What's going on with oysters?

     I thought I'd dedicate a few words to the Oyster world. A lot of folks have been asking me about how long we will have certain oysters. Here's my thoughts for the morning.
     Over the next few days we will be getting in the last of the Fat Dog oyster farm product. Some Moose Coves and a few Abenaki, which are small bottom cultured oysters. It looks like Abenaki will be a staple item next season.  Goat Island and Virgin oysters are out of inventory for the year. We will see them back in the spring. Let's hope they all winter well.  Ray Grizzle from Wagon Hill oysters farm still has inventory and will harvest as long as weather permits. Wagon Hills and Little Grizzlies will be on tap, no more Granite Mountains until next season. Bay Point and Choice have been closed for about a month now.
   Looking to Maine, we have been fortunate to have a mild start to the winter letting some of the southern and mid-coast oyster companies remain ice free. Little Island and Black Bears out of the Bagaduce are done as of a few weeks ago. Glidden, Glidden Wilds, Cape Blues, Norembega and Hog Island are done for the year. We should see them back in April or May depending on the weather. Pemaquid, Wiley and North Haven are still able to harvest weather permitting. Further south in the Casco Bay area, Flying point and Basket Island still have a lot in the system and we should see them well into the winter.
      That's the story for local oysters. We will carry as many of those as possible and add in some Massachusetts oysters here and there. We have a very good source for Mass and West Coast oysters if there is something anyone would want for something special i.e. Chelsea gems, Kumomotos etc..
One oyster that will probably make the Taylor Lobster team is the Standish Shore Petite. As some of you know, it is my current all time favorite oyster and it is priced right. I'm hoping to carry it for the rest of the season. Wellfleets may also win a home here as well.
    I'm sure we will start to see more and more Canadian oysters creep into inventory like Beau Soleil and Malpeques as well . The Malpeques will most likely drop off for us sometime soon.