THE EARTH AT THE SAME TIME.
TAKE A LOOK.
>> ON A CRISP FALL MORNING, WE
ARE BUZZING ACROSS NEW
HAMPSHIRE’S GREAT BAY.
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING WE HAD NOT
SEEN BEFORE.
FROM THE SURFACE, I DID SEE ALL
THESE DARK SPOTS.
>> YEP.
>> AND THE DARK SPOTS ARE --
>> OYSTER CONDOS.
THEY HOLD THESE BAGS.
THESE BAGS HOLD THE OYSTERS.
ALL THESE DARK SPOTS BEHIND ME
ARE ROWS OF OYSTERS WITH BAGS IN
THEM.
>> OUR GUIDE IS LAURA BROWN OF
FOX POINT OYSTERS.
SHE’S TURNED WHAT WAS A LIFELESS
MUD FLAP INTO AN ECO FRIENDLY
PROTEIN PRODUCING FARM.
>> LIFT THIS LID WITH ME.
WE’RE GOING TO TIP IT OVER THIS
WAY.
GENTLY WIGGLE IT FIRST TO GET IT
OUT OF THE MUD.
OKAY, NOW WE CAN LIFT IT UP.
THERE YOU GO.
SO THERE’S SOME LIFE.
>> OYSTERS ARE FARMED BECAUSE
85% OF THE NATURALLY OCCURRING
OYSTER REEFS IN THE WORLD NO
LONGER EXIST.
AND WHAT YOU MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN
FROM JUNIOR HIGH BIOLOGY IS
THESE LITTLE BIVALVES ARE MORE
EFFECTIVE THAN THE FILTER ON
YOUR FAUCET.
>> THEY’RE JUST LIKE NATURE’S
LITTLE PUMP.
AND THEY HELP FILTER THE WALTER
OUT SO THE SUNLIGHT CAN COME
THROUGH AND THE WATER IS CLEAR
SO ANY HABITAT THAT NEEDS CAN.
>> ONE OYSTER FILTERED 50
GALLONS OF WATER A DAY.
50 GALLONS.
HARD TO IMAGINE.
>> THIS IS AN UNUSED MUD FLAT,
SO THE FARM IS CREATING A REALLY
NICE HABITAT FOR A BUNCH OF
SPECIES IN HERE, TOO.
>> FOR BROWN, GROWING EARTH
FRIENDLY, PEOPLE-PLEASING
OYSTERS IS A GRATIFYING WAY TO
MAKE A LIVING.
SAME STORY ACROSS THE WATER IN
LITTLE BAY.
THIS IS YOUR FARM?
>> YES.
IT’S 4 1/2 ACRES.
OF HEAVEN.
>> BRIAN DOESN’T MIND GETTING
WET AND SPENDING MOST EVERY DAY
TENDING THE CONDOS.
HE SAYS THE HARD WORK HAS PAID
OFF.
>> LAST YEAR WAS A REALLY GOOD
YEAR.
THIS YEAR, WE WERE SET UP TO
DOUBLE WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR.
>> BUT THEN CAME THE COVID
CLOSE-DOWN.
RESTAURANTS WITH DOORS LOCKED OR
AT REDUCED CAPACITY.
GINACO HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO TURN
TO RETAIL.
>> ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU HAVE TO
GEINTO THE RETAIL BUSINESS.
WAS IT ENOUGH TO COMPENSATE FOR
YOUR LOSS OF ALL YOUR WHOLESALE
BUSINESS?
>> NO, NO, IT WASN’T.
>> TO THE RESCUE, THE NATURE
CONSERVANCY AND THE PEW
CHARITABLE TRUST, BUYING UP 5
MILLION OYSTERS.
OYSTERS THAT WILL BE
TRANSPLANTED TO RESTORE REEFS IN
SEVEN STATES.
>> AND WE’RE GOING TO DEPLOY
THOSE OYSTERS ON 20 RESTORATION
SITES IN THOSE SEVEN STATES AND
REBUILD AT LEAST 27 ACRES OF
OYSTER REEFS IN THE PROCESS.
>> NATURAL OYSTER REEFS.
OYSTER SANCTUARIES THAT CAN’T BE
HARVESTED.
>> A WIN/WIN, AS THEY SAY.
SO NATURE CONSERVANCY COMES
ALONG AND SAYS, HEY, WE WANT TO
BUY UP SOME OF YOUR OYSTERS.
WHEN YOU HEARD THAT, WHAT DID
YOU THINK?
>> OH, YES.
PLEASE.
THAT SOUNDS GREAT.
THERE’S A LOT OF OYSTERS.
YOU CAN’T SELL THEM FAST ENOUGH,
THEY GET TOO BIG.
YOU CAN’T JUST STOP YOUR FARM.
THEY’RE GROWING.
SO KNOWING THAT THEY WERE GOING
TO BUY THEM WAS A HUGE
LIFE-SAVER, HUGE.
>> WHEN AN OYSTER GETS TOO BIG,
IT’S HARD TO SELL, SO THIS
INFUSION OF CASH WILL HELP 100
FARMERS LIKE LAURA AND BRIAN.
IS THIS SATISFYING WORK?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS IS TO
GO TO AN EVENT AND SHUCK OYSTERS
FOR PEOPLE AND GET TO WATCH THEM
ENJOY.
YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.
YOU SPENT THREE YEARS GROWING
THAT OYSTER.
THEY HAVE NO IDEA.
YOU KNOW, THAT OYSTER HAS BEEN
THROUGH YOUR HANDS UMPTEEN
TIMES, YOU KNOW, FROM THE TIME
IT WAS A PEPPER FLAKE THAT YOU
BROUGHT IN TO THIS BEAUTIFUL
THREE-INCH-ROUND OYSTER.
AND THAT’S PRETTY INCREDIBLE.
>> AS LONG AS WE WERE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD -- FOR THOSE OF YOU
AT HOME WANTING TO KNOW IF IT’S
HARD TO SHUCK AN OYSTER, NOT SO
TOUGH.
>> YOU’RE LIKE A PRO.
>> NOT SO TOUGH.
>> I’M IMPRESSED.
>> UM, SALTY.
SO IF YOU’RE SOMEPLACE IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY, SAYING
I’M TOO FAR AWAY FROM THE COAST
TO GET A GOOD OYSTER, THERE ARE
PLACES WE’LL HAVE ON OUR WEBSITE
WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY ORDER THE
OYSTERS AND GET THEM 24 HOURS
LATER.
AND I SUGGEST YOU GET ONE OF
THESE LITTLE BABIES.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AT
THE HINGE.
THERE’S A HINGE RIGHT THERE.
YOU PUT THE THING -- YOU PUT THE
SHUCKER IN THE HINGE.
>> LIFT IT UP.
>> WELL, LISTEN.
OF COURSE, BECAUSE I’M TRYING TO
DO THIS LIVE ON TELEVISION --
>> YOU ALSO DON’T WANT TO CUT
YOURSELF.
>> EXACTLY RIGHT.
ANYWAY, IT’S DOABLE.
>> COOL.
>> THANK YOU, HARRY.
WHAT A GREAT IDEA, TOO.
WAY TO GO, CHARITABLE TRUST.
>> ORDER THE OYSTERS AND YOU GET
THEM 24 HOURS LATER.
>> I’M GOING ONLINE.
I’M GETTING THOSE BAD BOYS.
>> YOU LOVE OYSTERS.
>> AND MY SON NICK.
WE WILL PUT DOWN ABOUT THREE
DOZEN IN A SITTING.
>> SAVANNAH IS SITTING THERE
SAYING, EW.
>> I SEE THEY COME WITH FRIES
SOMETIMES, AND I LIKE THAT.
THERE’S A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR
EVERYBODY.
I’M SUPER HAPPY TO HEAR HOW THAT