The Lowcountry in a Shell
Our hard-shell clams are pure Hilton Head—super briny up front with a sweet finish. We grow them right off the docks in nutrient-rich, high-salinity water, then serve them at their peak freshness. No sauce needed. No fuss. Just the taste of the creek.
What Makes Our Clams Different
- Place matters. Southern Beaufort County’s steady salinity and spartina-fed food supply create clean, bold flavor and firm texture.
- Grown with care. We set tiny seed (about the size of a nail head) in heavy-duty nylon bags, staked into the bottom. The clams bury themselves and grow undisturbed.
- Low touch, high quality. Unlike oysters, clams need very little manipulation—typically one size grading in ~18 months—so we focus on timing the harvest and the cold chain.
- Smart resilience. We learned the local predators (hello, cownose rays) and upgraded gear and layouts to protect the crop without fencing off the marsh.
- Dock to plate. Harvests go straight to Hudson’s and a small circle of local partners—fresh is the point.
Our Calms
Flavor & Sizes
Flavor: bright brine → clean, sweet finish. Beautiful raw; incredible on a hot grill.
Common sizes: littlenecks, topnecks, middlenecks (all the same species; just different shell sizes). Ask for what you like—we’ll guide you based on prep.
How to Enjoy
Raw: icy cold, just cracked.
On the Grill (house favorite): drop onto hot grates and pull each one as it opens—serve immediately. No lemon necessary.
Steam & Toss: butter, garlic, white wine, herbs; toss with pasta or mop with bread
How We Farm
1. Seeds
We start with tiny hard-shell clam seed placed in rugged nylon bags.
2. Set & Bury
Bags are staked in the creek; clams naturally bury themselves and settle.
3. Grow-Out
Over ~18 months, tidal flow and stable salinity do the work.
4. Light Touch
Minimal handling—one grading pass if needed to keep sizes even.
5. Harvest to Order
We take what’s needed for service and partner orders—keeping product at peak quality.
6. Hudson’s On the Docks
We sell exclusively to Hudson’s on The Docks to provide the highest possible quality to our guests.
Why Clams Matter Here
Clams help keep the farm balanced—steady, reliable, and delicious. Their revenue offsets the daily labor that oysters demand, and they give our guests a second, equally local way to taste the Lowcountry.
But the impact goes beyond the plate. Clams are powerful environmental allies:
Water Filtration
- Each littleneck clam filters ~4.5 gallons of seawater per day .
- Our farm’s clams help keep local waters clean, clear, and full of life.
- Cleaner water → more sunlight → healthier seagrass → thriving marine ecosystems.
Nitrogen Removal
- Clams naturally cycle nitrogen by consuming phytoplankton and depositing waste.
- Each littleneck clam removes 0.09 grams of nitrogen from the system .
- Large clam farms can offset the nitrogen equivalent of thousands of people’s untreated waste.
- This helps combat harmful algal blooms and keeps ecosystems balanced.
Carbon Storage
- Clams lock away carbon by turning it into their shells: ~2.8 grams per clam .
- Shells act as long-term carbon sinks, persisting in sediments for centuries.
- This natural process offsets some of the carbon released from fossil fuels.
Local Impact
With every harvest, Shell Ring clams are improving water quality, cycling nutrients, and storing carbon — for free. Beyond the flavor on your plate, every clam contributes to a healthier Lowcountry environment.
