Puffer Oysters from Wellfleet, MA

Available for a limited time only.

Farmer: Irving and Jake Puffer

Location: Wellfleet, MA, CCB11MA

Size: 2.5”

How they’re grown: The Puffer’s farm is in a deep water area right off Mayo Beach that is an outlet for two different freshwater springs. Their grant is open to the Bay and has nice grainy sand as opposed to a marshy, muddy bottom present in surrounding Wellfleet beds. However, on the drastic moon tides, the beds are still exposed to the open air providing the advantages of a shallow bed as well. The Puffers use multiple grow-out methods, including rack and bag, bottom planting, and their own version of an Australian Long Line. The bags are stored diagonally (vs. flat horizontally) to catch waves and get frequently tumbled for a visibly rounder and deeper cup.

How they taste: An upfront brine similar to the Island Creeks, but slightly less salty than a traditional Wellfleet. With Herring River and Duck Creek emptying out in the bay on either side, the grant becomes an ideal spot for a collision of diverse nutrients. Due to this infusion of freshwater, there is a perfect blend of sweetness and salt at the finish that really stays with you!

Why they’re unique: How much time do you have! Quality is what sets these apart. Everything about them—flavor, texture, shell thickness, cup depth, shuckability, cull—all pitch-perfect. They have one of the oldest oyster beds in Massachusetts and the largest in Wellfleet. The Puffers are also one of the few farmers who wild catch the majority of their seed (about 700,000 – 1 million this year!).

Story: The Puffer’s have been involved in the Wellfleet shellfish community for a long time. Irving has owned his lease at this particular spot for 33 years and been farming on it for 40. He was given the bed by a grand ol’ soul named Howard Snow (Pokey), who has been Irving’s mentor since the beginning. It is now a family operation between Irving and his son Jake. Irving has owned restaurants, fish markets and been a partner in a few different local businesses, but he has decided to go back to the basics. He has a palpable love for oyster farming and a renewed energy to do so...just see for yourself!