The Oldest Mussel Farm in North America

Coupeville, 1975

In 1975, the Jefferds family set simple rafts into the deep blue waters of Penn Cove and began an experiment that would reshape mussel farming in North America. Working out of Coupeville, Washington, they pioneered raft-culture methods in the U.S. long before “sustainability” was a buzzword, learning tide by tide how to grow premium mussels in partnership with the glacial-fed waters that pour into the cove. What began as a locals’ secret quickly became a chef’s secret, passed from kitchen to kitchen as word spread about the flavor coming out of this little corner of Whidbey Island. In time, that reputation reached chefs across the world, and partnerships with Coast Seafoods, and later, joining the Pacific Seafood family, helped us share Penn Cove mussels more widely, while the work itself stayed rooted here: a small local crew on a working waterfront, still tending the same waters and the same legacy of care.

The Mussel That Made Our Name

Penn Cove’s story really does begin with the mussels. Each spring, wild, free-drifting mussel spawn settles naturally onto our seed lines, suspended from wooden rafts in the sunlit, nutrient-rich surface of the cove. Using our patented disc-net-line system, the mussels grow off-bottom in clean, moving water, never in the mud, so they stay gently spaced, with plenty of room to develop their one-of-a-kind, delicately plump, tender meat. Over 12 to 15 months, they slowly become the Pacific Blue Mussels Penn Cove is known for: subtly sweet, ocean-bright, and generously filled, with those iridescent midnight-blue shells that are unmistakably Penn Cove. Harvested and hand-packed right on the water in Coupeville, our mussels are shipped to customers within about 24 hours of harvest, fresh from the water, not from a warehouse.

From Penn Cove to Samish Bay

As the mussels thrived, so did the farm. In time, we expanded north into Samish Bay, Washington, bringing the same hands-on approach to farming Manila clams and a variety of Pacific and Kumamoto oysters. The work looks familiar there: boots on the beach, early morning tides, and careful attention to how each bay’s currents, salinity, and seasons shape the shellfish that grow there. Alongside what we raise ourselves, we’ve built long-standing relationships with other small Northwest growers, bringing together a thoughtful selection of clams and oysters that all share the same values: premium shellfish, responsible farming, and pride in place.

Fifty Years Later

Fifty years later, Penn Cove is still raising shellfish on the first and oldest mussel farm in the United States, still hanging lines from quiet rafts, still harvesting and hand-packing on the Coupeville waterfront. Our off-bottom, raft-based methods continue to support a vibrant marine ecosystem, earning a green “Best Choice” rating for U.S.-farmed mussels and the trust of chefs near and far.

We’re proud to still be what we began as: a small coastal farm, growing exceptional mussels, clams, and oysters that taste unmistakably of this place, and sharing them with people who care deeply about where their food comes from.