Tidewater Oyster Gardeners Association - TOGA

10/15/2026

TOGA Oyster Float and Spat Sale
October 17, 2026, 9am to noon

TOGA’s annual fall float sale and educational event will be held on Saturday, October 17 at Camp Kekoka, 1083 Boys Camp Rd, Kilmarnock, VA 22482, from 9 am to 12 noon. Walk-ups are welcome to purchase any devices we have without pre-ordering. You are required to be a TOGA member to purchase floats and supplies and may join onsite for only $25 for the year at https://www.oystergardener.org/become-a-member.
At the sale, TOGA will provide educational materials and personal consultation with Master Oyster Gardeners (MOGs). You may attend the free class OYS-101: Basic Oyster Gardening from 10:30 am to noon at the camp. Contact Richard Siciliano, text or call: 240-270-1439, or [email protected]. It is best to attend OYS-101 before buying cages to better understand the pros and cons of our different devices for your particular site.

We are offering Classic Taylor Floats, Taylor2 Floats, Flip Floats, Tidal Tumblers, Rough Riders, Bottom Cages, Boxed Bags, and Spat Tubes. Spat bags, hats, shirts, aprons, and other TOGA logo items will be on sale as well. Check TOGA’s website for descriptions of floats and devices ranging from $10 to $145. https://www.oystergardener.org/devices-and-designs/. Vendors will be selling triploid and diploid spat plus their own equipment.
This event is TOGA’s primary fundraising activity, with proceeds benefiting TOGA, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. All proceeds beyond material costs go to the TOGA/VIMS Student Fellowship Endowment and to other needs determined by the TOGA Board of Directors.

For more information, contact Jim Dall, [email protected] or Vic Spain, [email protected]

10/10/2026

https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/news/public-relations-contacts/2026-regional-news-releases/virginia-department-of-health-closes-little-wicomico-river-to-shellfish-harvesting/

October 9, 2026 Media Contact: Stephanie Hudson, [email protected] Virginia Department of Health Closes Little Wicomico River to Shellfish Harvesting RICHMOND, Va. – Effective October 9, out of an abundance of caution and in conformance with recommendations from the United States F...

04/22/2026

04/21/2026

FLOAT PRICE LIST, Spring 2026
Please limit order to 3 wire cages

and 2 spat tubes. (2026 prices subject to change)



Pre-Built Floats and Devices

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Original Taylor Float with Top.......... $145

New Taylor Float with Top............... $115

Flip Float ….....................................$80

Bottom Cage ..................................$85

Tidal Tumbler...................................$75

Rough Rider....................................$65

Spat Tube (small or medium mesh)....$35

Bender 42 inch ...............................$60

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Build Your Own at our Float Workshop 5/09

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Original Taylor Float with Top …$120

New Taylor Float with Top..........$90

Flip Float …..............................$55

Bottom Cage …........................$60

Tidal Tumbler...........................$50

Rough Rider.............................$40

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These items below are also available at the event (no need to order)

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Mesh Bags (small or medium mesh)

Crabpot Line

Float Wire Mesh, 4 foot wide

TOGA hats

TOGA T-shirts

and more...

https://www.oystergardener.org/spring-float-sale

04/21/2026

Mark your calendar for Saturday, May 23rd, at the Deltaville Maritime Museum and Nature Park, 287 Jackson Creek Road, Deltaville. That’s the date and location for TOGA’s annual spring oyster float sales event.



From 9 am to 12 noon, you can purchase all the materials needed for an oyster garden. In addition, Master Oyster Gardeners (MOGs) will be on hand to help you, whether you’re just starting out or have some questions about your oyster garden.



Float Orders

Please place float orders online by April 30. If you prefer to order by mail, use the Float Order Form. Mail the completed form to the address indicated, or email a copy to: [email protected], before the April 30 deadline.



We are selling Taylor Floats, Flip Floats, Tidal Tumblers, Rough Riders, and Bottom Cages, along with spat tubes, wire benders, and spat bags. Go to TOGA’s website for a description of each device. Also available at the sale are small and medium spat bags, crab pot line, float wire mesh, shell bag material, and of course TOGA GEAR - TOGA-logo hats and T-shirts, and new this year Pint Glasses! with no pre-ordering needed.



Purchasing a TOGA float requires current membership. Order up to three wire floats, plus two spat tubes, including build-your-own purchases. Unsure about your membership status? Check the address label on the back of this mailed newsletter. Or contact Vic Spain: [email protected]



Payment is due when you pick up pre-ordered floats, by noon 5/23. If you cannot be at the sales event, ask us to hold your float and let us know when and where you can pick up your purchase. Otherwise, unclaimed and unreserved floats will be sold to walkup customers.

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Need Baby Oysters (aka SPAT)?
During the Spring ‘26 Float Sale, vendors will sell triploid and diploid spat (as available.) Since demand for floats has been high, vendors will sell their own floats and equipment, along with spat. TOGA members and others who missed the order deadline can shop for different style floats, tools, and supplies not sold by TOGA.



The Annual Float Sale is one of TOGA’s primary fundraising activities as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. All proceeds beyond material costs go to the TOGA/Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) Student Fellowship Endowment, and to other projects that foster oyster gardening and the health of the Bay.



Build-Your-Own Float Workshop: Saturday, May 9th Camp Kekoka, 9 am to noon: This year, TOGA members who volunteer for TOGA activities (including float building), may earn a $25 discount on up to three floats they build. Use the online or mail-in order forms to order BYO floats. Contact TOGA to volunteer: www.oystergardener.org/contact-us



If you’re volunteering to help TOGA with pre-sale float building, contact Jim Dall at [email protected]. We are continuing to build in MAY, 2026, so contact us to be placed on our float-building notification list.

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Order Floats Online

04/21/2026

Float building in process for the Spring 2026 Float and Seed Sale
Saturday, May 23, 9am–noon: TOGA Spring Float and Spat Sale (Orders taken April 1-30)
https://www.oystergardener.org/spring-float-sale

Deltaville Maritime Museum, 287 Jackson Creek Rd, Deltaville VA.

04/10/2026

Each year we hold an essay contest for local high school students and this year we received some truly wonderful submissions! Last month, at our member appreciation party, we were lucky enough to get to hear the winners read their submissions aloud, but if you missed it - don’t worry - they are all available to read on our website ✍️🦪🏅

This year’s winners were….

🥇First Place: “Reflections of an Oyster” by Drew Wajciechowski

🥈Second Place: “Consider the Oyster, Consider Us” by Siyoon (Alice) Kim

🥉Third Place (tied): “Back to the Bay” by Elena Contreras and “Oysters: Value Beyond the Plate” by Lexi Spangler

Most Creative🧑‍🎨: “Fresh Oysters” by Lee Martin

Best Scientific👩‍🔬: “The Rappahannock’s Deeper Story: Unveiling Microplastic Levels” by Estella Mayhew

https://www.oystergardener.org/youth-writing-competition-winners

04/07/2026

04/07/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18cw26ifQV/

The Lynnhaven River has reached a major environmental milestone with the Virginia Department of Health opening an additional 250 acres for commercial shellfish harvesting.

The expansion brings the total harvestable area of the river to 52%, a dramatic recovery from 2002 when only 1% of the waterway was safe for raising oysters meant to be eaten.

Read more here: https://tinyurl.com/bdfbh97f