Anderson's Neck Oyster Company

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With clear cutting and development posing a real threat to the natural beauty of Anderson's Neck, the Hild family purchased Anderson's Neck on April 10th, 2010. Avid wildlife enthusiasts, the Hilds have preserved the historic property and are using sustainable management practices for both the land and their oyster farm, “Saving the Bay One Oyster at a Time.” Revitalization of the upper York River’s famous oyster beds is now officially underway, and 10% of all profits at Anderson’s Neck Oyster Company are donated to protecting and rehabilitating the land and bay.

The York River is an estuarine finger of the Chesapeake Bay, allowing the native east coast oysters access to minerals and nutrients of their natural habitat. Baby oyster seed arrive early each spring, and are placed in solar-powered upwellers which pump water over the oysters. Once it is big enough, each oyster is hand-planted in floating cages, raised above the silt, to live and grow. The oysters are not placed directly on the riverbed because the substrate they would normally attach to has been removed after decades of development in the area, and they would suffocate due to the remaining loose soil. Anderson’s Oyster Company also offers a line of hand-crafted ales to perfectly complement their oysters.