Oyster Farming on Maryland’s Eastern Shore Fuels Member’s Passion
By Matthew Teffeau, Manager Government
Affairs and Economic Development
Dan Worrell, founder and operator of Fallen Pine Oyster Farm, took a leap of faith right before the Covid-19 outbreak to start an oyster catering company, Shell and Barrell. Worell’s passion started when he worked for the Oyster Recovery Partnership as a shell recovery technician, and as a nationally ranked competitive oyster shucker after college. “Being on the water, in intense environmental conditions, and producing a high-quality product can be overwhelming much of the time. However, improving overall water quality, highlighting the importance of this growing industry, and working the water like my great grandparents is well worth it,” says Worell. During 2021, he changed gears from catering to farming, when he found a gemstone of an existing oyster lease located in a remote area of Worcester County. Worell’s oyster farm sits on the north shore of Brockatonorton Bay, which is a stone’s throw away from Chincoteague Bay.
Requiring the use of single-phase and reliable power for his on-site refrigeration and oyster tumblers, Choptank Electric Cooperative was there to take the call. On a hot and humid August day in 2022, Worell was to receive a full truck load of 4’ by 6’ floating oyster cages that look like upside down pontoon boats. Employing a small army of friends and family that day, he could not believe what transpired as a fuse box blew due to the harsh salty marsh environment. Within minutes, an outage was reported to Choptank and a crew was dispatched to his location. “If I were to pick one day I could not have a repair vehicle blocking our road, it was that specific day,” Worell recalls. Deciding to break for lunch, Worell and his flotilla of large trucks returned to find that Choptank Electric’s crew had completed the repair and restored power. “Not only was I relieved, but I have rarely been as impressed with the cooperation, and customer service that CEC provided.”
Keeping the lights on and operating a small business like Fallen Pine Oyster Farm in a remote area is a 24/7 undertaking. Worell, like many, is driven to succeed in his endeavor to grow the oyster farming industry and build future infrastructure to help it grow. Maintaining the increase in demand for his oysters is his biggest challenge right now. The typical market-size oyster takes over two growing seasons (May to November) to achieve. “Growing oysters is a labor-intensive job, and nature doesn’t always cooperate with market demands,” Worell explains. “We must cultivate and check on the oysters daily before they are ready to go to market. Not having reliable sources of energy would make the job impossible.”
Worell’s oysters, Salt Buoys and Wild Ass Ponies, come with a distinctive oceanic taste being so close to the Chincoteague Bay and Atlantic Ocean. He has labeled them as Maryland’s saltiest oysters due to the elevated salinity levels from evaporation in the coastal bay. Bringing fresh products to local markets has been a long-standing tradition on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. If you would like to learn more about Worell’s operation, please visit > www.fallenpineoyster.com
