations. Andrew Cummings-Wash-A-Shore Oyster Ranch, Wellfleet Our Wicked Fish So it's really become a place over the last decade where in aquaculture weve seen a lot of expansion, a lot of jobs., Wellfleet's shellfishing history dates back to the 1600s, according to the towns history online. Thank you for the tour Alex! Though professionals tend to be responsible for the Wellfleet oysters youll find on restaurant menus, anyone can go oystering all you need is a permit and a bucket. King Caesar in Duxbury (not on the Cape, I know), Oyster Appreciation Guide for the Bivalve Curious. Consider a trip to Cape Cod and call the Captain Freeman Inn home while you enjoy the many eateries and festivals that serve our wonderful Cape Cod oysters. OConnell, along with many others, is there to check hisnumerous bags of oysters. Shes been at this forever, and you cant find a better oysterman., The next day, I persuaded Ms. Austin to show me her oyster farm. TheMassachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Servicesclosed the towns oyster bed after an outbreak of 75 cases of norovirus, believed to be linked to the consumption of shellfish from the area. They are just as briny, sweet, and delicious as their upstairs neighbors. (The ocean floor belongs to no person, but the government will grant you the right to farm shellfish on a small parcel of it.) While he attendedEmmanuel College in Boston, Jake focused onbusiness courses that would help him run the family business aftergraduation. Look at my guys! she exclaimed, pointing at her long rows of shells spewing water into the air, sounding like a proud mother. Unfortunately there were no tours the week we were there. In their first month, oyster seeds are kept at a density of only 1500 per bag; this number decreases incrementally as they grow. I just like to work, and I dont want to risk being out of work for two weeks because theres a vibrio closure, because theres someone not doing what their supposed to. IT would be understandable if one confused a slimy, barnacle-covered rock with an unopened oyster. They must meet strict size, weight and shape requirements. To an outsider, the effort -- sometimes as inconspicuous as picking an oyster up and setting it down -- looks simple. I asked if he felt a sense of pride when he saw Wellfleet oysters on a menu. This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. Farmer: Barbara and Clint Austin, Mike Devasto and a handful of other growers Location: Wellfleet, MA Size: A perfectly petite oyster from Wellfleet Ma Farming Technique: Grown at the mouth of a creek running from a salt pond, these oysters are placed in bags on racks on the bottom for grow-out. Our bottom crop oysters are hand selected at harvest and tend to have a hard shell and unique shape reflecting their difficult life on the sea floor. We are partnered with our friends at Wellfleet's Finest Oyster Co to bring the highest quality oysters and littlenecks straight from their farm, to your party or event. SHOP | Wellfleetoysterfarm I consider myself a professional shellfish farmer, whatever that means, OConnell muses. They do this by deploying specially designedspatcollectors known as "hats" while the oysters are spawning. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. That would be crazy, and it wouldnt look good for Wellfleet as a whole. theYear=theYear+1900 Puffer Oyster Farmis located on the tidal flats of Mayo Beach, amongstone of the oldest oyster beds in the state. They own a portfolio of restaurants on the Cape (including the super-funMac's Shack, which we enjoyed after a death-defying trekaround Cape Cod National Seashore another story altogether) and several retail markets. - The Puffers. Their experimental spirit alsoled them to a one-time purchase oftriploid(non-reproductive oyster) seed. Just want to wake up tomorrow and keep doing it, he says. See how easy it is to have a fresh daily catch delivered from our dock to your door. Given my novice status, before we went I had paid a visit to Andy Koch, the towns shellfish constable (yes, thats his real title) to learn the ground rules. On the Lower Cape, its a holiday of sorts. And that's because at 18 months they start showing signs of cumulative diseaseIf we get rid of stuff that could be a potential risk to the farm, we are way ahead of the game.".