Editor, Gazette-Journal:

I am writing from my desk at Sutherland Middle School in Albemarle County, Virginia, to let you know how wonderful Gloucester’s Virginia Half-Shell Oyster Tasting on Saturday was. My husband and I attended the event, which was organized by the Tidewater Oyster Gardeners Association (TOGA). Participants included half a dozen local oyster growers, Kelsick Specialty Market, Virginia Tech, the Department of Agriculture, the Water Harvest and Virginia Marine Products Board, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and Master Oyster Gardeners.

The purpose of the event was to present all kinds of information about one of the most important aquaculture products in coastal Virginia. We learned how to grow oysters, how to shuck them, and how to taste them. Kudos to Gloucester, Virginia, for hosting such a great public service event!

Everyone we spoke with, including visitors, growers, and volunteers, agreed with us that the afternoon was a great success. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation must have collected a dozen bushels of oyster shell that they will use to help rebuild oyster reefs. I can’t wait for the second annual Oyster Tasting event—we will definitely plan to attend!

Beth and Nick Evans

Albemarle County, Va.