The Great Marsh Shellfish Company, Rowley, MA
By Phyllis M. Cahaly, CMD, Director of Partnership Marketing, Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism
Did you know that Massachusetts has over 7000 farms statewide? We have dairy farms, horse farms, turkey farms, agricultural farms, and more which yield an unlimited bounty of fresh products year-round. Western Massachusetts has the highest concentration and largest amount of agricultural land. The top agricultural regions in Massachusetts are Worcester, Franklin, Hampshire, Bristol, and Plymouth Counties. Farm-to-table is strong in Massachusetts and we’re thankful for that!
When you hear the word ‘farm’, oysters may not be top of mind, but oyster farming is both a significant and growing part of the seafood economy in Massachusetts. Shellfish cultivation was practiced by the Indigenous People and later by the colonists on Cape Cod. This ‘aquaculture’ sector has grown considerably over the last 10 years and is now considered Massachusetts’s third most valuable seafood product, behind scallops and lobsters. There are a variety of methods used to grow oysters which include hatcheries, floating cages, bottom cages, or tumbling. Other factors contributing to oyster farming include where the farm is located, the desired product farmers are hoping to breed, quality of water issues, and climate change.
Our oyster farmers help grow the blue economy of water-based jobs by supplying their fresh and briny bivalves to restaurants throughout Massachusetts and New England. You’ll find raw bars all along our coastline and many farms even offer tours. Not to be missed is the annual Wellfleet OysterFest, organized by the Wellfleet Oyster Alliance. This is the ultimate celebration of everything oyster and includes culinary demonstrations, educational lectures, an annual road race, and a family fun area.
So, the next time you hunker down to a plateful of oysters, take a moment to think about the journey this shiny shellfish took before it landed on your plate, ready for you to slurp it away!
South of Boston
Duxbury Bay houses some of the state’s most well-known oyster farms, including the world-renowned Island Creek Oysters who operate one of the only shellfish hatcheries in the northeast. Their distribution company sells shellfish from over 100 farms to nearly 700 chefs around the county, and their oysters have even been served at state house dinners at The White House. They have several restaurants and raw bars. The cold, nutrient-rich water from the bay’s massive tides helps to produce a distinctive briny oyster at Island Creek. Oysters are harvested daily and can be shipped overnight from Duxbury Bay right to your home! Experience firsthand how oysters are grown, harvested, and shucked by taking an Island Creek Farm Tour. Four tours are offered daily from mid-May through the end of September.
Cape Cod Oyster Company, Barnstable, MA
Cape Cod & The Islands
The Cotuit Oyster Company, in Cotuit, Barnstable, Massachusetts, is the oldest oyster farming business in the country, and has been in operation since 1857 when Captain William Childs started his business on Cape Cod. Packed into wooden barrels, he would transport them across the Cape in large wagons to the railroad depot in West Barnstable to be shipped to Boston, New York, and other northeast cities. Cotuit Oysters have a unique, sweet taste because of being tumbled with a mechanical sorter during growth and because of the freshwater streams, marshes, and clean water combinations from Nantucket Sound. Cotuit Oysters are sold to restaurants all around the county and may be purchased online as well.
The Channel Rock Oyster Farm, Barnstable Harbor, MA
The cold oceanic waters of Barnstable Harbor yields a distinctly clean tasting oyster. Creeks, algae, and lots of space for fresh and saltwater interaction, farmers consider Barnstable Harbor magical for farming oysters. Several companies cultivate their oysters in Barnstable Harbor like Cape Cod Oyster Company who has been farming since 1983. It is one of the largest oyster growers in New England, responsible for 10% of all Massachusetts oyster production. Their oysters are known for being meaty and sweet with a subtle cucumber finish. Channel Rock Oyster Farm, established in 2018, grows unique and distinctive oyster flavor profiles and have a slightly sweet, nut-like flavor and a light, clean brininess.
North of Boston
Located on the beautiful Rowley River in Rowley, Massachusetts sits The Great Marsh Shellfish Company, an oyster farm nestled within the largest contiguous salt marsh in New England. The Great Marsh spans over 25,000 acres from the New Hampshire border to Cape Ann. They are keenly dedicated to ensuring minimal impact on the estuarine ecosystem and provide an abundant space for growing oysters, soft shell clams, scallops, and for producing seaweed like kelp. The Great Marsh Shellfish Company will create a special raw bar for any celebration, fundraising, or event.
