Tallahassee OysterMom movie gets big screen debut, with local oysters and beer
There's no denying it: Farm-raised oysters are the future of the North Florida oyster industry. And if there's one name synonymous with the meteoric growth and rise in popularity of this new wave of bivalves, it's this one: OysterMom.
Tallahassee resident Deborah Keller — AKA, "OysterMom" — has helped breathe new life into the struggling local oyster industry through her creative branding, sharp marketing and —most importantly of all — awareness and education about everyone's favorite half-shell snack.
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Which is why she was the subject of a recent documentary titled "OysterMom: A Pearl Of Aquaculture," directed by Jules Crespo, which will make its worldwide big-screen debut on Friday, April 7, at The Challenger Learning Center in Downtown Tallahassee, 200 South Duval St.
And guess what? You're all invited to attend! Tickets are $25. Visit eventbrite.com.
There will be two showings of the film — 7-to-8 p.m. and 8:30-to-9:30 p.m. — and all proceeds go to oyster farmer research center, Oyster South. Included in that ticket will be one full hour of samples of farm-raised oysters from area oyster farmers and donated, local craft beer samples from all of Tallahassee craft breweries, which yours truly will be pouring!
Because, after all, what pairs better with oysters than beer?
"I am thrilled to be able to bring the OysterMom documentary to the Tallahassee Challenger Center and even more excited about seeing my loyal oyster customers. This film will be giving you a glimpse of why I do this and what it is like to be on the water farming oysters," said Keller. "Come taste our local oysters and beers and help me give back to the nonprofit Oyster South that supports our growing oyster industry."
And considering it's hard to find anywhere that you can get a dozen oysters and a pint of local beer for less than $25 these days — much less a movie included — then the ticket price of unlimited beer and oysters for one hour, plus a movie featuring a local oyster farming celeb, is a pretty darn good deal.
The oyster farmers whose oysters will be featured on April 7 include: Southern Oyster Company (their oysters are harvested from Oyster Bay); DOUBLE E Oyster Co. (Skipper Bay); Treasure Coast Oyster Co. (Indian River Lagoon); Rattlesnake Oyster Co. (Apalachicola Bay); and Indian Lagoon Oyster Co. (Indian Pass).
And the local breweries who are donating beer include: Ology, Deep, Proof, Lake Tribe, Oyster City — all from Tallahassee, of course — and Southern Philosophy, which is located in nearby Bainbridge, Georgia.
The documentary will showcase how OysterMom nurtures the oysters from seed to sale and how it contributes to the revitalization of the local oyster industry. It will also take you on a journey into the world of farm-raised oysters and introduce you to OysterMom, a pioneer in Florida's oyster aquaculture business. You will learn how OysterMom grows and harvests fresh, delicious oysters that are good for you and the environment.
So make plans now to spend the first Friday in April in Downtown Tallahassee learning about, tasting and appreciating farm-raised oysters — and all the work that goes into taking them from sea-to-table.
Space is limited for each show — in fact, as of the writing of this column this week, the 7 p.m. show was already close to sold out — so don't delay grabbing your ticket. Both showings will definitely sell out.
Cheers to a great night ahead of us celebrating two of our best amenities in North Florida - oysters and beer!
Danny Aller is the co-founder, along with Matthew Crumbaker, of the TLH Beer Society. Reach the Beer Society on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or email: tlhbeersociety@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee OysterMom documentary debuts with oysters and beer
