Aww Shucks! It’s Oyster Time!

As we move into Spring, one can’t help but look forward to our favorite seafood delicacies.  If that means oysters for you, you’re in luck! The Eastern Shore is a source of some of the best oysters you can find. Oyster farms and distributors are a part of the maritime industry that makes the region extraordinary. Farming oysters not only keeps a succulent supply at hand but also is a vital part of keeping the waters of the Chesapeake healthy.  Our native Eastern oyster can filter 30-50 gallons of water daily. They consume harmful excess nutrients and chemical containments from the Bay and allow sea grasses and other aquatic life to thrive in clean water.

An old myth told us to only get oysters in months that included the letter “R”.  That warning started long ago when ice for keeping the catch cold was scarce in the alternate months.  Not so today.  You can indulge and enjoy oysters all year long!

Whether you like to slurp them raw, steam, grill or fry them, farming is an amazing process that brings them to your table.  Farmed oysters grow for approximately two years and clean our waters while they mature. One of the Eastern Shore’s best examples of premier oyster farms is Orchard Point Oyster Company in Stevensville. Their fresh, savory and sweet oysters are grown in surface floats in the Upper Bay and served at a long list of fine restaurants.  Visit their website for cold-shipping and local pick-up options.  You can catch up to the latest offerings, news and reviews on social media @orchardpointoysters on FB and Instagram.

fresh oysters plate isolated on white wooden background