Last Winter when we started organizing for the 2020 green crab season we planned on hosting in-person green crab dinners and outreach events. Obviously, this format didn’t work out as it became apparent that “in person” was no longer an option. However, in the process of trying to salvage this program in a struggling economy, some really important questions kept popping up:
Were ticketed restaurant events really having a significant impact if the average seafood consumer couldn’t afford to attend a dinner? Were in-person seminars for fishers really accessible if individuals had to travel long distances and dedicate time that could be spent fishing to learn about green crabs? Were we ignoring the everyday home cook in focusing on restaurant education? Why have we centered “luxury” green crab products when the real goal should be mass consumption across many markets?
So we literally scrapped everything and started planning Shuck At Home: an outreach program that revolved around distributing free hard-shell green crabs to home cooks and hosting free virtual events. While we definitely have work to do when it comes to broadening our audience and improving the accessibility of our events and resources, we were pretty blown away by the engagement and community responses to these initiatives. Shuck At Home allowed us to test and build out programs that will be foundational to our organization.
Our biggest thanks to the Massachusetts Department of Marine Fisheries for providing grant funding for this project and to our supporters who continue to fuel our organization.
- Mary Parks, Director
One way to fight invasive species? Eat them
Our Shuck at Home program was featured in National Geographic’s new piece alongside other invasivore efforts
PROGRAM GOALS:
Give away free green crabs to home cooks and receive feedback on their experience to help inform future programs and resources.
Launch a pilot wholesale program to see how green crabs fair in the market.
Develop free recipes that are accessible, inexpensive, and require fewer ingredients.
Host virtual events that engage home cooks, fishers, and stakeholders.
Improve online resources in the areas of green crab processing, identification, and ecology.
At a glance
1200 pounds of green crabs given away to home cooks across Massachusetts
15 free recipes developed
6 free community cooking classes & demos offered
44 people provided survey feedback after they cooked with green crabs
6 wholesalers worked with us to distribute green crabs across Massachusetts
VIRTUAL EVENTS & COOKING DEMOS:
Green Crabs on the Great Marsh
An interactive discussion with filmmaker Nubar Alexanian, Ipswich Shellfish Constable Scott LaPreste, and Greencrab.org Director Mary Parks
Green Crab Bouillabaisse
A cooking demo and Q&A
Green Crab & Tomato Bisque
An interactive cooking demo with the Sustainable Business Network
How to Make Sweet Corn Salad with Green Crab Roe
An Interactive Cooking Demo and Discussion with the Nantucket Land Council & Maria Mitchell Foundation
Shucking School
Our three part IGTV series on how to prepare green crab legs, roe, and stock.
Green Crab Giveaways:
July 19th:
We delivered hundreds of pounds of green crabs to residents in the Greater Boston Area with Jamie Bassett of the Shellfish Broker
July 20th:
With the help of Our Wicked Fish via Red’s Best and Berkshore Seafood, the Shellfish Broker shipped 100 lbs of green crabs to chefs and community members in Western, MA.
August - October
Our organization donated green crabs to Wulf’s Fish to see how they would do in a wholesaler setting. Green crabs ended up at Restaurants such as Loyal 9 and Nightshade Noodle Bar.
October 18th:
Jamie and Matt from the Shellfish Broker drove up from Chatham for a free green crab pickup event at Hooked Fish Shop.
SHUCK AT HOME PARTNERS
WHOLESALERS WHO HELPED MAKE THIS POSSIBLE
