Have you wondered how you might get more involved with Lynnhaven River restoration? Oyster Gardening may be just the opportunity that you have been looking for. It takes about an hour of time each month to keep your oyster bag clean and healthy and your baby oysters will help greatly to rebuild our oyster population in the Lynnhaven River.

How does oyster gardening work?

As an oyster gardener, you will receive 1000 baby seed oysters this summer from Chesapeake Bay Foundation. When you receive them, each will be about the size of your thumbnail. You grow these oysters in a mesh bag in a Taylor Float in the Lynnhaven for one year. At the end of that year, each will be between one and three inches in length. Next summer, you will turn them in at an Oyster Roundup. They will be placed on conservation reefs in the Lynnhaven and you will receive a new batch of baby oysters for the coming year.  Click here for a quick video demonstration of the oyster gardening process.

How do I get started?

1. To get started, you will need a place to keep your oysters. That may be at your own dock if you are lucky enough to live on the water or you may ask a friend, neighbor or a marina if you can tie your float to their dock.  If you can not participate in oyster gardening yourself, but would like to offer your dock to someone else, please let Kris McKinnon know.

2. Once you have a location secured, you should request an information packet about oyster gardening for restoration by contacting Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Hampton Roads office or calling 757-622-1964. This packet includes general information about the Citizen Oyster Gardening program, the need for oyster restoration, the materials required, and a required State Registration Form. (If you are a teacher, contact Helen about Oyster Gardening workshops and opportunities for teachers, or call 757-962-5398.)

3. Attend one of LRNow's Taylor Float Workshops to build your own Taylor Float or order an assembled Taylor Float through the LRNow office (757-962-5398 or Taylor Floats). $75 to participate in the workshop or $100 to purchase an assembled Taylor Float.  Registration for the workshop is required.
* Registration is not complete until payment is received.

4. Register & attend a CBF New Citizen Oyster Gardener Workshop to learn about oyster gardening and pick up your new seed oysters. Sign up early because space is limited; register at www.cbf.org/virginiaoysters. There is a suggested donation to CBF of $30 per 1,000 oysters.

Next summer you will turn in your one year olds at a Roundup and get your new baby oysters. Please contact our office if you have any questions. This past year, we had over 200 Oyster Gardeners in the Lynnhaven. Let’s see if we can increase that number even more this year!

LRNow Taylor Float Workshop

September 11, 2012, 6-7:30 p.m. at the LRNow Office, 1608 Pleasure House Road, Suite 108, VB 23455. 

To register, contact: 757-962-5398 or Taylor Float Workshop.

CBF New Citizen Oyster Gardeners Workshop

September 20, 2012, 6-7:30 p.m. at Virginia Wesleyan.
To register, go to www.cbf.org/virginiaoysters.

CBF Oyster Round-Ups

If you have been raising oysters all year, you don't have long before it is time to return them to the sanctuary reefs and get a new batch of seed oysters.  Please plan to attend the 2012 Oyster Round-Up at First Landing State Park 64th Street Boat Ramp on September 8 between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.  All those planning to attend a round-up should RSVP to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.