Ep 14. Geoduck Farmer

In this episode of Dirty Jobs season 2, host Mike Rowe travels to Washington state to work as a geoduck farmer. Geoducks are large, burrowing clams that are highly prized in Asian cuisine and can fetch a high price in the seafood market.

Rowe begins his day at low tide, where he and the geoduck farmers wade through the mudflats searching for the clams. Once they've located the geoducks, Rowe helps dig them out of the sand, which requires a delicate touch so as not to damage the clam's shell.

The next step in the geoduck farming process involves separating the geoducks by size. First, the farmers use a machine to sort the clams based on their weight. Then, they painstakingly go through the piles to make sure that smaller clams don't get mixed in with larger ones. This is crucial for ensuring that the geoducks grow at a consistent rate and reach maximum size.

Rowe also gets to experience the unique feeding process that geoducks undergo as they grow. The farmers suspend small plastic tubes with placed geoducks inside of them in a grid over the mudflats. Then, they pump nutrient-rich water up through the tubes and into the clams, which helps them grow.

In addition to learning about the process of geoduck farming, Rowe also gets to experience the economic side of the industry. He visits a local seafood market where buyers from around the world come to bid on the freshly harvested geoducks. Rowe observes as the buyers assess the quality of each clam before stating their price, and he is surprised to learn the high price that geoducks can fetch.

Throughout the episode, Rowe also learns about the challenges that geoduck farmers face. For one, they have to constantly monitor water temperature and quality to ensure that the geoducks are healthy and growing properly. They also have to contend with predators like crabs, who will dig up and eat the geoducks from the mudflats.

Despite the challenges, Rowe and the geoduck farmers he works with are passionate about their work. They take pride in stewarding the ocean and producing a high-quality product that is popular around the world.

Overall, this episode of Dirty Jobs offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the world of geoduck farming. It reveals the hard work and attention to detail that goes into nurturing these prized clams from tiny seedlings to fully-grown specimens. With Rowe's trademark humor and curiosity, Geoduck Farmer is a fun and informative episode that any seafood lover will enjoy.