Moon Shoal Oysters from Barnstable, MA

  Farmer:  Jon Martin Location: Barnstable, MA, CCB31MA Size:  3" How they’re grown: Seed begins its journey in a custom-made upweller system constructed from PVC pipe and window screen.  The oysters continue to a rack and bag system until they reach about 2 inches, and then they’re placed in trays made from lobster cages.   The oysters live in open trays on a sandbar, with plenty of room to be tumbled and grow hardy, rounded shells.  Jon and his crew give them a healthy amount of daily TLC, and they hand-harvest directly from the trays. How they taste: The infusion of freshwater minimizes the salinity in these oysters while lending a smooth, dairy sweetness.  Think milk-soaked Ritz cracker flavor; sweet and buttery.   Why they’re unique: Jon’s lease in Barnstable Harbor is about a mile offshore and can only be accessed by boat at low tide.  It’s tucked behind Sandy Neck Beach, a barrier beach that protects the farm from the Atlantic Ocean.  The combination of the twice-daily 10-foot t