The only specialised marine publication in Oceania that focuses on the maritime industry, from super yachts to small craft to large commercial ships, including coastal shipping, tugs, tow boats, barges, ferries, tourist, sport-fishing craft
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FOOD SAFETY Where the forest MEETS THE SEA BY DOROTHY-JEAN MCCOUBREY R ecently I had the pleasure of meeting Adam James, manager of the Hama Hama Oyster Company in Lilliwaup, Washington. Adam and his family are perfect examples of "sustainability", not only because all their produce is cultivated in a mindful way to ensure little impact on the environment, but because the family has lived in this beautiful part of the world since the early 1900s, making a living off the land for all five generations, and counting. Adam's great-great grandfather Daniel Miller Robbins first bought property along Hood Canal in the late 1800s. A resident of St. Paul, Minnesota and an employee of JJ Hill's railroad company, Daniel Robbins was part of a group of St. Paul residents investing in timberland in Washington State. Unfortunately, Daniel Robbins passed away before he was able to set foot on his Washington farm and management of the Hood Canal property fell to his son Harry, who operated it as a railroad logging company throughout the 1920s. During the 1930s Depression when timber prices plummeted and so many lost their jobs, homes and possessions it was belt tightening time at Hama Hama, but even with careful management it was still necessary to sell part of the forest block to pay taxes. However, the land was able to support the next few generations with a combination of beef cattle farming and timber milling. The family also came to appreciate a new resource on their door step – the canal waters which are calm, unpolluted and have a constant temperature of about 18 degrees Celsius. So the Hama Hama oyster farm came into being. Adam grew up working in the woods and on the beach, and originally envisioned making his life in the bright lights of a larger city but he found the call of the wild and beautiful Lilliwaup area too strong. The oyster farm also provided him with the challenge to use his scientific and business skills and has thrived under his management. The Hama Hama Company operates one of the United States' few "approved" harvest areas, meaning it has no pollution sources that adversely impact the growing area, and it is open for harvest all year around. Adam uses the farm to grow Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas). Partially crushed oyster shell (cultch) is used to collect the natural spat during the Handcrafted oyster shucking knife 12 ■ NZ AQUACULTURE ■ JULY/AUGUST 2013 Jelly made from Douglas fir tips spawn, with these oysters then grown into clusters, shucked and packed into jars. To supplement natural reproduction every year oyster larvae are bought from a hatchery and set into cultch bags using a heated settling chamber. Due to the cold waters the annual oyster farm yield is relatively low but Hama Hama capitalize on this, making the most of the provenance story around high quality and a desired, but scarce product. They market two distinct brands, Hama Hamas and Blue Pools. These oysters differ in flavour and appearance because they have different diets and growing methods. Hama Hamas grow on the beach and are harvested by hand, they have a sweet, clean, cucumber flavour. Blue Pools grow in tumble bags and tumbling prunes them into perfectly shaped, easy to shuck, deep-cupped oysters. Flavour-wise they are plump, complex and earthy; more carrot than cucumber. The oyster farm is just one of Hama Hama's many sustainable operations. The family also continues sustainable logging of their cedar and fir forests. They grow Christmas trees, maintain a prize beef cattle farm, sell foraged and cultivated mushrooms and harvest wild berries to make preserves. One of their popular items is jelly made from Douglas-fir tips with its delicious clean, citrus taste. They operate a farm store which sells all of their products, including the oysters, which are kept on display in live salt water tanks. It is also possible to buy a beautifully handcrafted oyster shucking knife, the handle of which is made from wood harvested from the Hama Hama farm. Adam James and his family live in a very beautiful part of the United States. The Olympic Mountains, which remain snow capped for much of the year, rise sharply from the sea and dominate the scene of green forests and calm, reflective waters of the Hood Canal. In today's crazy, busy and polluted world such environments are global treasures. The Robbins family certainly have shown their merit over the generations as the veritable custodians of their patch of paradise. May their sustainable business practices ensure that another five generations can enjoy working there.