Dr. Bill Walton, founding Oyster South board member, delivered the Cherokee Garden Library’s Ashley Wright McIntyre Lecture at the Atlanta History Center, tracing the rise of off-bottom oyster farming in the South and Oyster South’s origins. He urged support for growers, Sea Grant programs, and the region’s expanding shellfish aquaculture.

A Florida oyster farmer spending two months in Washington discovers a whole new language, culture, and way of growing shellfish. From icy tides to beach culture, branding, predators, and history, this sharp, funny reflection explores how place shapes oysters—and what Washington’s industry can teach the South about growth, resilience, and community.

At the 2025 Oyster South Symposium, we introduced our first Oyster South Awards, honoring farmers, chefs, and environmental stewards whose work strengthens Southern oyster aquaculture. This year’s winners—Steve and Dema Crockett, Chef Adam Evans, and Shell to Shore—embody the mission to support growers, protect coastal ecosystems, and celebrate Southern oysters.

Chef Bobby Matos’s journey from California to New York and finally Houston shaped his deep appreciation for Southern oysters. At State of Grace, he champions Gulf seafood, celebrates the diversity of farmed oysters, and promotes aquaculture as a sustainable path forward—sharing their beauty, flavor, and stories with every guest.