East Beach Blonde Oysters from Charlestown, RI

Harvest location: Charlestown, RI

How they’re grown: This farm is located in a coastal salt pond on over 30 acres of pristine estuarine habitat. Oyster seed is grown in an upweller before moving to a rack and bag system. They’re tended to and tumbled constantly which helps promote thick shells and uniform shape. Once they’re large enough, they’re removed from the bags and either bottom-planted directly in the hard sand at the bottom of the pond, or placed in trays.

Why they’re unique: Charlestown, RI is historically known for its high-quality oysters and extremely pristine and scenic environment. Ninigret Pond is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by a thin channel known as the Breachway, allowing the oysters to get the best of both worlds; salty ocean water and brackish pond water. On any given day, the temperature of the pond can fluctuate up to 10 degrees with the tide which adds to the layers of flavors.

Story: The farm was named for its duo of tow-headed founders, Nick Papa and Jim Arnoux. Founded in 2003, East Beach Blondes was created as a way for Nick to diversify his commercial shellfishing income. What started as a part-time job quickly turned into a full-time expanding business harvesting high-quality steamers, muscles, oysters, and littlenecks. When the Ocean State Shellfish Cooperative was founded in 2008, the pair split the acreage and expanded into separate oyster farms.

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.