Near Greenwich in Kings County, Prince Edward Island — The Atlantic Provinces (North America)
Mussel Power/Les moules plus d'une utilité
Photographed By Steve Stoessel, August 23, 2019
1. Mussel Power Marker
Inscription.
The bottom of the bay is like a giant compost bin. Seaweed and shellfish collect here when they die, and form a thick, black mud. The decomposing shells create high lime content, making "mussel mud” a perfect fertilizer for the Island's acidic soil. Digging it was once a winter ritual and the deposits here were some of the richest in the province. Farmers Stopped using mussel mud in the 1940s, but mussels are again an important part of the economy. Mussel culture, which began in St. Peters Bay in the late 1970s, has become a major industry for the area. The buoys you see support lines of cultured mussels. Bathed by tide and current, cultivated mussels grow larger and cleaner than their wild kin on the shore.,
The bottom of the bay is like a giant compost bin. Seaweed and shellfish collect here when they
die, and form a thick, black mud. The decomposing shells create high lime content, making "mussel
mud” a perfect fertilizer for the Island's acidic soil. Digging it was once a winter ritual and the deposits here were some of the richest in the province. Farmers Stopped using mussel mud in the 1940s, but mussels are again an important part of the economy. Mussel culture, which began in
St. Peters Bay in the late 1970s, has become a major industry for the area. The buoys you see support lines of cultured mussels. Bathed by tide and current, cultivated mussels grow larger and cleaner than their wild kin on the shore.
Le fond de la baie peut se comparer à un énorme composteur. Les algues, coquillages et crustacés s'y déposent lorsqu'ils meurent et se transforment
en une épaisse boue noire. La forte teneur en chaux des coquilles en décomposition fait de la vase de moulières un engrais idéal pour le sol acide de l'le. La collecte de cette vase se faisait autrefois tous les hivers, et les gisements qu'on trouve ici comptent
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parmi les meilleurs de la
province. Les agriculteurs ont cessé d'utiliser la vase de moulières au cours des années 1940, mais les moules jouent encore un rôle important dans l'économie. L'élevage des moules, qui a commencé dans la baie St. Peters à la fin des années 1970, constitue aujourd'hui une importante industrie de la région. Les bouées qu'on voit ici servent à l'élevage des moules. Ces moules de culture, baignées par les marées et le courant, sont plus grosses et plus propres que les moules sauvages
qui jonchent la plage.
Captions
bottom left: It was cold, hard, wet work, but one dressing of mussel mud would last a field 20 years or more
C'était un travail, sans cómpter le froid et l'humidité, mais un épandage de vase de moulières sur le sol d'un champ suffisait pour une vingtaine d'années
bottom right: The mud was hauled in sleighs. In the early 20th century mussel mud sold for $1 a load.
La vase était transportée en traineau. Au début de XX siècle, la vase de moulières se vendait 1 $ le chargement.
center left: Young mussels, called "seed, are harvested from the wild and placed in mesh socks, each about two meters long. St. Peters Bay is noted for its excellent mussel seed production.
On récolte les naissains (jeunes moules) sauvages pour les placer dans des boudins
Photographed By Steve Stoessel, August 23, 2019
2. Mussel Power/Les moules plus d'une utilité Marker
The black lines in the water st the center of the picture are mussel buoys.
en filet d'environ deux mètres de longueur. La baie St. Peters est réputée pour lélevage des naissains
center right: The socks are tied to long lines marked with buoys and hung just below the surface of the water to mature
Les boudins sont attachés à de longs cordages (bandingues) balisés, juste au-dessous de la
surface de l'eau, pour permettre aux naissains de grossir.
top right: One to two years later mature mussels are ready to be harvested, processed and
shipped to market.
Au bout d'un an au deux, les moules rendues àmaturité sont récoltées traitées et vendues
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Environment • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1940.
Location. 46° 26.409′ N, 62° 41.705′ W. Marker is near Greenwich, Prince Edward Island, in Kings County. Marker can be reached from Prince Edward Island Route 313. Marker is 1.1 km from trailhead at Greenwich section, Prince Edward Island National Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Greenwich PE C0A 2A0, Canada. Touch for directions.
3. Mussel Power/Les moules plus d'une utilité Marker
Photographed By Steve Stoessel
4. Mussel Power/Les moules plus d'une utilité Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on September 14, 2019. It was originally submitted on September 12, 2019, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York. This page has been viewed 113 times since then and 4 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 12, 2019, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
