Aw, shucks - oysters, that isPublished: Monday, May 5th, 2008
From the Umpqua River Lighthouse or the U.S. Highway 101 Wayfinding Point, visitors often notice a “triangle” in Winchester Bay, and wonder “what are all those buoys doing bobbing in the rock enclosed triangle area?”It’s an oyster bed, or more specifically, Umpqua Aquaculture, where the oysters aren’t grown in beds at all, but rather are suspended on long lines in the water so they never rest in the mud below. It’s that suspension process that sets Umpqua Aquaculture oysters apart from all other oysters, according to the folks at Umpqua Aquaculture. The process for growing the “perfect” oyster takes up to four years. It starts with a few million fresh oyster seeds grown in a hatchery. The seeds arrive at the Umpqua Aquaculture processing plant as larvae when they are 2 weeks old. Within a couple of days, the oysters attach themselves to the recycled oyster shells in a tank, using an adhesive they secrete just for that purpose. In bundles, the oysters are later lowered into a holding area in the triangle for about a month, then taken back to the processing plant where the shells are attached to 15-foot-long ropes that are suspended in the triangular area of water. The prized delicacies eventually find their way to some of the best kitchens in the world and many local restaurants carry Umpqua Aquaculture oysters. Visitors are welcome at the processing plant, where a large glass window offers a view of the shucking area. A video player in the lobby shows a short movie depicting the growing process. Oysters are available for sale either in the shell or shucked. |
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