Oyster Blog — Farm work

...with this guy: (Not sure whether that blurry appendage on the left belongs to Adam, or if Miguel is standing right behind him....) Views from the Captain's House: The barge goes out at high tide and picks up full tubs of oysters. Look closely at the picture below and you'll see an oyster tub sitting on the tideflats. Here it is in action:

Adam and Miguel head out on the Gladys to pick up oysters and clams at high tide. They use the crane to pick up the oyster tubs. And then take the shellfish to the plant for processing.  

Every year the nearby town of Hoodsport outdoes itself putting on a Fourth of July extravaganza. This year we got ourselves together and participated in the street fair on Friday, selling barbecued Hama Hama oysters with a butter and garlic sauce. Saturday was the really busy day in Hoodsport--with live music, a raffle, and a surprisingly excellent fireworks display--but since it's also a really busy day in our store we weren't able to fire up the barbecues. Several of our customers on Friday were hungry hikers in town to visit the newly re-opened Staircase trailhead.

When the shuckers shuck enough oysters to fill a bowl,  they send the bowl through the window into the packing/grading room. Here's Roberto at the window: Packers Teresa and Brenda put the oysters through a bubbler and then rinse and sort the oysters according to size. Oysters that are shucked badly are set aside to be packed as cuts, which we sell for a ridiculously low price. (And no, you can't place an order for cuts... we don't do them on purpose!) Teresa. The packing table faces a big window that looks out over the Canal. In the wintertime Brenda...