A 100,000 sqm hatchery in the Ionian Sea where we produce mussels to be re-immersed
OUR MUSSELS FARM
OUR BREEDING
A 100,000 sqm hatchery in the Ionian Sea where we produce mussels to be re-immersed
Processing
From autumn to spring, we breed mussels in our own waters and they are then re-immersed in other seas until they are fully mature. In a few weeks, the product acquires the taste and salty characteristics of the sea that hosts it.
Bed preparation
It all starts in November with preparation of the beds, i.e. the rope grids. The technique of mussel farming is carried out through the use of particular supporting structures made of wood or iron, commonly called poles, which are planted in the sea bottom for two or three metres and which emerge from the water for about one metre.
Seeding
Between the poles are stretched ropes of vegetable fibres, called “captatori”, kept at a depth ranging between 1.5 and 2 metres with special floats to which the seed is naturally attached, giving life to mussels. Between March and April, seeding is done and the beds are detached.
The use of air-drying in mussel farming
One of the most evocative phases of the entire production process is the so-called “sciorinatura” (air-drying), which is carried out every 20-30 days. The mussels are spread out in the sun on special drying racks, on which the mussels are dried for twenty-four hours in order to kill algae and parasites that are deposited on the shells. This trains the mussels to stay out of the water from birth and to maintain greater resistance and vitality in all seas. It is during this phase that the Taranto mussel acquires those special characteristics which make it delicious and inimitable.
Creation of the pergola
Once dried, the seed is then thrown back into the sea for another 30 days before being pulled out to prepare the pergola. In May, the juvenile mussels form, i.e. mussels of 1-2 centimetres, while in October, the mussel grows up to 2-3 cm (commonly called pre-fattened mussels). Once this size has been reached, the product is ready to be shipped and be reimmersed into other hatcheries.
Transport
The ropes of seed, which weigh between 10 and 12 kg, are placed on 2-metre high platforms and weigh a maximum of 1000-1100kg. At the time of dispatch, two large bags of ice are placed inside the pallet in order to guarantee optimal preservation of the product until delivery. In terms of transportation, we rely on the best truck driving agencies, who are able to travel while maintaining a constant temperature for the product. The vehicles are in fact equipped with a temperature data logger, a tracking system, which detects the temperature of the air where the product is at regular intervals (every 15 minutes) and up to reaching the destination.
Delivery is usually within 48 hours of departure. We recommend that you place your order at least 60 days before the shipping date.
