North Haven Oysters from North Haven, ME

Harvest location: North Haven, Maine

How they’re grown: North Haven's are a product of magic. Round, emerald green, heavy, and not easy to come by. Adam Campbell, who grows them, is a man of many skills. Sea Urchin harvester, fisherman, prodigious father, local wise man, and wizard. Surely, his lease is part of the enchantment - a steady stream of brackish water flowing across the oysters at all times, nestled in a small sun-exposed tidal inlet on the island of North Haven.

Why they’re unique: This is one of the most beautiful oyster farms we’ve ever seen. Surrounded by rolling hills of tall meadow grass, a few farmhouses sitting atop each hill, and through the valley runs a perfect dirt road, curving between Heidi’s Pond, and a small inlet that leads out to Penobscot Bay. At the top of the inlet, the oysters blanket the bottom of the riverbed in their bright green color. It looks like a Wyeth painting come to life.

Story: Adam was the first person to try and farm oysters on North Haven, so the story begins with him. His understanding of what the oysters need, and especially what they DON'T need - everything he’s learned in the past 20 years of growing oysters - allows this environment to bubble up to its fullest potential. And that might be a metaphor for the North Haven folks, in general. They know how to work with the product and the endlessly giving land, but they don't try to control everything.

Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including lead, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.