The Farm
All our oysters a caught from a wild catch that naturally occurs from late December to March. Oyster sticks are around 1.2-1.5 meters long, are bundled into groups of thirty and put to the back of the farms waiting for the oyster spat to settle, so small they can’t be seen by the eye. At this time oyster farmers will keep a keen eye on the weather, the moon, the little inanga fish, other oyster farmers, the stores of port wine.
We live for the tides, the tide is our mistress. Up throughout the day, doesn’t matter if it’s early or late. We barge to the farms everyday from Scott’s Landing in Mahurangi Harbour, a quick trip, so many colours on the harbour. Our growing areas are in two parts of the harbour, Upper Harbour is Dyer’s Creek, Lower Harbour Te Kapa Inlet. We will go out and harvest new oysters on oyster sticks or ones we have put back to grow-on. We will also be putting out small oysters selected to grow larger. Farm maintenance and putting out the new oyster catch is done when the tides allow. Every tide is different.
As responsible oysterers, we adhere to the proper standards of oystering in NZ, we belong both to the New Zealand Oyster and Aquaculture Industry and as part of the local oyster association do regular water and flesh testing. We are part of Ministry of Primary Industries Sanitation Program.