This morning we sold about 9,000 oysters, which was fine: toasty warm shop, where we pack our orders. But then we had to go clear the farm of ice. Just over 2 acres. We brought two boats out and started breaking. It took about three hours to clear the ice out. We have to keep the farm clear so that we can work it, and more importantly so we can sell. If we can't sell then we're in trouble and so to avoid this we spend everyday breaking ice, seven days a week until the weather warms. The ice breaking tools on the hulls and engines, and the frosty temperatures keeps our bodies nice and cold.
The one good thing about frozen weather is that the farms to our north get really socked in, to the point of having to shut down. And when these farms shut down, somehow our orders go up--supply and demand
And so we break and we bitch about it, but the winter sales for us are the biggest of the year, our bread and butter............................................ .But,
It's hard fighting mother nature, she's got a way of doing things.