Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
>> THE VIRGINIA HORSE INDUSTRY BOARD, SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION AND THE VIRGINIA CHRISTMAS TREE GROWERS
ASSOCIATION ARE PROUD SPONSORS OF "VIRGINIA FARMING."
>> THIS PROGRAM IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU.
LARGE AND SMALL, VIRGINIA FARMERS WORK YEAR-ROUND TO PUT
FOOD ON YOUR TABLE AND THE FARM BUREAU WORKS TO HELP FARMERS AND
ALL VIRGINIANS. FARMING, IT IS ALL GOOD.
>> BROUGHT TO YOU BY FARM FAMILY.
LIFE, AUTO, BUSINESS, FARM. JIM GRAY -- FORMER SON,
AGRIBUSINESS -- AGRIBUSINESS OWNER, INSURANCE AGENTS.
ANOTHER PERSONAL STORY ON FARMFAMILYPEOPLE.COM.
THE PEOPLE YOU KNOW. >> WELCOME TO "VIRGINIA FARMING
." ROSCHER.
VIRGINIA'S NORTHERN NECK IS KNOW FOR ITS GOOD SEAFOOD, ESPECIALLY
OYSTERS. TODAY WE WILL MEET MALCOLM
LUPERT, A TACKLING OYSTER PRESERVATION.
COMING UP ON THE NEXT EDITION OF "VIRGINIA FARMING."
¶
>> HI, I AM A SMALL TIME OYSTER GUY.
SPAT ON THE SHELL. SHELL IS KIND OF
NEW, AT LEAST IN VIRGINIA. BECAUSE IT TAKES A CLEAN OYSTER
SHELL AND YOU TAKE THE CLEAN OYSTER SHARE -- SHELL AND YOU
PUT IT IN THE MEDIUM AND IN THE MEDIUM THAT YOU PUT THE LARGE
FOR FOR A CERTAIN -- LARVAE A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME AND IT
ATTACHES TO THE SHELL AND YOU LET IT GROW FOR A COUPLE OF
WEEKS AND YOU TAKE IT OUT OF THAT MEDIUM AND YOU PLANTED IN
THE RIVER. ONCE IT GOES INTO THE RIVER, IT
IS JUST LIKE ANY OTHER TYPE OF OYSTER.
AS I MENTIONED, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CLEAN, CLEAN SHELL FOR THE
OYSTER TO SIT UPON. IF THE SHELL IS DIRTY, THE
OYSTER SETS ONTO A SPECK OF DIRT AND DOESN'T LIVE.
LARVAE SET ON SOMETHING HARD LIKE AN OYSTER SHELL OR
EVEN CHINA FARM AID TOILET TANK LID, THAT WILL WORK, TOO.
IT IS HARD AND THE OYSTER WILL GROW.
IF YOU COME WITH ME, I WILL SHOW YOU THE OPERATION.
START IS WE TAKE --WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH A
FELLOW DOWN AT THE SEAFOOD PLACE HERE ON THE LITTLE WOOD, COAL --
RIVER AND WE BUY SOME SHELL.
I CAN TRANSPORT 50 BUSHELS AT A TIME.
BRING IT IN HERE AND I BRING IT INTO THE PILE THAT I WILL SHOW
YOU RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER HERE.
YOU CAN SEE THE FILE RIGHT THERE.
REPRESENTS- PILE MAYBE I AM GUESSING 100 OR 150
BUSHELS OF OYSTERS. A FRONT END LOADER COMES ALONG.
YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE, YOU CAN SEE WHERE HE LEFT OFF WITH HIS
BUCKET. HE PICKS UP A SCOOP.
BACKS OVER HERE AND DRIVES OFF RIGHT HERE.
RIGHT UP THIS RAMP. AND HE DEPOSITS THEM RIGHT HERE.
BEEN SITTING HERE SINCE SEPTEMBER OR SO.
TREES GETS THE PINE ON THE.
WE SET THEM RIGHT HERE, AND THEN --I LIKE TO TEASE THE BUDDY WHO
HELPS ME A LOT, I SAID, THIS IS A JEWELRY OPERATION BECAUSE WE
HAVE A TUMBLR. AND JERRY HAS A CEMENT MIXER HE
GAVE US FOR THE TUMBLR. THE WE DO, IS WE TURN
TUMBLER.XTER INTO A AND WE TAKE A GREAT BIG SHOVEL.
SHOVELFULS INTO THE BUCKET.
WE TURN THE WATER ON. TUMBLER AND IT GOES
AROUND AND ROUND AND ROUND. WATER FLOWS OUT OF THE CEMENT
, ONTO THE GROUND. AROUND ANDALL
WATCHES IT, LIKE A WASHING MACHINE, TOO, I GUESS WOULD BE A
GOOD ANALOGY. AFTER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME,
MIXER ANDE CEMENT JUST DUMP IT.
--IMAGINE THIS IS OR 500 OYSTER
SHELLS AND THEY ARE FLOATING RIGHT HERE.
WE MANUALLY PUSH THEM DOWN THIS NOTICE THEYOU WILL
CHUTE HAS HOLES IN IT AND DIRT AND WATER AND SAND FOR THE MOST
PART FALL DOWN BELOW HERE. IN BUCKETS, IN
BUSHEL BASKET, AND WE BRING IT DOWN TO THIS HOMEMADE SHOOT.
IN THE SHOOT, IT FILTERS IT DOWN GREENS THROUGH THAT
BUCKET -- DON'T TELL MY GRANDSON, BUT THAT WITH HIS
BUCKET. LEE'S, DON'T TELL MY GRANDSON.
[LAUGHTER] INTO A PIPE, AND
EIGHT INCH PIPE. IT'S GOT A BLACK LAUGHTER AROUND
THE OUTSIDE OF IT -- BLACK PLASTIC AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF
IT. PERSON DOWN HERE, WHAT THEY
PLASTIC ANDAKE THE THEY LIFTED UP, AND WITH THE
WEIGHT OF THE OYSTERS IN HERE, POPS IT OUT.
TIES, AND HESOME TIES IT, TIES IT LIKE THIS.
PUT IT RIGHT OVER HERE. THEN IT BECOMES CLEAN.
THIS IS WHAT THE PRODUCT LOOKS LIKE.
CLEAN. >> CLEAN, WASHED OYSTER SHELLS.
>> CLEAN, WASHED OYSTER SHELLS. I AM GOING TO LEAVE THIS HERE
AND I WILL COME BACK TO YOU. THEN, WHAT THIS PERSON DOES.
-- THESE ARE LITTLE SACS THAT WE GET.
ON ONE END WE HAVE TO PUT STAINLESS STEEL.
GALVANIZED -- I AM NOT A CHEMIST, BUT THE REACTION
OF THE GALVANIZED WITH THE SEAWATER DOES SOMETHING BAD TO
THE WATER. THEY DON'T LIKE IT.
SO WE USE STAINLESS STEEL. OVER'S ABOUT 200 BUSHELS
HERE, BUSHELS OF OYSTER SHELLS OVER HERE.
AND IT'S ABOUT 50 POUNDS AND BUSHEL -- A BUSHEL.
BIT OFTAKES A LITTLE STRENGTH TO MAN THIS.
200 WE DO THEN IS WE TAKE BUSHELS AT A TIME AND WE PUT
THEM ON A TRAILER AND WE BACK THE DOWN AND PUT THEM ON
TANK. I WILL SHOW YOU THE TANK WHEN WE
ARE WALKING DOWN. BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, IT'S
IMPORTANT, AT LEAST FOR THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA TO UNDERSTAND
--I THIS PROCESS HERE WAS APPLIED FOR A GRANT THROUGH THE
STATE OF VIRGINIA. --M A SMALL-SCALE WATERMEN.
WATER MAN. I CRAB.
I DO, THEY USED TO CALL 100 POTS.
AND BECAUSE OF THE CRAP SITUATION, TOO MANY CRABBERS,
WHAT THERABS -- CRABS, STATE IS TRYING TO DO IS PUSH
PEOPLE WHO CRAB INTO THE OYSTER BUSINESS.
TOOK ME AFOR, AND IT LONG TIME TO GET, A GRANT FROM
THE STATE. ME ANE STATE SHOWED
OPERATION THAT WAS VERY SIMILAR TO THIS.
WE ADAPTED IT TO OUR NEEDS HERE. AND THE STATE ALSO GIVES ME
STARTERS FOR SHELL AND THEY GIVE ME A TANK AND SOME PUMPS.
THE REQUIREMENT IS, THEY MAINTAIN OWNERSHIP OF THAT FOR
TWO YEARS, AND IF I LIVE UP TO THEIR PROGRAM, THEN I GET TO
KEEP THAT. SO, IT'S A GOOD DEAL.
IT IS GOOD FOR US. IT IS GOOD FOR ME.
IT'S GOOD FOR THE STATE BECAUSE NOW I AM PUTTING A LOT OF
OYSTERS INTO THE GREAT WICOMICO RIVERS THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE
TO DO. AND I AM SINCERE IN MY EFFORT.
I WANT TO DO THE THINGS THAT IS RIGHT.
NRC DESERVES V CREDIT, HE RUNS THE PROGRAM.
A GREAT HELP TO ME. A GUY WHO HELPS ME, AND JERRY,
HE IS A GREAT HELP TO ME, TOO. HE CAN'T BE HERE -- JERRY CAN'T
BE HERE, THAT HE HAS DONE A GREAT DEAL HELPING.
THOSEJUST WANTED TO MAKE CREDITS, IF YOU WILL.
THANKS FOR THE TIME FOR THAT. AFTER THESE BAGS GET SET WITH
.YSTERS, WE USE A BARGE WE TELL THE BARGE WITH ONE OF
OUR BOATS. AND WE TAKE THEM OUT TO WHERE WE
ARE GOING TO PUT THEM IN THE RIVER AND CUT THE BAGS AND DROP
THE SHELLS INTO THE RIVER AND COME BACK A YEAR LATER AND PULL
THEM UP. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED
TO TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT IS SPAT ON THE SHELL.
THE LARGE THEY --LARVAE , THENG SPAT AM ATTACHING
QUESTION IS, HOW MUCH SPAT IS ON THE SHELL?
THE STATE COMES AND THEY TEST -- THEY DO VARIOUS TESTS.
AND WHEN WE ARE DONE, THEY COME BACK AND THEY ASK US TO GIVE
THEM A SAMPLE OF THE RESULTS OF THE SPAT ON THE SHELL.
AND THEY WANT IT LIKE A HALF A BUSHEL OF OYSTER SHELLS, JUST
RANDOMLY SELECTED. I GAVE THEM THEIR HALF A BUSHEL,
AND MR. WESSON CAME BACK AND HE COUNTS HOW MANY OF THE LARGE
LARVAE ATTACHED TO THE SALE AND ON AVERAGE WE GET 14
LARVAE TO THE SHELL. WHAT THAT MEANS -- I THINK IT IS
PRETTY OBVIOUS -- IF YOU GET 14 SHELL AND YOU START
WITH ONE BUSHEL AND THAT MEANS EVERYTHING IS BEING EQUAL, YOU
WOULD END UP WITH 14 BUSHELS OF OYSTERS.
THAT KIND OF GET RATIO.
E THE ANIMALS THAT EAT THEM, THE FISH THAT EAT THE
SMALL OYSTERS. YOU HAVE THE CRABS THAT EAT
THEM. YOU JUST HAVE A LOSS.
AND SOME PEOPLE SAY YOU GET 1.5 48 BUSHEL THAT
YOU PUT IN -- FOR EACH BUSHEL YOU GET A BUSHEL AND A HALF, AND
THE STATE SAYS YOU CAN GET UP TO THREE BUSHELS.
SO, I THINK THAT IS PRETTY GOOD. WE ARE JUST HOPING IN THE NEXT
ACHIEVE THAT GOAL. BRINGTHIS IS WHERE WE
DOWN THE TRAILER AND IT IS ALL LOADED WITH A BAG OF OYSTERS.
WE TAKE THE WATER FROM THE GREAT WICOMICO RIGHT HERE.
HERE FURLOUGHS REAL WELL SO IT BRINGS THE
NUTRIENTS TO THE BB OYSTERS -- FLOWS REAL WELL SO IT BRINGS THE
NUTRIENTS TO THE BABY OYSTERS. THE WATER IS ALSO GOOD HERE,
-- THEY ALL ARE ALL OYSTER RIGHT IN FRONT USING THE
TRADITIONAL METHODS. SO THE WATER QUALITY HERE IS
GOOD. THAT 14 SET US GET
PER OYSTER SHELL. I JUST PULLED MY CRAB POT.
--LET'S LOOK AT THIS.
THIS CAME OUT OF THE WATER FRIDAY, AND TODAY IS SUNDAY.
ABOUT TWO DAYS AGO. SEE,HIS FLOAT, YOU CAN
LEAN AS A WHISTLE ON THE SIDE, WHICH FACES THE SUN.
THIS LAYS IN THE WATER. AND IF THIS WERE WET -- IT IS
ALGAE, SOME PEOPLE CALL ITS LINE -- CALL IT SLIME.
ON THATJUST CAN'T SET AND I TRIED TO PULL AN OYSTER
FROM A OUTLOOK FLOAT UP HERE BUT THE SHELLAT SPAT ON
DOES, YOU GET IT FROM THIS STAGE TO THAT STAGE BECAUSE -- SO IT
SET.EAN AND THE OYSTER CAN SO, RIGHT OVER HERE IN THE
CORNER IS THIS TANK. WHAT WE DO, LIKE A MINIATURE
SWIMMING POOL. FEET INT IN -- 12
DIAMETER AND FOUR FEET DEEP. WATCH YOUR STEP.
-- TO GET THROUGH THE WINTER, IT'S GOT SOME LEAVES
AND STUFF IN IT. THERE IS A DRAIN ON THE WAY
INSIDE. AND THERE'S A PIPE THAT WE PUT
HERE INTO THE DRAIN, UP TO ABOUT RIGHT HERE.
SO ALL THAT IS FILLED WITH WATER.
AND THE BAGS. AND THIS STRUCTURE RIGHT HERE IN
IS IN ERROR FLOW -- IS AN AIR FLOW.
WE PUT THAT IN THE BOTTOM AND THE PARTS FIX UP.
HERE, ITR TO HEAR -- BLOWS AIR INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE
TANK AND IT BUBBLES UP AND IT DIVIDES THE TANK.
WE PUT AIR ALL AROUND THE SIDE AND RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE.
GROW.HAT HELPS THE LARVAE AND WE KEEP THIS ON
CONTINUOUSLY. AND WE DON'T PUT ANY NEW WATER
IN HERE FOR THREE OR FOUR DAYS. BECAUSE YOU WANT THE LARVAE TO
SET. I CAME BACK.
YOU ARE ANXIOUS AS DID I CLEANED THEM RIGHT >> THAT I DO THIS
RIGHT? ARE THERE ENOUGH NUTRIENTS?
ALL THIS GOES TO YOUR MIND AND YOU CHECK ONE OYSTER FROM THE
BAG AND YOU CAN'T SEE A THING. YOU CAN'T SEE A THING.
, YOU CANABOUT DAY 7 SEE THEM WITH YOUR EYE.
THEY ARE LIKE LITTLE BLACK SPECKS, LIKE PEPPER IN A PEPPER
SHAKER. THAT SMALL.
WHEN YOU CAN FINALLY SEE THEM. FOR ABOUTEAVE THEM IN
10 MORE DAYS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WHAT WE DO -- WE HAVE THIS, BUT IT DOES NOT DRAW THAT MUCH WATER
AND IT CAN HOLD 6000 POUNDS. TO EMPTY THIS, IT TAKES TWO
LOADS. WE BACK IT AT HIGH TIDE RIGHT UP
TO THE EDGE OF THE BULKHEAD. WRITE UP THE RIVER.
LITTLEA LEASE OF THE DASH OF THE RIVER THAT WE USE
AND I APPLY FOR ONE HERE IN FRONT OF THE DOCK AND I SHOULD
BE GETTING THAT IN THE FALL, FALL-SUMMER, NEXT YEAR OR SO.
WE WILL JUST GO FROM HERE RIGHT OUT THERE.
LEASE, ANDVE A OYSTER LEASE, THAT IS A CONTRACT
BETWEEN THE STATE AND PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF THAT GIVES ME THE
RIGHT TO USE THE BOTTOM EXCLUSIVELY.
SO, I CAN PUT THE OYSTERS RIGHT ONTO THE BOTTOM AND NO ONE CAN
COME IN AND TAKE THEM. AND THAT IS OPPOSED TO PUBLIC
OYSTER GROUNDS. THERE ARE PUBLIC OYSTER GROUNDS
IN THIS RIVER. I CAN GO AND PUT MY SPAT ON THE
SHELL ON PUBLIC GROUNDS BUT I WOULD NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO
EXCLUDE YOU FROM COMING IN AND TAKING THOSE OYSTERS.
SO, IT IS BETTER, IN MY OPINION, THATU HAVE AN OYSTER LEASE
IF YOU DON'T. I HAVE BEEN A MASTER OYSTER
GARTNER FOR 10, 12, 15 YEARS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I LIKE THEM. I HAVE BEEN GROWING THEM HERE
FOR A WHILE. WE USE IT JUST FOR PERSONAL
CONSUMPTION. I AM GOING TO GO PULL OFF A
COUPLE OF THEM. I WILL TRY TO GET AN OYSTER THAT
IS KIND OF FILTHY SO YOU CAN SEE.
THOSE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE FOR WHEN I GO ROCK FISHING.
LEAST TWO OF THEM -- BUT YOU HOW THE DIRT GETS
ON HERE? AND YOU CAN ALSO SEE SOME OF IT
WHERE IT IS PRETTY CLEAN. BUT THE SPAT ON THE SHELL, THE
WHOLE SHELL IS CLEAN. THAT IS THE ADVANTAGE OF THE
SPAT ON THE SHELL. YOU GET A BETTER SET.
SHELL --PARTICULAR --, HERE IS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
OH, SHOOT. LET ME START OVER.
>> 7, 8,4 THOMAS 5, 6 12 --THERE ARE 12
OYSTERS ON THIS ONE SHELL. SHELLSS IS ONE OF THE
THAT CAME FROM MY TANK. NOT 14, BUT 12.
YOU CAN SEE HOW THEY ARE CLUMPED.
HOW THEY ARE RAISED. REMEMBER WHEN I TOLD YOU THE
SIZE OF PEPPER IN A SALT AND PEPPER SHAKER?
NOW THIS IS HOW BIG THEY ARE. NOVEMBER, AND WE PUT
THEM IN IN LATE JULY AND EARLY AUGUST.
SO, THEY HAVE GROWN HALF A FINGER IN THAT SHORT PERIOD OF
TIME. THERE IS AN EXPERIMENT A LOT OF
PEOPLE DO. THEY WILL TAKE -- I WOULD HAVE
DONE IT FOR YOU BUT THE WATER IS PRETTY CLEAR IN THE WINTERTIME.
ISTHE SUMMERTIME, THE ALGAE IN THE WATER AND YOU CAN TAKE
AND GET A GALLON OF WATER THAT IS PRETTY DIRTY, MONKEY -- MUCKY
, AND YOU CAN PUT FIVE OR SIX OYSTERS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE
GALLON AND COME BACK AN HOUR LATER AND THAT WATER IS JUST AS
CLEAN AS POSSIBLE. THEY JUST FILTER IT.
IS A LONG TIME AGO, THERE WERE ENOUGH OYSTERS IN THE
DAY THAT IT FILTERED THE BAY WITHIN A DAY.
IT FILTERED ALL THE WATER WITHIN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY IN ONE DAY.
NOW IT TAKES A YEAR. 65TH OF THE OYSTERS AS IN
THE 1600S. WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IN THE
SMALL WAY IS CLEAN WATER, GET OYSTERS THAT ARE GOOD, GOOD FOR
PEOPLE, GOOD FOR THE BAY. AND I AM AN OLD MAN, AND I NEED
MY EXERCISE. [LAUGHTER]
>> OUR THANKS TO JAMES OVERTON AND A VISION FILMS.
THAT DOES IT FOR OUR SHOW. THANKS FOR WATCHING AND HAVE A
GREAT WEEK. I'M AMY ROSCHER FOR "VIRGINIA
FARMING." >> THIS PROGRAM IS BROUGHT TO
YOU BY THE VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU. FROM APPLES TO ZUCCHINI,
VIRGINIA FARMERS WORK HARD TO PUT FOOD ON YOUR TABLE AND THE
FARM BUREAU WORKS YEAR-ROUND TO HELP FARMERS AND ALL VIRGINIANS.
FARMING, IT'S ALL GOOD. >> BROUGHT TO YOU BY FARM
FAMILY. LIFE, AUTO, BUSINESS, FARM.
NANCY ASHER -- STABLE OWNER, VISIONARY, AGENT OF CHANGE.
ANOTHER PERSONAL STORY ON FARMFAMILYPEOPLE.COM.
FARM FAMILY, THE PEOPLE YOU KNOW.
¶ [CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY
WVPT]
CAPTIONED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE
--WWW.NCICAP.ORG--