SOME OTHER WAYS TO EAT OYSTERS

SWEET CHILI CITRUS MIGNONETTE

- Lemon zest, orange zest, ginger, white wine vinegar, chili pepper OR (Tabasco), sugar, corn syrup
- Serve cold with cold half shell oysters
Here it is without the sauce on the oysters, plus it is a dipping sauce, but it looks cool on them.



LEMON GARLIC BUTTER SAUCE

- Butter, lemon juice, garlic salt, green onions, parmesan cheese
- Serve hot with steamed oysters
- Add more parmesean and maybe a little cream, then pour sauce and oysters together over angel hair pasta…NICE!

SEAPA's NEW LINE OF OYSTER BASKETS

We had a visit from our buddy Shawn from SEAPA this week and he left us with some killer samples of their new line of oyster baskets.

We had messed around with SEAPA stuff in the past and weren't impressed, felt flimsy, had hard to open doors, funny colors, and we basically wrote them off. Well, our tune is way different now, the stuff is solid, the doors open smooth and easy, the stuff is all black (lots of anti-UV), and it comes now in multiple sizes...bottom line...it is now customizable to our situations and we think this gear could do well in our area.


They have two categories "LONGLINE" and "MULTIPURPOSE". The longline baskets are similar to the old style but the multipurpose are just that, they can be used in a variety of ways.

LONGLINE

MULTIPURPOSE
The longest multipurpose basket is about 44", the post in the picture is about 4.5 feet tall.

So, the door and cap on the multipurpose basket is a bit bulky but that is done by design. Notice the square holes and the round holes in the diamond shapes. The diamond with round hole allows for stacking of the baskets so they can be locked together for ladder style hanging or just stacking, or bundling them together.

The square hole design allows for running rails across the basket to rest on racks. (photo courtesy of www.seapa.com.au)

They have a new cap design on the longline baskets which was streamline and again easy to use.




I still think the thing that got our attention the most besides the extra big multipurpose basket was the 3mm seed basket. This thing could make seed work a snap, especially if you use it from a dock. It was a little bit more pricey because of the amount of plastic but you wouldn't need too many.

At the end of this post, I have some videos about the seapa system and one shows the Australian method of doing longlines on treated pine posts...hmmm...sounds like docks and piers...if you happen to think that way, below are the clips you would/could use to attach the baskets.
Otherwise, we think a rack method might work, but like everything else its all situational.

If you want to see the baskets first hand we will have them at the Virginia Aquacultural Conference Nov 13-14 2009 in Williamsburg, VA; at the East Coast Commercial Fishermen's and Aquacultural Trade Show in Ocean City, MD Jan 29-31 2010; or just call and stop by the office to check them out.

Oh yeah, no need to book a flight to Australia, we'll have some in shortly, if you have certain styles you are interested in speak up soon.

VIDEOS

SEAPA basket assembly... this guy is using a "jig"( aluminum angle with two welded posts) to form the tube, he is way fast but the ends still need to be snapped on which isn't too bad.



The music is a little cheesy but the pictures are great. Side note, notice they don't work their oysters on the water, that is all done inland in a "shed" where they keep their hi-tech sorting and washing gear.



This is SEAPA's video which is geared very much to longline systems but its more information.

OYSTER GARDENING SUPPLIES

If you have been thinking about raising your own oysters, now is the time to get out there and do it. We have everything you need to get started.
Oyster gardening is really easy...
OYSTER SEED + WATER + TIME = Oyster Roast, Oyster Rockefeller, Oyster Stew, Oysters on the half shell.....

There are gardeners who handle their oysters every week, and there are some who handle their oysters once a summer. They both end up with oysters they can eat or plant on their own oyster reef they have created.
Oyster gardening is fun, good for the environment, and something you can do year-round in the Chesapeake Bay. Below are some of the items that we offer to help you raise oysters in just about every water condition found around the Bay.


TAYLOR FLOAT
This is the most common piece of oyster gardening of equipment. They come in a range of sizes: 2x3, 2x6, and 2x8. Any size variation with vinyl coated wire and pvc pipe for floatation with top for access to the oysters is going to be called a Taylor Float.
We offer a built 2x3 Taylor Float for $100 or you can buy the wire from us and build your own.


FLIP FLOATS
Flip floats are oyster floats that can be flipped over from one side to the other to help control fouling on the piece of equipment and make cleaning the oysters a little easier as well.
We offer two varieties: the Float Cage and the Bag Float.
The Float Cage is made of 1x1 wire and PVC floatation and can either hold a growout bag for small oysters or larger oysters directly and it costs $75. There is also a version where the floats are attached with bungee on the side or on the top and for removal in winter to avoid ice, that model is $100.
 The Bag Float takes one of our growout bags and adds UV resistant floats to the side. These floats give it rigidity because they are attached along the whole edge of the bag, so the bag doesn't fold under the weight of the oysters as is often the experience when using soda bottles. Bag Floats built cost $30.


TRAYS AND CAGES
If you prefer going to the bottom to grow your oysters, the two high one wide (2H1W) cage or the 2x3 single tray are ideal. They are both inexpensive, $35 for the 2H1W and $45 for the 2x3 single.
Why go to the bottom? To avoid rough water, out of sight out of mind from all prying eyes or sticky fingers (yes it happens), or you just enjoy going in the water to work your oysters. In 1'-4' of water, you are still in the upper water column where all of the good food is located for fast oyster growth.


GROWOUT BAGS (OYSTER BAGS)

Bags are the cheapest way to go for growing oysters.  We sell them  for $10/bag, they are 900g bags so heavy weight for better longevity vs the 500 or 700g bags.They come in a variety of sizes; 4mm, 6mm, 9mm, 13mm, being the most common. The smaller the mesh size, the smaller the seed can go in them. The bags can be used in conjunction with most of the other equipment listed above or you can attach some soda bottles to them to make floats or create a rack on the bottom from rebar of pvc pipe for them to sit on.


OYSTER SEED

Just let us know what you want as far as triploids(non-reproductive) or diploids(reproducers) and then sizes. Triploids tend to grow faster. Usually you get what we have available but if you let us know early enough we take orders.
Seed is sold by the thousand counts and is priced anywhere from $25/1000 to $75/1000 based on size.
We do sell it by the scoop (so smaller quantities) at our gardener shows and events as well.





WE ARE YOUR ONE STOP SHOP IF YOU WANT TO GROW OYSTERS!!!

START GROWING THIS WEEKEND AND HAVE YOUR OWN OYSTER RAW BAR AT THE END OF YOUR DOCK WITH YOUR FRIENDS!!!!!!!