Up the New Meadows River we go! This hot new oyster mecca, home to 10+ boutique oyster farms, is situated on the Easternmost side of Casco Bay. The main waterway is peppered with hundreds of small islands, inlets, coves and harbors, creating a vastly diverse ecological region. There is, however, one combining ecological factor: the twice-a-day tidal cycle. Indeed, New Meadows oysters are enriched by the clashing sharp, fasting moving waters of the open ocean, and the nutrient rich tidal waters, warmed by the sun-baked mudflats. Annual productions from each farm range from as little as 20,000 to around 100,000 making them almost impossible to find outside the great state of Maine!
The New Meadows oyster community is tightly knit. Farmers share tips and tricks, equipment, and even labor, functioning as a collective group to drive the Maine Aquaculture industry forward. Many of the farmers, furthermore, are connected by the aquaculture program at the
Darling Marine Center. This program, in part run by Dana Morse of
Iron Island Oysters, helps new farmers get started with their farms in this ever growing industry.
You will enjoy Peter Rand’s delightful
Dingley Cove snacks, Peter Francisco’s excellent
Eider Cove slurps and Jordi St. Johns magnificent
Merritt Island treats....all truly exceptional!