On the edge of world-famous wine and dairy country sits Sonoma’s gateway to the Pacific Ocean, Bodega and Tomales Bays. It’s easy to see the allure of northern California with plenty of room to roam, long sloping mountains, and green hillsides that come down to the water’s edge like a sleeping giant. At a whopping 15 miles long and almost 1 mile wide, Tomales Bay serves as home to a rare breed - the west coast oyster farmer.

Family owned and operated, the Bodega Bay Oyster Co. has brought sustainably farmed shellfish to the Bay Area since 1985. With a strong sense of pride for maintaining active stewardship of the marine environment, the Strain family farms 92 acres of pristine, plankton rich waters in both Tomales and Bodega Bays.

Martin Strain’s ancestors arrived in West Marin from Ireland in the 1850’s and began farming dairy and potatoes on a ranch famously known to straddle the San Andreas Fault. Local lore has it that their cattle fence shifted over 8 feet during an earthquake in 1906. Martin started the business over 30 years ago with a dream to work among the great outdoors and has maintained standing as an active member of the maritime community while recruiting his children, Whittaker and Lindsey, to help steer the ship.

We visited Whitt at their tasting room and oyster bar located on Valley Ford Road in rural Petaluma. Open to the public and 15 minutes from the coast, the Strain’s store, clean, and serve their fresh oysters here (along with a mighty fine oatmeal stout). They pour local wines, have picnic tables available with views fit for a painting, and welcome visitors from near and far with a warm and humble hospitality rarely found.

Behind the scenes, the Strains work tirelessly to comply with ever-changing local regulations, source high quality seed, maintain 92 acres worth of gear, and must plan multiple harvests per week around the tides.

What makes Sonoma County so unique is a vast diversity within the agricultural landscape and a balance between land and sea that’s rarely seen in a single geographical region. You’ve got world-class dairy product, fruits and vegetables that are consumed all over the United States, some of the finest wine on earth, and incredible oysters right at your doorstep.

“Sonoma County is such a great spot for this. We have local ingredients coming in from all over the county. It really provides a great mix of stuff coming in from the ocean mixed with ingredients harvested off the land. It’s all about that balance.”

— Whittaker Strain

We began to wind down our afternoon with Whitt and couldn’t help, but explore the area further. We took a ride over winding farm roads, got up close and personal with the largest cattle we’d ever seen, and followed a river through a small valley until we found the bay. There wasn’t a soul in sight when we found a small path lined with oyster shells - we knew we found the spot. As we walked towards the water’s edge, our jaws dropped as the vast expanse of Tomales Bay and Point Reyes National Seashore were revealed. We greeted a local kayaker ending his paddle and turned to leave as the cool Pacific Ocean pushed a layer of thick fog over the mountains. Leaving Sonoma, we couldn’t help but think about the west coast oyster experience and our newfound appreciation for life along this coast and a special balance that exists here between land and sea.

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A warm thank you goes out to both Lindsey and Whitt for helping to organize the visit and an unforgettable day in Sonoma County. We can’t wait to come back.

If you’re ever in the Bay Area and up for an adventure, consider making your way north to the Bodega Bay Oyster Co. and tell the crew we say hi. Feel free to get in touch and ask about their oysters!

707-876-3010 or info@bodegabayoyster.com