Just an hour and a half north of San Francisco is the Hog Island Oyster Company, the 125-acre farm that has grown and sold over three million oysters a year since 1984. Picture the scene: a dozen oysters lying on a bed of ice. A splash of lemon or hot sauce and they are ready to enjoy. With one or two chews, the flavors explode: saltiness first, then melon, and cucumber. "Our job is to interphase natural with man-made product for the best oyster experience," says Terry Sawyer, co-founder of the Hog Island Oyster Company in Marshall, CA.

Hate them or love them, oysters are fascinating creatures. Before you can enjoy these succulent shellfish, professionals meticulously culture them. While there is only one type of natural oyster (i.e. that grows on its own, the Olympia), ninety-five percent of all oysters are farmed.

So how does it work exactly? After the farmers receive their seed from a hatchery, the replanted young oysters are put in bags and back in the water to mature. Oysters are filter feeders, feeding themselves from plankton and other particles in the water. They usually reach maturity within a year but some oysters may take up to three years before being harvested, depending on the species. Contrary to most farms, the Hog Island farm uses a wet storage system. Once harvested, the oysters are placed in a holding area: a basin of sterilized water that prevents bacteria. "You put them back in the water to relax [and] get some drinks," says Sawyer.

The Hog Island Oyster Company cultivates three types of oysters that have different shapes, sizes, and tastes. The Pacific Sweetwater oyster (Hog Island's signature oyster) is a fast growing oyster that can be harvested after a year, but can also grow as big as a foot if allowed. Atlantic and Kumamoto oysters, however, are smaller and can take up to three years to reach market size.

Recently, the culture and consumption of oysters have given rise to environmental and health issues. With an average of fifteen deaths a year from eating raw oysters in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration is looking at a ban on raw oysters starting in 2011. "It's frustrating," Sawyer says, because "basically, it's consumer scare." Untreated oysters from the Gulf Coast cause most infections, and Hog Island uses seeds from the West Coast. "Food safety is an absolute must," says Sawyer, who thinks the public should be more aware of the dangers and be able to recognize if an oyster is bad. One way to do that is to check if it is dried out or smells fishy. But the number one rule when eating raw oysters is that they must be alive before consumption. The oyster's shell must be able to close itself tightly.

One of the myths associated with eating oysters is that they should only be eaten in months ending in "-er" (i.e. September through December). But in reality, different types of oysters can be cultured at different times of the year, and with better means of transportation, they are enjoyable year round.

Finally, whether you choose Hog Island, Tomales Bay, or Drake Bay oysters, make sure to enjoy them within three to five days of harvest for the freshest taste. "We receive oysters [from the farm] everyday," says Bob Steffes, manager of the Hog Island oyster bar in San Francisco's Ferry building. "I don't think you can get oysters fresher than here." [X]