Picture a crisp fall morning as the sun starts to rise over Charlestown’s Ninigret Pond. The morning starts with a spectacular golden sunrise, glassy water, and herons flying low in search of breakfast. For Matt Behan, owner and operator of Behan Family Farms, this is the start of another workday on the water. He pulls on his fishing boots, grabs his energy drink, and heads down the dock onto his barge. From there, he sets out to his 15-acre oyster farm, where he will spend the morning harvesting oysters.
Born and raised in Ashaway, Behan grew up spending time on boats, fishing recreationally with his family, and as a teenager working for oyster farmer Jeff Gardner with his cousin and best friend. It was a natural progression for him to attend the University of Rhode Island, where he earned his degree in aquaculture, and it was there that a lecture on oyster farming confirmed his interest. In 2010, Behan Family Farms was founded, and their oysters have offered a salty taste of the Ocean State to palates near and far ever since. True to the company name, its founder shares his passion for aquaculture with his wife Katie, who operates Westerly-based Blue Rocks Catering and Events, and their two children, who join him on the water.
The Behans grow two oyster varieties: their renowned Ninigret Nectars and Whiskey Scholls. It’s easy to hear the pride in Behan’s voice when he talks about the farm and his oysters. His dedication to the craft is
evident in the care he puts into his work, and the product he serves to his community. “My favorite part of my work is getting to spend my days surrounded by nature,” Behan says. “While the long, challenging winters can be tough, they are still worth it for the chance to work outdoors.”
When the RI Seafood team joined Behan for a day on the water, he graciously took a cold plunge; as he lifted the cages off the pond floor, crabs scurried away in search of shelter while birds waded into the water nearby. “Each oyster has its own flavor profile influenced by the characteristics of the water they filter in Ninigret Pond,” he described. The complex flavors come from the pond’s influx of ocean saltwater from the breachway during the tide cycles, the minerals in the pond, and the freshwater input from the springs that feed into the salt ponds. “This water profile creates a smooth and buttery umami flavor in [my] oysters,” says Behan.
“Fall plus oysters equals perfection,” says Behan. He explains that as winter approaches, oysters are hard at work storing up glycogen – their natural energy reserve – to sustain them for the cold months ahead, which he likens to their version of hibernation. “Glycogen equals sweetness. That’s why fall oysters are at their peak flavor – plump, briny, and naturally sweet, with a rich, clean finish that only this season can produce. Nature does the work; we just get to enjoy it.” Learn more at NinigretNectars.com
If you are wondering where to find fresh, local seafood year-round, the RI Seafood Finder makes it easy. Search for more than 170 partner seafood markets, restaurants, and direct sellers across the Ocean State — and look for the RI Seafood logo wherever you shop or dine to ensure your seafood is truly local. Learn more at Seafood.RI.gov and follow on Facebook and Instagram at @RISeafood and @RI.Seafood.
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