Top Shell Oyster Farm

10/16/2023

Reminiscing on summer days when our oysters were at the Port Hunter! 🥂

This season we had a record harvest, and sold our oysters at 4 different restaurants + a few events! We can’t wait to see what next year brings on the farm 🦪

We are officially done harvesting for now, but we’ll be back soon with more Top Shell Oysters.

10/10/2023

We’re stoked to see featured in the new issue of in an article about the next generation of island farmers and fisherman!

Farming oysters in the open ocean on Martha’s Vineyard is no easy task, and we’re incredibly proud of all we’ve been able to accomplish with this small farm.

In just 2 years, Liam has become an oyster farmer, captain, shucking pro, boat mechanic, and so much more! He’s a part of a pretty bad a** group of people who are shaping the future of farming and fishing on this beautiful island.

As we celebrate this, we’re reminded of the important role that this next generation plays in sustaining the islands rich agriculture and seafood industries, and their potential to add new thoughts and perspectives that can create positive change. We’re excited to see so many young people doing the work! 🤙🏼🦪

08/31/2023

Diving into some upweller work as the fall approaches and the seed continues to grow! Every time we visit the nursery we’re greeted by new life & new growth, and on the less glamorous side a lot of bird p**p.

This is the time of year where we watch the weather closely, and try to keep the new oysters in the upweller as long as possible before sending them out to the farm.

These photos were snapped a few weeks ago and they’ve already doubled in size 🦪 the bigger they get the better chance they have of making it through the winter!

06/20/2023

We’re stoked to have Top Shell oysters at starting tonight! Go check out the new raw bar in the lawn by ! Live music, cold drinks, and fresh oysters all summer long 🍻

05/05/2023

It’s a great feeling to be back on the farm in a freshly painted boat after a long break.

Farming the open ocean requires a delicate balance that we are still working to perfect (and probably never will) 😅

During our first winter, we cut our lines too short and had to go diving to recover some of the lines and cages. So naturally, we extended the length of our lines and moved them closer together for the next winter so we could easily find them all in the spring. Now we have a new problem. Our lines are tangled.

So here we are, untangling lines that go down 25 feet into the ocean, and relocating them within the farm to get organized. We’re halfway done with the lines and should be harvesting in the next few weeks!

Maybe this year will be the year we perfect our rope length, but probably not 😉

03/24/2023

08/14/2022

Incredible view to enjoy some oysters from! Finally being able to share our oysters with those who have supported us from the beginning has been a highlight of the season. Plus, it’s pretty sweet that these oysters were grown just 1 mile out to sea from where they were eaten! 🌊

06/28/2022

Nothin’ like a full day spent on the farm with sunshine, southernly winds, and beautiful oysters. Makes it pretty hard to hate going to work! We might not be making money but at least we’re having fun 😜

05/25/2022

Big things happening on the farm this week!! Our new work raft is in, and it was quite an adventure to get it out to its new home 😂

Each big step takes weeks of planning and work, and we’re feeling really grateful to have this one over with so we can start farming! 🦪🦪

03/23/2022

Anyone else ready for t-shirt weather? Spring is here and we are getting our hands dirty with painting, boat work, and raft building.

Top Shell shirts are available on our website for those who like to look good while getting a project done! go grab one with the link https://www.topshelloysterfarm.com/shop-products 🤙🏼

01/05/2021

Thanks Nobnocket Boutique Inn for your support! Cheers 🍻

Want to help launch a new Oyster Farm on Martha's Vineyard? Liam Cosgrove, who recently won town approval for a two-acre oyster farm in Edgartown is running a Kickstarter campaign to help fuel his new farm - Top Shell Oyster Farm. This 24-year-old Islander was born and schooled on the Vineyard and studied marine biology for a year at the University of Rhode Island before spending time in the Bahamas and becoming a certified rescue diver. Returning to the Island in 2019, Mr. Cosgrove has worked for Island Spirit Kayak and for , learning aquaculture form oyster farmers Dan and Greg Martino.

The crowdfunding campaign ends Jan. 12. Mr. Cosgrove expects to begin harvesting oysters in 2023.

http://ow.ly/sCbd50CZqmx

01/05/2021

Thank you Farm Field Sea - MV for sharing our story!

Want to help launch a new Oyster Farm on Martha's Vineyard? Liam Cosgrove, who recently won town approval for a two-acre oyster farm in Edgartown is running a Kickstarter campaign to help fuel his new farm - Top Shell Oyster Farm. This 24-year-old Islander was born and schooled on the Vineyard and studied marine biology for a year at the University of Rhode Island before spending time in the Bahamas and becoming a certified rescue diver. Returning to the Island in 2019, Mr. Cosgrove has worked for Island Spirit Kayak and for , learning aquaculture form oyster farmers Dan and Greg Martino.

The crowdfunding campaign ends Jan. 12. Mr. Cosgrove expects to begin harvesting oysters in 2023.

http://ow.ly/RHom50CZqxF