IT’S THE WATER
Just as fine wines have a terroir — the conditions and climate that create their unique flavor — it’s the same for oysters and the waters where they grow. The 55 acres of oysters beds and 8.5 acres of surface culture at Tarkill Aquaculture are purposely set where the fresh water of Tarkill Creek meets Chesapeake Bay. This mixing makes for lower salinity, “sweeter” water whose sweetness is then imparted to our oysters.
And it’s not just the relative sweetness of the water that makes our oysters great; it’s how clean that water is. The Virginia Department of Health has a permanent testing station next to our lease, and we are proud of what they consistently find. The area shaded green is our lease, and that green color means the Department of Health gives it the best rating available from them.
1.McKinney’s Island Oysters
The two coves that surround McKinney’s Island are home to approximately 3,500 oyster cages that currently produce about a million and a half oysters a year. And Tarkill Aquaculture’s production potential is far greater, positioning the farm to easily ramp up its output of premium half-shell oysters. It’s what makes Tarkill a “go-to” farm for busy chefs. They appreciate stress-free sourcing through our Farm-to-Table operation.
Contact us, and let us show you how easy it is to source premium oysters on demand.
2.Ropewalk Liberty Oysters
Tarkill Aquaculture Ventures LLC is the exclusive supplier of Ropewalk Liberty Oysters — the “house” oyster for the seafood, resort destination of the same name. We’ve dedicated sections of our farm to meet Ropewalk Liberty’s demand for premium half shell oysters at their Ocean City, Chincoteague, and Fenwick locations. Ask for these delectable oysters by name … and try not to miss their “buck a shuck” Happy Hour special!
3.Farm-to-Table
Our Farm-to-Table model delivers oysters at a highly competitive price point that are harvested and delivered the day of sale. Tarkill is able to accomplish this because we have an entirely in-house harvesting, cleaning, and shipping operation.
These oysters are washed with the waters they grow in. That’s important because it means they have never touched municipal water nor been exposed to the chemicals in that water that can compromise flavor.
If you are a Chef or Restaurant Owner who wants a fresh supply of premium, farm-raised, half-shell oysters, contact us and we can meet your needs.
OYSTER SALES
Order with confidence
For more than 15 years, Tarkill has reliably shipped oysters to restaurants up and down the east coast. The company is currently delivering more than a million and half oysters a year— consistently, year-round — through our Farm-to-Table operation.
That efficiency grew out of the more than half-century of combined aquaculture experience of Gerry Negley and Bob Boardman.
And we continually grow our farm, so we can meet our customer needs.
Contact us to discuss how we can answer your sourcing needs for these increasingly popular and highly profitable customer favorites.
High Capacity: We ship more than a million and a half oysters per year
Experience: Gerry Negley and Bob Boardman have more than 55 years of combined experience in aquaculture.
Established Business: McKinney’s Island Oysters have been shipping since 2008.
Oysters sales
The best way to tell you how our operation can make your life easier is to talk. Call us, so we answer any questions you may have about the farm and how we can serve you.
We presently wholesale our oysters through two local Eastern Shore of Virginia businesses. We also supply/supplement oysters to a company that offers a “Farm-to-Table” delivery model in the Annapolis, Baltimore and Washington D.C. area.
For 15 years, we’ve made direct deliveries to Ocean City MD and Fenwick Island DE.
If you are a Chef or Restaurant Owner who wants a fresh supply of premium, farm-raised, half-shell oysters, contact us at info@Tarkilloysters.com, and we can meet your needs.
