It’s always fun to go to the farm right? How about if you were able to go to an oyster farm? Not just any oyster farm, but Cottage City Oysters at Eastville Beach in Oak Bluffs aboard a pirate ship?
Well, you can all Summer long with Farm. Field. Sea. Founder Nevette Previd has partnered FFS with Pirate Adventures: Martha’s Vineyard, Rick Karney from the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group, and Dan and Greg Martino from Cottage City Oysters to bring you one unique farm experience.
Board the Island’s ultimate pirate ship, the Sea Gypsy, in the Oak Bluffs harbor. There, you are met by Nevette and the FFS team and of course Captain Flint. Meet and great with other guests, enjoy a lite bite and set sail on your adventure.
Sea Oysters Differently
As you take in the water views aboard the Sea Gypsy, Rick Karney will give an introduction on how aquaculture got its start on the Vineyard, and how the farms have grown into a significant resource for fishermen. Rick is definitely an expert in this field and has great knowledge to share.
Sailing around the East Chop lighthouse, and taking in the beauty of the Island from the water is definitely a magical experience. On our sail, there happened to be numerous sailboats in the water which were so beautiful to watch sail by at full mast. With the wind in our hair, our minds brimming with knowledge, and great conversation had, it was on to the next part of this unique farm tour.
The Sea Gypsy is able to sail right up to Cottage City Oysters farm, which is the only oyster farm in the open water. Most Island farmed oysters are found in bays or large ponds. Dan and Greg were able to bring their boat right up to us.
Dan and Greg got right into talking about the work that goes into farming oysters. Every day they require care and cleaning. They explained how they grow their oysters and shared the different stages with us, hoisting fresh oysters from the cage to provide us with visuals. Both of the brothers are so knowledgeable and are great with guests, interacting with us and answering questions.
While we were there, surrounded by the beauty of water, Dan and Greg began shucking freshly harvested oysters for us to eat. One minute the oysters were in the water, the next minute they are shucked and ready to be eaten. Talk about fresh! I think we all felt a little spoiled.
Being in this moment, experiencing oysters fresh from the waters of Martha’s Vineyard is pretty incredible. Something special, something only FFS is providing, which belongs on your Summer “to do” list.
Since Cottage City Oysters are grown in the open water, there is definitely a saltier brine, yum! These oysters have a deeper cup too, which Dan and Greg work to provide. I have to admit that these are some of my all time favorite oysters.
After we had our oysters, sipped and savored the moment, the Sea Gypsy brought us back to the harbor. The trip is roughly two hours, and when you dock back at Oak Bluffs, you still have time to grab a bite to eat in town as well. My friend and I went to the Lookout Tavern afterward, where we talked about the magic of the experience.
It’s wonderful that Farm. Field. Sea. has created a way to people to really see how oysters are farmed on Martha’s Vineyard, see the work that goes into them, meet the farmers, and enjoy them right from the water. Nowhere else can you find that, aboard a pirate ship no less!
You can experience the magic of Oyster & Aquaculture Tours every Thursday, (with the exception of one being on a Wednesday) all July and August. Sea oysters differently……with Farm. Field. Sea.
For the second year in a row, we’re proud to announce that Point B Realty is one of the three marquee sponsors of the unique Farm Field Sea program that Nevette and her team deliver. In addition to the Oyster Tours, there is also a great series of pop up dinners around the island, in settings from shipyards to farms, with guest chefs, musicians, and artists. Check out our blog post on this unforgettable dinner series.
To get tickets and find out more, click here.
You can also learn more about Farm. Field. Sea., Cottage City Oysters and Pirate Adventures: Martha’s Vineyard on Facebook. Don’t forget to “Like” us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, Linked In, Google+, Pinterest, Youtube and Instagram.