Who We Are
Oysters filter the water and the Tidewater Oyster Gardener Assoc., aka TOGA, works to put more oysters in the in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. By joining TOGA you are helping the local environment with something iconic to our tidewater area and cleaning our local waters!
TOGA volunteers promote oyster gardening, help build oyster floats, as well as educate adults and youth all about oysters and their benefits, help out at events support research through our endowment at VIMS, and encourage recycling oyster shells.
We cover all of the Tidewater area of Virginia. Our non-profit organization started in the Northern Neck - and currently has members down into Hampton, and across the state. Join us and volunteer today!
What We Do
Main Projects and Events
- Annual Meeting: Held in February, to gather and share the latest on Oyster Gardening
- Oyster Float and Spat Sales: 2 per year (Spring and Fall) for members to socialize, and to supply gardeners and help them grow oysters
- Basic Oyster Gardening Class - offered FREE by TOGA, across the Tidewater Area and at our main events
- Master Oyster Gardener Training: This TOGA/VIMS intensive curriculum trains experts in oyster gardening, aka MOGS!!!! Restarting again in 2025.
- TOGA's website: Oystergardener.org and social media (Facebook and Instagram)
- How to Start an Oyster Garden
- Schedule of all TOGA Events: throughout the year across the Tidewater area
- Oyster Cages, Devices, and Float Designs
- Oyster Education and History
- Special Projects: Campers at Kekoka in Kilmarnock, Madison Boyd Award, Oyster Reef and Dock: Oyster gardens, plantings and reefs in Westmoreland and York River State Parks, and Hampton City Schools; Virginia Wide Student Writing Contest; Oyster recipes and more!
- Tents at Oyster Festivals and Marine Educational Events
- Build your Own Float Workshops
Details
| lslone@togaboard.org | |
| Laurie Slone | |
| Volunteer Coordinator | |
| https://www.oystergardener.org/ |
