How Geoduck Are Raised and Farmed in Washington’s Puget Sound | Eater

"A Puget Sound shellfish farm that cultivates geoducks by hand, planting thousands of thumb-sized “seeds” year-round during low tide (about 80–90,000 seeds per acre), gently placing two into each small column and leaving them to grow for roughly six years. The resulting operation produces about 1 million pounds of geoduck annually. Harvesting is manual and physical—workers wade waist-deep in mud, often stomping to find the clams and digging them up by hand—an approach the director describes as “a labor of love.” The clams can reach forearm length, are rare in distribution, and command high prices as a sought-after delicacy worldwide; from hatchery to processing, the farm emphasizes that no machinery is used at any stage." - Terri Ciccone