Fresh, locally sourced oysters
Oysters are a versatile food source that can be prepared in many different ways. Awesome Oysters must consistently be the highest quality to live up to their name! Each one is carefully selected throughout its growth for size, shape, and fullness. Freshness is guaranteed and you’ll know exactly when they were harvested. These oysters come directly from our farm to you!
Special Orders are encouraged which allows us to harvest your oysters the same day you pick them up. Direct shipping is also available. For pricing, shipping, or more info, please email:
tom@awesomeoysters.com
Oysters are filter feeders. An adult oyster can filter as much as 50 gallons of water in a single day. It is estimated that today there are only 1% of the wild oyster numbers that existed prior to European’s arrival here. Today it takes about a year for oysters to filter the entire volume of water in the Chesapeake Bay. Back then it would have taken about 4 days.
We grow several hundred thousand oysters for market consumption every year. These triploid oysters filter millions of gallons of water just doing what they do. One of the best ways to help clean our waters is to have more oysters. Natural oyster reefs in the bay have been depleted due to destructive harvest methods, over fishing, and other factors. But we can rebuild them.
We have set aside a part of our lease for growing diploid (re-producing) oysters. These oysters will never be harvested. They will be allowed to grow and prosper on their own. As spat attach themselves to the adults and their shells grow, they create a three dimensional reef structure; an amazing ecosystem that benefits many organisms.
Artist’s rendition below of that ecosystem courtesy Brenda M. Sylvia of Silver Raven Studios.
Awesome Oysters - Life on an Oyster Reef, 24” x 30” Acrylic on Canvas
Tom was certified in early 2020 as a Virginia Ecotour Guide through the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
Awesome Oysters offers various tour options to the public by appointment. They include a walking tour of the 100 year old oyster shucking and packing plant, a leisurely boat tour of Lancaster Creek, or a more challenging kayak / canoe tour along some beautiful marsh and loblolly pine forest on Morattico Creek. (Other kayak tours in the Northern Neck are also available)
Each option is full of interesting facts about oysters, their life cycle, their tumultuous history, and their very important contribution toward clean water and creating habitat for other creatures. Captain John Smith passed within 100 yards of our work site in August of 1608, to trade with the Moraughtacund Indians. Its a wonderful story that helps visitors to step back 400 years and beyond in an instant.
We’re booking tours beginning in May 2021 now! Please contact us for more info below:
Premium Jumbo shucked oysters available for the holidays! We set aside a limited number of top quality oysters to grow an additional six months to a year past the normal market harvest size. These are large succulent oysters that you’ll have a hard time finding anywhere else! Our typical pint is filled with 10 - 15 oysters.
Pints - $18 / ea
Quarts - $35 / ea
Contact Us
If you would like to be contacted for more information and tour options,..