We Can Get There From Here | Towards Plastic-Free Oyster Farming Down East | Patagonia Films

After years studying marine microplastics around the globe, Abby Barrows was ready to come home. In 2015, looking for a side-project that would keep her on the water, she bought the lease for an oyster farm in Deer Isle, Maine. When she saw the mountain of plastic gear that came with it, the side-project became something else.
Today, Deer Isle Oyster Co. is a flourishing family business, a proving ground for plastic-free mariculture gear, a new pier for a working waterfront reliant on one fishery, and a purveyor of some of the best oysters in the world. This is the story of one season on the farm, which also happens to be the story of an old island’s precarious present and potential future.
The MycoBuoys name is a registered trademark of Sue Van Hook.
Director: Alex Lowther
Cinematography: Alex Lowther
Producers: Alex Lowther + Monika McClure
Executive Producer: Damien Etchaubard
Editor: Eliel Hindert
Sound Editor: Ben O’Neill
Graphics: Nick Tonn
Featuring
Abby Barrows
Ben Jackson
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About Patagonia:
At Patagonia, we appreciate that all life on earth is under threat of extinction. We’re using the resources we have-our business, our investments, our voice and our imaginations-to do something about it.

[@jjer3000]

“we’re at a point that no matter what you’re doing, everything is so broken that if you’re trying to fix it, good on you…that’s what we need in this world, we need to show there is hope and that there are people who do good work, that’s what matters”

[@damienetchaubard5456]

Well said!

[@chasnetzow4401]

Splendid. Reversing the effects of end stage capitalism takes people with heart and soul like these two.

[@jgrill110]

Thank you Patagonia, for telling these important stories!

[@mlefeber4227]

Every school should see this…it is about hard work, not taking the path most traveled, it is their future.

[@Emersyn.artistry]

Crying 5 mins in. This is my fav place in the world. My happy place. Thx for sharing my family’s stories.

[@Emersyn.artistry]

The lobsterman you talked to is my uncle. He comes from a strong hardworking family of lobstermen and women. His daughter even has helped as his stern woman.

[@whereisnoa]

gives me hope. love it when brands understand what's important

[@veronicabalfourpaul2288]

What an amazing, hard working couple.

[@Fishinfoolfoolinfish]

Great story!!

[@bRad-Sails]

Excellent film. Great to see people doing something they care about despite the hard work it involves. Pure dedication.

[@ericross9393]

Great to see someone in this industry thinking beyond short term profits and self interest.

[@adriannewton8832]

Inspirational people . Definitely the small people who are changing the world. Gutted I’m too far away to experience those amazing looking oysters.

[@KordTaylor]

A great story. And cute And cute at the same time. 😊

[@bonomonkey]

Lots of love for Patagonia! Rolemodel in this world. Now I'm going to watch the video. Thanks!

[@milolagrange1]

Loved this film; the people, the land, the ocean and the story being told is so important. I'm rethinking my involvement in this world. It's time for all of us to do better with the choices we make every day. Side note: the physiology lesson on the oyster was, ahh, interesting...I will try not to think of it when I eat one next time... Thank you all for this beautiful work of art.

[@MikeB-lm6yw]

Wonderful, inspiring people. Thank you for sharing their story!

[@jasonlightfoot4145]

I am reading Steinbeck's Travels with Charlie and the pages I read just before watching this was his must go to destination of Deer Isle. Life is so cool, my son just moved to Maine last year and I have never been and now all of a sudden there is Deer Isle, this obscure little town in the middle of nowhere 💫

[@patagonia]

Sounds like a sign! Hope you make it out there soon 🤗

[@Coastodian]

Good on ya Abby, Ben, Fife and team. Thanks Patagonia for producing this.

[@felipericketts]

There are many, many, small initiatives like this one. With passion, purpose and caring we will save the world! 🙂

[@sehmcgib]

as a Mainer living out west, I’m deeply touched by this cause but also impressed and nostalgic about those authentic Maine accents! great film 😊

[@danielvogt9925]

Excellent!! look forward to learning even more. Shared it with my kiddos and getting their thoughts being part of the solution.

[@joubmt]

Nice job folks!

[@shaneclark207]

BRAVO!!!!!! Inspirational. Mainers are great. 👊🏼👍🏼🤙🏼

[@AlexHallatt]

I love this so much. Good on you!

[@MorganKlasen]

Really interesting and a great solution in a time where we see so much change in the ways of nature. Hope to see their example pave the was for more like-minded solutions to our daily problem and struggles

[@adriano-xl2qw]

I saw something else that touched on their work. This was great to watch…. Now I know their back story. Keep it up

[@carlogottardo2807]

Incredible Efforts, inspiring , thank you Patagonia :)

[@REggIE1395]

beautiful film and great to hear Nora Brown throughout the soundtrack!

[@Winterbiker333]

Impressive venture

[@prolificnorthwest]

What a great film! Cheers!

[@bostonbravenec]

So rad!! Makes me want to go get a little muddy!

[@brettdyson1512]

thanks for the inspiration to be better.

[@monikamcclure524]

The title is a reference to the classic Bert and I radio sketch "Which Way to Millinocket"?

[@WhiteBuffalo032]

IMPERATIVE.

[@teemuranta-pere6223]

[@beatriceetchaubard240]

Amazing story , need to replicate in others areas❤

[@williamkerr3350]

We have quite a large oyster industry here in Tasmania and the growers have been battling disease,known or unknown for maybe the last 6 or 7 years,but we also have a large Atlantic salmon farming industry which completely fouls our once pristine waterways,there has been no corelation drawn,but I'd imagine if one industry was harming the other nobody in a position of power would dare even mention the possibility.

[@martahurgin]

Hell yeah

[@mclovin7170]

Cork. There's reasons people switched to plastic like it lasts longer theoretically because it doesn't rot or get rusted . There are material scientist but they are probably busy working to make new plastics and tell people you can recycle it because they mostly work for companies.

[@caseytaylor2496]

Maine ❤️💛💚

[@matthewjrichard]

You'll almost never meet people with such integrity! They humble the rest of us! Now if only the lobsterers would follow suit and do more to spare the whales!

[@matthewmiller5642]

This is great, but the auto-generated captions are insufficient for videos like this. I would be very helpful for the hearing impaired if you included proper captions for us. Thank you Patagonia

[@patagonia]

Thanks for your feedback, Matthew! We will pass it along to our team!

[@matthewmiller5642]

@@patagonia Thank you!

[@erikolsen6269]

Check out the great simplification w Nate Hagens

[@crystalcoastoysters]

❤❤❤

[@timhansen2577]

*or their third home here.....

[@randallstephens1680]

It seems plastic isn't the problem, littering is.

[@notjustanygeorge]

I'd love to be involved in filming projects like this here in the UK, how do I get to do stuff like this?

[@randalhollis5966]

Grab a camera, find interesting people, record, edit. Get on it!

[@StrangeRealityVlog]

How hard can it be

[@patagonia]

Famous last words 😂

[@photonicenrico]

Stunning work , so inspiring to other operators in the industry and to costumes ! Well done to those wonderful pioneers who like to evolve in a possible way, not form make money but to be a responsible player in the community 👏👏👏

[@jonathanbacs]

❤❤❤