Blog Archives - Chincoteague Bay Field Station

Producer Profile: Big Otter Farm #servinguptheshore

6/28/2016

Meet Wally and Dao Qun, owners and operators of Locustsville's Big Otter Farm which will be providing produce for the Serving up the Shore dinner on August 19.

Contrary to its name, Big Otter is a small garden farm that lies on half an acre. In addition to growing both western and Chinese vegetables, Wally and Dao Qun also make homemade Chinese dishes such as dumplings and spring rolls that they sell at the Onancock farmer's market.

For more about Big Otter Farm, you can listen to Wally and Dao Qun in the video above. Be sure to visit our Serving up the Shore webpage, and stay updated with the Facebook event page.

Producer Profile: Perennial Roots #servinguptheshore

6/24/2016

Meet Stewart and Natalie, owners and operators of Perennial Roots Farm in Accomac. They will be providing produce and meats for Serving up the Shore dinner on August 19.

Perennial Roots is a biodynamic farm, which means it uses interconnected methods to get the most of the land. For example: they ferment weeds and use the mixture to add nutrients back into the soil. "Certain weeds are really good at unlocking nutrients that you'd never imagine were there," said Stewart. "So if you take them, ferment them into a tea, and spray that out, all of that is available to the plants."

Stewart and Natalie have chose species specifically because they grow well on the Eastern Shore, and their pork, berries, and heirloom veggies are bound to make superb ingredients for the Serving up the Shore chefs.

For more about Perennial Roots, you can listen to Stewart and Natalie in the video above or visit the Perennial Roots website. Be sure to visit our Serving up the Shore webpage, and stay updated with the Facebook event page.

Four Blue Crab Facts with the Sea Squirt Campers

6/20/2016

It's the first day of summer, and the first day of the Sea Squirts day camp where kids ages 5-8 participate in games, crafts, activities and field trips based on a different theme each day. Today's theme was invertebrates -- or animals without a spine. What better way to learn about this group of animals than by going to Wallops Island to capture the Eastern Shore's favorite invertebrate, the blue crab?

Blue crabs are fascinating animals with tons of cool adaptations. Here are four things the Sea Squirts learned about blue crabs today.

1. Male and female crabs have different markings on their abdomens.

Male blue crabs are a tasty snack for many humans, so knowing how to tell the difference between a male and female crab is a handy trick. Male crabs, or "Jimmies," have a Washington Monument shape on their underside, while Female crabs, or "she-crabs," have a capitol building shape instead. For every crab the Sea Squirts caught, they checked the abdomens to tell which was which.

2. Blue crabs can swim through the water.

Although they prefer to live on the seabed, blue crabs are one of the few types of crabs that can swim. Their back legs -- which look like flippers -- are called swimmerets, and they let the crabs move through the water with ease. Sea Squirts looked on as the camp counselors held the crabs by the joints on their swimmerets to avoid a pinch from the crabs' nasty claws. However, you can also hold a blue crab by its claws as well. Just be careful because…

3. Blue crabs can lose their claws.

Humans aren't the only animal that enjoys feasting on a blue crab. Many types of predators find them tasty. One adaptation blue crabs have is being able to lose their claws in a pinch so that they can swim away from whatever is trying to eat them. One of the Sea Squirts actually caught a crab that had lost its claw. Believe it or not, these claws can grow back! And it happens because…

4. Blue crabs molt.

Crabs have hard exoskeletons. As the crabs grow bigger, they have to shed their exoskeleton about once a month so that they can continue to fit inside it. This process is called molting. When this happens, the crab slowly regrows its missing limbs. The Sea Squirts found a "dirty" blue crab, which had algae growing on its exoskeleton. This means that it had been a while since it had molted, and it probably would do so soon!

For more information about the Sea Squirts day camp or any of CBFS's other camps, you can visit the camp page of our website. Keep a lookout on our Flickr or Instagram for new photos of camps throughout the summer!

This Farm to Table Dinner Will Make Your Mouth Water

6/17/2016

Johnny Harrison of Terrapin Farms shows chef Laura Davis of Tide and Thyme some ingredient options for her salad course.

From onions to oysters, and from clams to coffee, Eastern Shore farmers, growers, and roasters provide a variety of delicious goods to please the palette. On August 19, chefs and farmers will come together in the second annual Serving Up the Shore, a farm to table dinner presented by Chincoteague Bay Field Station that showcases one of the best parts about living on the Eastern Shore--the food.

The local food movement has grown in popularity in recent years, and for good reason. It not only supports the local economy, but food also spends less time travelling and is therefore fresher. Serving Up the Shore celebrates these locally-grown and produced ingredients by putting them in the hands of popular chefs from around the Eastern Shore.

Chefs include Laura Davis of the popular Tide and Thyme blog, Bill Wainwright of 45th Street Taphouse in Ocean City, Desmond Edwards of the Jackspot in Chincoteague, and Rosie Moot of Pico Taqueria in Chincoteague.

"Local foods are my passion," said Edwards. "Supporting local farms and just trying to focus on community I feel is the vision behind this dinner, and I'm very excited to be part of it."

As the chef in charge of the main course, Edwards plans on making pan-seared rockfish, with tomatoes, potato soubise, chicken pate, nasturtiums, and clam broth with clams from Chincoteague's Ballard Fish and Oyster Co.

Other featured ingredients for the meal include coffee from Eastville's Eastern Shore Coastal Roasters, microgreens from Terrapin Farms in Berlin, and fresh vegetables from Perennial Roots Farm in Accomac, Va, among others.

All proceeds from the event go toward environmental education programs for local students. Tickets for the farm to table experience are on sale now for $75. You can get your "locavore" on by visiting the Serving Up the Shore webpage, or its Facebook event page. Stay tuned for dish announcements and profiles of the farms and chefs.

Meet the 2016 Sea S.T.A.R. Interns

6/16/2016

The Sea S.T.A.R. Interns arrived this week at the Field Station and are roaring to get the summer going! Sea S.T.A.R. stands for Students Teaching and Researching. All of the students are approaching their senior year in high school looking to get more involved with nature this summer! With many camps and intergenerational programs on the horizon, the interns are spending this week preparing lessons, songs, and activities. During their internship, the Sea S.T.A.Rs also take on their own unique research project which they will present on during their end of the summer celebration, volunteer with various places on the island, and get a small taste of college as they attend a current college course at the Field Station.

Esha Chaudhuri

Hello! My name is Esha and I currently live in Washington DC, though I have lived in several places and don't really consider any single place my home. Since freshman year my favorite activity has been rowing for my school.

I've envisioned myself having many careers, especially when I was younger, and I have only become more indecisive as I have grown up. However, I know I do not want to sit at a desk for the entirety of the rest of my life-- I want to work outside, or travel, etc, and I want to be useful in an active way.

My favorite quote is from my brother's hero, Derek Jeter--"There may be people who have more talent than you, but there's no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do." My brother is two years older than me, and we are close, especially because we moved frequently during our lives. He is largely the reason I became and have remained a bit of a tomboy. I am looking forward to spending my summer in the beautiful Chincoteague salt marshes and Assateague beaches, and I am excited to conduct a research project!

Catherine Schlenker

Hi! My name is Catherine and I'm from Maryland. I love playing field hockey and soccer. Besides playing sports, I
love to read and spend time with my family and friends. I'm interested in having a career in environmental or marine science. I'm also interested in having a career where I get to work with animals. My favorite quote is from Amy Poehler, "No one looks stupid when they're having fun." A fun fact about me is that I have an odd combination of pets-- a cat and a turtle, both of which I enjoy playing with. I'm really looking forward to this summer, and learning a bunch of new things and meeting great new people! I'm excited to spend a lot of time outside, exploring new places and ideas!

Maggie Matthews

My name is Maggie Matthews and I am a junior from Charlottesville, Virginia. In my free time I love to play soccer, paint, and spend time with my friends and family. I plan on having a career focused on science, however, I am not sure what I actually want to do yet. Currently I am leaning towards an environmental science or medical field. My favorite quote is "Just living is not enough... one must have sunshine, freedom, and flowers." I am left handed and have lived in the same spot my entire life. I don't know how to do a handstand but learning is one of my major goals. This summer I am excited to meet new people and have fun while learning all about the environment and helping others do the same.

Gabrielle Jones

My name is Gabrielle, I'm 17 years old and I'm from Knoxville, Tennessee. I have a big, crazy family of 3 older brothers, 3 older sisters, 2 younger nephews, and 1 younger niece. My favorite hobby is crocheting, and I love obstacle course racing. I want to work with animals as a career, and I want to be a veterinarian. One of my favorite quotes is I am only one. But still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do. by Edward Everett Hale. A fun fact about me is that I'm vegetarian and home-schooled. What I'm most looking forward to this summer is doing research, meeting like-minded people, and learning how to share my knowledge with others.

Taylor Benetz

My name is Taylor. I will be seventeen the end of this upcoming May. I am from Quakertown, Pennsylvania. I live in a household with my mother, stepdad, and grandmother; my brother (age 21) has already moved out and my sister (age 20) is attending her Sophomore year at Penn State University, Main campus. My favorite things to do include working with animals of all kinds, spending time on boats, fishing, crabbing, also spending time outdoors camping and just about anything else having to do with water and nature. I wish to pursue a career with marine animals; whether rescuing, protecting or researching. My dream job is simply to spend time with marine animals. I am very excited for this summer to see and work with the marine life and learn everything I can about the beautiful and intriguing creatures that live beneath the surface. A favorite quote of mine is one said by the famous explorer, Christopher Columbus, "You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore" An important saying to me because a big part of growing up is to make choices and accept change, one cannot do this without taking risks and jumping with both feet in sometimes. I was slightly reluctant about this internship because of the risks that follow of possibly not enjoying it and losing my summer. I can sometimes get over-concerned about change and risks such as this one but I have faith that I will be able to gain so much from this experience and I am jumping with both feet in!

Alice Stitzer

Hello! My name is Alice, and I'm a rising senior at James River High School in Richmond, Virginia. When I'm not rowing with my school's crew team, I'm probably surfing and staying in my family's beach house in Manteo, NC. I also really enjoy hiking and spending time outdoors reading. One of my favorite books is East of Eden by John Steinbeck. I knew that I wanted to be involved in an environmental field from a young age since I grew up hearing a lot about the environment from my dad who used to work for the VA Department of Environmental Quality. I find all animals and their ecosystems incredibly interesting, and I would love to work in a zoological field in the future. There are a handful of quotes I find interesting, but one of my favorites is, "Be like the flower who even gives its fragrance to the hand that crushes it." -Imam Ali. Something interesting about me is that I've played the cello for almost 7 years. I'm looking forward to getting to know my fellow Sea STAR interns, and especially exploring and learning about the ecosystem with a hands-on approach! I can't wait to learn more about the marine habitats and animals of the Eastern Shore!

Rucha Wani

Hi my name is Rucha and I’m from Pennsylvania. I turn 17 this September and I have a younger sister that’s in 8th grade right now. I am originally from Pennsylvania but I did live in India for a few years. My favorite hobbies are reading and sketching. I love soccer, but I stopped playing a long time ago. My dream job is to combine marine life research with biochemistry. My favorite quote is from the book Paper Towns by John Green, “What is the point of being alive if you don’t at least try to do something remarkable?”. I usually have dance/jam out sessions with my family or all by myself to my favorite music! I am really looking forward to doing my own research project and meeting a ton of new people this summer.

Sabrina Adleson

Hey, my name is Sabrina and I am currently sixteen years old (turning seventeen in May). I was born and have lived in Fairfax, Virginia my whole life alongside my one brother who is five years older than me. I love animals and have always had pets; over my life time I have had: a cat, two dogs, two frogs, two birds, ten fish, and two hamsters. At the moment I have the two birds and only one dog, but I’m glad to have provided all of them with a good home and happy lives. My favorite hobby is photography and favorite sport is tae kwon do. I am a black belt and teach at my tae kwon do school along with competing on a national level. I love music, it has always been a part of my life. I play guitar (all genres), cello, and I sing. My favorite quote is “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul” from the poem Invictus by William Earnest Henley. My dream job is wildlife photography along with education and conservation (hopefully I will find a job with all three). I am super excited to be spending my summer outdoors with people who are enthusiastic about science like I am.

Nature Photography Day!

6/15/2016

Today, June 15th, is the eleventh Nature Photography Day. In order to celebrate, let's take a look at some of the best nature photographs that CBFS has snapped so far this summer.

You can find more photography at our Flickr page!

A Family Conversation

6/14/2016

See more photos from this trip on our Flickr!

Earlier this month, the CBFS Marketing Interns accompanied a homeschooling group during their 3-day experience at the Field Station. In addition to taking pictures, they talked to mother and son Bette and Dominic about their experience.

Intern: What have you done since you've been at the station?
Dominic: We went to the lab first!
Bette: That's right, we had boat training. Thursday we went on the boat in the morning, and in the afternoon we did Intertidal.
Intern: And then you had your Organism Lab and then Dunes, right?
Bette: That's right.
Dominic: Yep!
Intern: What were your favorite parts?
Dominic: Trawling. Trawling on the boat.
Bette: I liked the lab time and the organism lab, and learning to identify everything.
Intern: What was the coolest thing you caught while trawling?
Dominic: A squid. It felt squishy.
Intern: What did you identify in the organism lab?
Bette: We ended up with two sea lettuces at first, which weren't that exciting, but we had some worms that followed and we weren't able to identify them because they were so small!
Intern: How did you find out about the Field Station and this program?
Bette: Probably from a homeschool email group? I've been here before. This is my second time. I came with my oldest son several years back.
Intern: Oh! Well then why do you like coming here?
Bette: The hands on learning. It's priceless.
Intern: Is there something that happened that you didn't expect?
Dominic: Catching a glowing jelly!
Bette: Yeah, it was bioluminescent.
Intern: Oh, you guys caught a ctenophore? That's awesome!

Want to learn more about our homeschool programs or other family programs? Check out our website for more information.

Mapping the Shore

6/7/2016

Dr. Hu of East Stroudsburg University is teaching Geographic Information Systems (GIS) during session one here at the Field Station. His students participated in the course online for the first two weeks and had the opportunity to visit the Field Station for some hands on experience for the third week of the session.

Taylor, a senior, reflects on the course: "During our GIS course we learned and experimented with different surveying techniques. We learned how to use different surveying equipment like the total station mirror prism, the spinning spectrum, and different GPS units. Our class went to Greenbackville to use these methods to survey the land. We took our collected field data back to our laboratory and used it to make a map of the area. In the photo we are assembling the spinning spectrum to begin our data collection."

Memorial Day Family Camp 2016 Recap

6/3/2016

The 2016 Memorial Day Family Camp had a sampling of different sights and sounds from across the Eastern Shore. Saturday morning the families went Kayaking and Hiking in Pocomoke State Park, a Bald Cypress swamp. The trip was mosquito-free, as the Cypress trees release tannins in the water, which prevents mosquito larva from forming.

In the afternoon, the families either trawled in Mosquito Creek or caught organisms with seine nets and sieve boxes in Little Toms Cove. They saw polychaete worms, fiddler crabs, and tons of periwinkle snails.

Saturday ended with a Chesapeake Bay Boil--a feast of blue crab, shrimp, corn and potatoes.

The families spent Sunday on Wallops Island crabbing, exploring the marsh, and shelling on the beach. That evening, they joined the CBFS staff for a cookout.

You can find photos from this weekend at our Flickr page.

Don't forget that we have a week-long camp in August, Labor Day Family Camp in September and many half-day family programs throughout the summer. You can learn more about our family programs at our Family Program page.