We recently connected with Kristin Isfeld and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Kristin thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Almost all entrepreneurs have had to decide whether to start now or later? There are always pros and cons for waiting and so we’d love to hear what you think about your decision in retrospect. If you could go back in time, would you have started your business sooner, later or at the exact time you started?
I grew up fishing oysters from the Lynnhaven river and Chesapeake Bay with my dad. I love oysters. I would eat alot of them before we even got home. It was almost a problem. But my dad was happy that I was so interested. Flash forward, I moved back to Virginia Beach as an adult and became involved with the Lynnhaven River Now organization. They are a non-profit that has restored the Lynnhaven River to its former glory as a thriving ecosystem and estuary to the Chesapeake Bay. It had been devasted by overfishing and land runoff polluting the water. Planting out oyster beds helped filter the water and re-establish the natural balance. Now there are farming, fishing and recreational activities all over and the river is thriving. A few years later I moved to Maine and bought a small island property. I got this idea of having oysters in my tidal zone. A collegue convinced me to set up a farm and grow kelp as well. Since 2019, I have been working with kelp and oysters on my own small farm and with others in the community. The working waterfront tradition is very stong here and I am so proud to be a part of it. I have had some ups and downs (real downs) with my own farm, but the whole thing is a process of try, fail, learn, try again, learn more and hopefully eventually succeed. I count it all as a success though. Learning is never a failure. So yes, I do wish I had thought to do this sooner. I always loved the water and being on it. I loved marine science in school. It just never occurred to me to go into that field. Staring earlier would have been physically easier on me. Starting this kind of buisness at 50+ has been challenging, but I am still so glad I am doing it. I think it keeps me young!
Kristin, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am an aquaculturist, otherwise known as a sea farmer. I cultivate oysters and kelp in the Casco Bay in Maine. I got into sea farming in 2019 when a colleague suggested it. I had only orginally wanted to have a small oyster bed on my own tidal property. I “dove” (literally) into full scale farming and haven´t looked back. I am most excited about the role my small farm plays in keeping the bay healthy and thriving. Protecting the bay and it´s inhabitants is of utmost importance to me. Oysters and kelp offer complimenting solutions to the stressors on the aquatic environment. Kelp takes up the co2 and excess nitrates in the run off from land based activities and helps keep down the acidification of the waters. This helps oysters use the calcium in seawater to make strong shells. Oysters filter impurities from the water, making the bay cleaner for all to enjoy. Seaweeds provide food and habitat for a number of species. Kelp, or components thereof, is already in many products we use daily and it is becoming more and more integrated into our food system, with new seaweed food products coming to market almost daily. Oysters are an excellent food source, providing a variety of nutrients; protein, zinc, B12, and Vitamin D, just to name a few. In addition to protecting the bay, my business helps to encourage growth in the sector and with my own growth, provide jobs for others. I want people to know that my brand is homegrown, regenerative, local and sustainable. These values are important to me and I hope to convey that through my work ethic, participation in industry associations and educating future generations of sea farmers.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
In summer 2024 I lost all my oysters, approximately 30,000. Every. Single. One. Some were just about to be ready for market. It takes 3 years to grow an oyster from seed to market here in Casco Bay. I essentially lost 3 years of work. I was devastated. I cried, I screamed, I blamed. At the end of the day, it was my fault. You know the saying “if you want something done right, do it yourself” ? Well I did not do it myself. I did not tend properly to my own crop. I did not take it seriously enough. I treated it like a side hustle. I was participating, but not doing. I relied too much on others who had their own farms to worry about. Again, I didn´t take it seriously enough. That´s the whole thing. Either you´re in it or you´re not. If it is your business, it´s not a side hustle, it´s everything. My example of resilience? I am back. I am starting over. New babies, new attitude, new level of commitment.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Social media! While my following is not huge and I am not viral, I have a good base and I get good enagement. Best advice? Be authentic, be real, show everything! All the ups and down. People like real stories. You don´t need fluff and fancy photos or videos. There are so many apps that make it easy to make good videos and zuzz upp your photos- use them. Take advantage of reposting other posts that relate to your business, but ONLY in an uplifting way. Give credit to any original posters and be inclusive. Their followers will follow you and yours will follow them. It´s about creating community. Be consistent. You can pre- plan posts so you don´t have to be on it every day. Make an “office day” where social media is a part of your admin work. Grab content whenever you can and save it for when you have time to create something from it. Make a calendar and brainstorm ideas around the holidays that might work for you. But also post on the fly if you can. If you are doing something fun or funny or crazy, go live. Don´t get bogged down in the metrics (the likes and view numbers). Unless you are an influencer who actually makes money from likes and clicks, you don´t really need to know. When people shop with you or use your services, ask where they found you. If social media is the answer, those are the metrics you need to know. Have fun!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @stinatheseafarmer @latitude43farms
