The Southern Maryland Oyster Guide is produced by the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC), a division of the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland.
Waterways define the Southern Maryland region where the Potomac and the Patuxent Rivers, along with their smaller tributaries, meet the Chesapeake Bay. From these waters comes the iconic eastern oyster, Crassostrea Virginica. The Southern Maryland Oyster Guide celebrates this delectable bivalve and the burgeoning aquaculture community that grows them. Connect with an industry that is an essential part of Southern Maryland culture and experience oysters fresh from our waters and straight from our farmers.
Southern Maryland Oyster Guide farmers work to not only produce fresh oysters but also to ensure that the oyster population remains healthy and sustainable. Follow the guide and learn how they bring these magnificent mollusks from water to table. It’s a unique opportunity to connect with what you eat and to experience the process, the region’s history, and the lives of the people who continue the noble tradition of the waterman.
The Oyster Guide builds on the foundation of the Southern Maryland Oyster Trail, which SMADC adopted in 2018. The new expanded website Guide promotes oyster aquaculture farmers and wild harvest watermen region-wide, and provides information on where to find, eat and savor Southern Maryland raised and harvested oysters. Also featured are experiential tours, museums, events, attractions and resources for the general public to explore the oyster’s unique and enduring cultural and maritime heritage.
SMADC exists to provide vision, support, marketing and promotion to regional farmers of the land and water. As new farm economies are being formed, SMADC helps to streamline regulations and reduce obstacles. We assist farmers in creating a profitable farming future and inform the public on the importance of local farms to our overall economy. To achieve that goal, SMADC helps connect local farmers with their consumers and strives to protect area farmland through local land preservation efforts.
The Southern Maryland Oyster Guide is made possible in part by a Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund Grant (RMPIF) awarded to SMADC, a division of the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland.
