The
Nice Oyster Guys
cage haulers
delivery men &
first rate oyster farmers
Photo by David Gray
about us
Well, what to say about us? We met through oysters, got to be friends, and started the farm as a way to hang out on the water and grow a sustainable crop we could be proud of.
What could be better?
dana morse
I took the long way around in getting to this farm.
My background is in wildlife (B.S.) and fishing gear technology (M.S.). I’d fished a little commercially, sold aquaculture gear, worked on an oyster farm, and done a fair bit of collaborative research in fisheries. In my day job (which I adore) I do extension work with aquaculture and fishing, and at one point I figured - ‘why not start a farm?’
As it turns out, it’s been a terrifically educational, enjoyable and rewarding activity. Even though Mother Nature is doing 99% of the work here, there’s something fine indeed about growing a product that we can take pride in, and having others appreciate it - and the work that went into it.
Photo by David Gray
john swenson
As a kid growing up in New Jersey, I spent my summers on Barnegat Bay and earned college funds clamming, though I unsuccessfully tried to farm them. College at Middlebury, grad school in the Stevens Institute of Technology, and 30 years working at Bell Labs intervened, where my assignments brought me in contact with truly remarkable people, world-wide. We retired to Bath in 2002.
Serendipitously, I happened on a news article regarding an oyster-growing class. I contacted the leader, Dana Morse, and joined the next class he led.
Photo by David Gray
Photo by David Gray
Turns out, we’re a great team.
Photo by David Gray
Not every work day is as nice as this one but the river is always beautiful.
We sort and inspect every oyster.
The mature oysters are scrubbed, bagged, and shipped to market.
We’re happy to be customers, too.
Look for Iron Island Oysters in some of Maine’s smartest restaurants!