Youth to explore careers in oyster farming

• New internship program puts youth to work learning farming techniques from top to bottom
By Naomi Klouda
Homer Tribune

Photo provided - Oyster Farmer Sean Ruddy works on his “tower” nets used to grow oysters from seed to maturity, a process that takes 3-4 years.

When Ron Bader was a ninth grader in the 1940s, he used a Future Farmers of America project to raise two batches of 500 chickens.
When he cashed out on the project, he had enough money to buy his first automobile, a 10-year-old 1940 Chevy Sedan.
“It was an experience I’ll never forget,” said Bader, who was raised Reese, Mich.
When FFA alumni Hannah Harrison put out a call to alumni to help formulate projects for today’s high school students, Bader remembered his own experience and answered her call.
As an oyster farmer now, many decades later, Ron and Marie Bader see how the lessons can translate for a new generation. Kachemak Shellfish Mariculture Association, in conjunction with a KSMA member farm and Homer High School’s FFA chapter, invites eighth graders to apply for a program that would do the same thing for them: they grow the oysters, harvest them, sell them, and keep the profits.
“This is a meant to provide a real life experience, an educationally meaningful, and potentially profitable, multi-year experience in raising oysters to be commercially sold,” said Marie Bader, president of KSMA.
In these cases, the Baders believe a solid internship in oyster farming offers a hands-on experience with the potential to grow into a self-sufficient business.
In Kachemak Bay, there are about 15 independent shellfish growers who supply fresh oysters for Alaska restaurants and are highly sought in Lower 48 markets because they are raised in the bay’s pristine waters.
“This mariculture project is a comprehensive four-year project for one to three students per farm-site designed to allow each student experience in planting 10,000 oyster seeds. They will then cultivate, culture and tend those same oysters yearly until all harvestable oysters are sold,” reads the application.
Along with harvesting and sorting the oysters, interns would keep a log of their tasks, the mortality, growth and observation.
In order to participate, the student needs to pick up an application from counsellor Linda Rourke at Homer Middle School, from Francie Roberts at Homer High or at the KSMA building on the Homer Spit. If selected, they would need to sign up with FAA and pay dues of $17 per year.
This is the advice: “Be aware and be willing to participate in a multi-year summer project that totals approximately 15-20 days of time spread out over four summers. Be an outdoors, on-the-water, and coachable person.”
In order to get it off the ground, the Baders will purchase $500 in oyster seed. So far, the $500 per student project is coming from donations. If you would like to make a donation, call KSMA at 235-1935.
The Bader’s own oyster farm at Peterson Bay will be the first work site.
“We look forward to developing a relationship with these kids. We like to talk with a class of kids and explain the process to them,” Marie Bader said. “We would like to let them experience the bountiful richness of growing something in Kachemak Bay and maybe they too will come back in some form and contribute to an FFA project.”