How About This Presents Adam Drake
Interview with a fellow whose oysters are his world and much more
Welcome to Atlantic Canada Mondays! Every 1 - 2 weeks we feature an interview with someone from one of the 4 Atlantic Canadian provinces. Our latest interview is with Adam Drake (aka @adamandpeeve on Twitter) from the seabound province of PEI (Prince Edward Island). Adam is an oyster farmer but has a number of compelling interests as you’ll see below.
Have a look at Adam’s great responses!
What exactly is the job of an oyster farmer and how did you end up with that career?
Oyster farming is taking a wild oyster, at its larval stage, and growing it to market size, 2.5 to 3 inches, in an environment free of predators. I use floating wire boxes, referred to as cages, within each cage is 6 plastic mesh bags. Each bag contains oysters. When they are small, the mesh size is 4mm. There are thousands in a bag. As they grow, I split them into smaller quantities and put them in larger mesh. They come to market from a 14 mm mesh bag.
The cages keep the oysters in the top 14 inches or so of the water column. This is where it’s warmest, and also where food is most abundant. Starfish are the major predators of oyster, so this keeps them at bay.
The other function of the floating cage is to shape the oysters. The best shape is broad and deep cupped. The constant wave action helps the oyster gain this desirable shape.
I started out growing mussels, but after a couple of years, we switched to oysters. The water we lease from Her Majesty is better suited to oysters. Higher value product as well.
My family is a fishing and farming family. My dad is very enterprising. He has a large wild blueberry farm, he just recently sold his lobster gear to my brother. We also used to keep bees. My son Ivan and I are getting back into that this year.
Name one thing that you wish other people knew and understood about oyster farming.
Oyster farming is threatened by global warming. Ocean acidification and more frequent severe hurricanes. It’s a hard job, but extremely rewarding. I kind of regret that the food I produce is considered a luxury item. I wish I could share them with everyone. Oysters are extremely nutritious and very sustainable to produce.
And now you’ve started bee keeping – how did that start?
My dad has a wild blueberry farm. Pollination is a very important part of a good crop. Dad kept bees a number of years ago. The equipment was all still here, and one day when my son Ivan and I were in the loft of the barn, looking for something, Ivan spotted the bee equipment. His interest was piqued. I had also had a back of mind notion to get into beekeeping, so we contacted a local beekeeper and bought a couple of hives. Our goal is to build up to 50 hives, a manageable number for two people, and rent them out locally for pollination. As for the honey, no plans. I’ll leave it for the bees at this point. Bees need to be fed sugar water in the spring, to bridge the time between them waking up, and the first blossom. I’d feel terrible to take all their hard work away from them.
What exactly is the St Peters Harbour Yacht Squadron and what did you have to do to become Commodore?
St Peters Harbour Yacht Squadron is a squadron of one. Myself. Haha. My younger son Harry is a sea cadet, and I used to sail regularly in my 22 foot sailboat around PEI. Harry and I have resurrected a 12 foot sailing dinghy and will be mooring it here in the harbour, with hopes that it attracts other folks who enjoy sailing.
From your Tweets I sense that you have some issues with the current PEI government. Have you ever been, or would you ever be, involved with politics, even to the point of running for office?
I get angry and frustrated that successive governments in this province govern for a very few people. This is a small place. Our powers of jurisdiction could be used to create an incredible place to live and work, but instead, we bow down to Irving, that owns a large potato plant, and thousands of acres of land and threatens lawsuits and job cuts the minute that regulation threatens them in the least.
We are cursed with beauty. No one with a modest income can afford to live in a place that gets labeled as desirable property. I hate the term “gentrification “ but that’s what is happening. People from other places, as well as some local oligarchs, are buying up homes, converting them to STRs or building luxury properties that are occupied part of the year. It’s hollowing out the small communities like mine, where most of the agriculture and aquaculture takes place. We have never had a government with the spine to address this, because they are perennially focused on re-election and contributions as well as qualifying for their MLA pension. They refuse to rock the boat.
I was involved in the Home and School association a few years ago, when the liberal government of Wade MacLauchlan attempted to close most of the rural schools. A great fuss was raised. They backed down. Till next time. As it is, schools are funded by population, so rural students here are grossly underserved compared to Charlottetown and Summerside.
I would probably not be very electable where I live. I’m not sure I’d be suited for the job anyway, however, I am exploring ways to be more effective than spouting off on Twitter. Politicians rarely engage and my audience is largely an echo chamber, with some exceptions.
What is your favorite game?
Trivial pursuit. Scrabble a close second.
What is your favorite TV series?
Star Trek. All of them.
Would you recommend PEI as a good place to live, to the point of encouraging people to move there?
PEI is in crisis. It’s not a good place right now. Thousands have no doctor. Many are nearly homeless. There is very little industry. The big sectors rely on a poorly educated or student workforce that will accept low wages, no benefits and part time hours. Tourism is the worst offender. The government pours millions into promoting PEI, for the benefit of a very few who dominate the accommodation and restaurant sector. It’s at best unimaginative and a worst, a total abdication of their responsibility to govern responsibly for the benefit of all citizens. it’s not a great place to try to get a start. Young people are leaving. Older people with equity in another home elsewhere are moving in. It’s more nuanced than that, but you get the idea.
Pretend you wake up one morning and the Internet has been destroyed. What's the first thing that you do?
I would pick up my yard tools, and get at it. Haha.
Thanks to Adam for agreeing to be interviewed!
A fascinating read - thanks Mark and Adam! It's interesting that in Dickensian London oysters were only the food of the poor but have since become a luxury. I'll never forget my first taste of an oyster on a magical trip to a Hebridean island - it was like swallowing pure distilled ocean. :D
Interesting article. It's always fun to learn about new communities. Who knew starfish liked oysters. I learned something new. Disheartening to hear about PEI having issues. That seems to be happening a lot these days. There was a morning TV show in the U.S. that went to PEI many years ago and I remember it being picturesque.