MEET OUR FARMERS

ANDREW CUMMINGS

While most shellfishermen tend to think of themselves as farmers, Andrew Cummings views himself a little bit differently.He named his business the Wash-A-Shore Oyster Ranch. This figures, because Andrew is something of a maverick.

Fifteen years ago, he was starting law school in Boston. Today, he makes his living entirely from the sea, working extra long days in summer and reading three books a week in winter.

Growing up in Andover, Andrew came to the Cape every summer that he can remember. He always liked both fishing and shellfishing. Today, in addition to his oyster ranch, he's a charter boat captain. "Saddletramp" is usually booked a year in advance with experienced fishermen going after striped bass and bluefin tuna.

What happened to make him navigate a different course? "I was working as a legal administrative assistant for a Boston law firm," he explains, "and I was good at it. It just seemed like common sense to me. They encouraged me to go to law school, and I did, entering Suffolk. But I was going out with a woman who had to move to Orleans to work with the Park Service. And, having always loved the Cape, I decided to move with her."

When he first moved to the Lower Cape, he was busy as a fishing guide with his own boat. Two years later, he moved to Wellfleet. The reason? "Well, at that point I was engaged -- to another woman -- and she found a house in Wellfleet that she really liked." That's when he became involved in commercial shellfishing, working on other people's farms. He still works with Joel and Anne Fox (see "Joel and Anne Fox"), and says that Joel is a close friend.

Although the marriage never happened, Andrew stayed in Wellfleet, a bachelor to this day. Six years ago he secured a two acre shellfish grant of his own and grows between 100,000 and 150,000 oysters a year.

Also an avid gardener, Andrew says "I love growing things, and actually I find shellfish more like flowers than like animals. You get attached to them as a group, and there's a certain pride in growing them successfully. But," he adds, "there are so many obstacles and pitfalls. You're responsible for everything. If you do it right, it's great. If you do it wrong, you're out of business."

He loves eating his own product. "You can recognize a Wellfleet oyster visually. Oysters in the wild grow in clumps, but our cultured oysters have a deep cup, round as opposed to elongated shells, and distinctive coloration. Taste-wise, they have a good balance between sweetness and saltiness," he says. "It's a dry taste, you don't have a fishy taste in your mouth afterwards. And it's a good, firm oyster."

Perhaps this explains why the town is the first in America to become famous for its oysters, and why shellfish is its second largest industry, after tourism.

Andrew sees many win-wins in what he does. "I'm growing one of the healthiest foods that people can eat, and our industry is so regulated, consumers are always assured of a fresh product. Besides", he emphasizes, "the working waterfront in coastal communities has to be preserved. Once it's gone, you can never get it back."

This oyster rancher will be exploring a new frontier this winter when he goes to work at a shellfish farm in Australia. The owner of the operation tracked Andrew down through Google. Ever the individualist, Andrew says he's looking forward to the adventure, not only for the shellfish experience, but because another of his special interests happens to be cricket!

To learn more, go to Andrew's web-site: www.outercapewaterman.com