On
March 5th I decided that I HAD to go pay the farm a visit and show
my support for american aquaculture... especially
one with such a long history in american / californian oyster production,
giving us chefs a variety of oysters sustainably grown and harvested in
different waters, estuaries, bays and inlets on both coasts, east and
left…. having self-distributed these
oysters themselves I have been very fortunate to have (ocean beauty) out of san
francisco get these bivalves up to me when in the northern states several times
a year for several years now…. most of these oysters stay right in the bay area,
and while some of the general public slurps down hog island oysters, they may
want to ask themselves- did the drakes bay oyster company outfit hog island
with the stock being sold as hog island-
cause many a time, drakes has supplied hog island and tomales with
bivalves….. not that this matters, but
drakes bay oyster company does supply the great state of california with over
40% of its consumable raw (and tub) oysters…. welcome
to drakes bay oyster company (aka- the oyster farm), for it IS a farm…… from
the village of point reyes station (home of the famous point reyes blue cheese),
we headed south on main street (shoreline hwy one) and as we left town we went
over a small green bridge- immediately turning right we were on sir francis
drake blvd… we headed the remaining nine and a half miles to the little sign on
the right hand side of the road that reads- DRAKES BAY OYSTER FARM….
following
the oyster shell driveway we hit the farm…
this place is bad ass, there were atleast 15 people working the bay in
front of us in various ways- some dredging, some cracking, some sorting, some
headed back out into the bay with young oysters to drop…. in the first five
minutes I saw atleast 3 of those employees crack open an oyster and slurp it
down- ahhhhhh seeing the people eating the products
straight from a harvest, that planted them in the first place is an inviting
sight…. I sought out for my
breakfast- a pile of extra small drakes
bay oysters overlooking drakes estero….
with all these niceties behind me, let me tell you why I am writing
about this oyster farm… this
farm is in peril of being shut down by secretary of the interior ken salazar…. the
west marin pulitzer prize winning point reyes light volume LXVI no. 2 reported
on Feb. 28th, 2o13 the drakes bay oyster company would be able to
stay open- an appellate court ordered the obama administration to allow oyster
farming to continue in drakes estero, this just days before the oyster farm
could have been forced to close their doors, pay out 30 employees and destroy
over 4 million oysters and numerous clams that have been growing over the past
few years…. just shut the fucken doors and pretend like this little place of
quality oyster production hasn’t existed for the past half a century, mind the
40% of cali’s oyster production….. the
pride of former monsanto employees that he now calls his administration are
more than likely in both of his big ass ears on this one….. when will this guy learn to leave food policy
alone…. drakes bay oyster company
provides great service to the community, as an innovative sustainable farm, an
educational resource, and a part of the economic fiber of marin county… here is
the following open letter to our secretary of the interior…..
Ken
Salazar, Secretary of the US Department of the Interior
Dear
Secretary Salazar,
Drakes Bay Oyster Farm, a beautiful and productive resource on the Point Reyes Peninsula, is in imminent danger of being a thing of the past. For generations this family farm, completely surrounded by the other family ranches and farms in the working landscape of the Point Reyes National Seashore, has been a popular visitor destination. The oyster farm’s 40-year renewable lease expires on November 30th.
Secretary Salazar, the continuation of this historic oyster farm is critical. Significantly, the National Academy of Sciences found that the oyster farm is NOT degrading the natural resources of Drakes Estero. Future generations depend on your decision to preserve jobs, history, culture, food, education and the environment. Please issue a renewable 10 year permit for the farm’s on-shore buildings as authorized by Congress, support the necessary upgrades to the onshore facilities, and allow the California Department of Fish and Game to continue to lease and regulate the shellfish production as they have since 1934.
Sincerely,
Drakes Bay Oyster Farm, a beautiful and productive resource on the Point Reyes Peninsula, is in imminent danger of being a thing of the past. For generations this family farm, completely surrounded by the other family ranches and farms in the working landscape of the Point Reyes National Seashore, has been a popular visitor destination. The oyster farm’s 40-year renewable lease expires on November 30th.
Secretary Salazar, the continuation of this historic oyster farm is critical. Significantly, the National Academy of Sciences found that the oyster farm is NOT degrading the natural resources of Drakes Estero. Future generations depend on your decision to preserve jobs, history, culture, food, education and the environment. Please issue a renewable 10 year permit for the farm’s on-shore buildings as authorized by Congress, support the necessary upgrades to the onshore facilities, and allow the California Department of Fish and Game to continue to lease and regulate the shellfish production as they have since 1934.
Sincerely,
Chef
Sebastian Carosi
an
avid drakes bay oyster shucker ‘n slurper…..
I know that this post may only reach a few people, but listen it only takes a few
strong to help make things happen….
chefs, cooks, oyster aficionados, foodies, ag-business owners,
californians, americans and all others support in any way possible, save your local
food sources and supplies for following generations….
I shucked and slurped my briny breakfast bivalves down one by one…. I want this place to be around for my greedy
memories and america and california’s gastronomic history and culture…
HERE
IS THE 411…
415.669.1149 open daily 8:30am-4:30pm
17171
sir frances drake boulevard inverness,
marin county california 94937
