Earlier this June, we welcomed a group of young women from the Pathfinders Reentry Focused Outdoor Project to our oyster farm in Yarmouth, Maine. The program supports youth reentering the community from Long Creek Youth Development Center. For a few hours, our floating farm on Casco Bay became a place of conversation, curiosity, and calm.
For two of the young women, it was their first time tasting an oyster. For all of us, it was a reminder of what the working waterfront can offer beyond seafood.
What We Talked About on the Water
We spent the day talking about life on the water. We covered how to earn a U.S. Coast Guard captain’s license without attending a marine academy. We talked about aquaculture as a career path — one that is growing, sustainable, and open to people without traditional backgrounds in fishing or marine science.
By the end of the trip, the group was asking questions about our gear, our oyster growth cycles, and what it takes to run a tour business. Those are exactly the kinds of conversations we hope to have on every oyster farm tour in Yarmouth, Maine.
About the Pathfinders Project
The Pathfinders program is led by Christopher Poulos of the Center for Justice and Human Dignity. It uses outdoor experiences to support healing and reentry for youth in the justice system. It is a collaboration between the Maine Department of Corrections, the Center for Justice and Human Dignity, and local partners.
We are grateful to have been part of it. Days like this remind us why we do what we do.
Want to Visit the Farm?
We offer private oyster farm tours in Yarmouth, Maine from May through September. Every tour is hands-on, educational, and includes a tasting of Nauti Sisters oysters fresh from Casco Bay.