Have you ever walked upon the muddy banks of an ocean estuary during low tide and noticed little dimples or donut sized holes in the smooth surface of the shore?
Together with our Community Partners, KWIAHT: Center for the Historical Ecology of the Salish Sea, participants of the Middle School After School program and their families came together for a family event of learning and harvesting clams.
Gathering on the shores of Mud Bay, we learned how to identify different species, how to harvest and cook them, and how local clams contribute to local food security and food equity.
“I’m a lucky digger!” cried one camper, after counting roughly 53 clams.
“It was very muddy and very tasty! Lots of clams were harvested, and we were able to cook up five different species for tasting. The kids seem to have decided that the Horse Clam was best — it was a four-pounder and was completely and utterly consumed after steaming and cleaning” says Russel Barsh, Director of KWIÁHT.
Funded in part by the 21st Century Learning Center Grant, we feel so grateful to our Community Partners at KWIÁHT for bringing this amazing opportunity to life.
KWIAHT is offering to fund shellfish licenses for families in our program who are on free and reduced lunch, so that they can dig up clams and gather nutritious seafood. For more information, please contact Stephanie Stratil at stephanie@lifrc.org.
