Farming Oysters with Mike Miezianka

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Agriculture Specialist Lee Rinehart is joined by Mike Miezianka, co-founder of Toasted Oysters, a 3 1/2-acre aquaculture farm on Great South Bay off of Long Island. Mike and his business partner Ray Smith cultivate authentic Blue Point Oysters which they sell to distributors and restaurants on Long Island and beyond.In this conversation, Lee and Mike discuss the promising future of aquaculture, including regulations on food safety and environmental stewardship which is paving the way for more farms to be established in waters around highly populated areas. There is a steady demand for these products, perhaps due in part to an increasing awareness of the ecological benefits of oysters, such as their ability to filter water an enhance marine habitats. Mike also shares advice for beginning farmers interested in getting started in aquaculture as well as some of the tools he and Mike have utilized to increase efficiency and reduce labor on their farm.Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast.NCAT ResourcesAquaculture – ATTRA – Sustainable AgricultureSmall Steps, Big Vision: Oyster Farming on Long Island’s Great South Bay – ATTRA – Sustainable AgricultureCase Study: Solar Oysters LLC – AgriSolar ClearinghouseArmed to Farm – Sustainable Agriculture Training For Military VeteransOther ResourcesToasted Oysters - Authentic Blue Point OystersOcean Farming: a Conversation with Bren SmithYou can get in touch with NCAT specialists and find access to our trusted, practical sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at ATTRA.NCAT.ORG.