Six generations of excellence: Hama Hama Company
Words by Jennifer Hemmingsen
Photo: Garrett Grove
Nestled in the lush forests and pristine waters of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, the Hama Hama Oyster Company is both a destination and a model for sustainability.
The family-run shellfish farm is located north of Lilliwaup at the mouth of the Hamma Hamma River, one of Washington’s coldest and least developed waterways. On a recent rainy Friday, several families slurped oysters in heated outdoor shelters a stone’s throw from the Hood Canal, while others popped into the farm store to stock up for the weekend. The cozy outdoor spaces and store stocked with locally made foods and gifts—in addition to oysters, crab, and Hama Hama merch—are the brainchildren of the Robbins family, which has operated the company for more than a century.
“I love the shellfish industry,” said Lissa James Monberg, the company’s vice president of shellfish and great-great-granddaughter of its founder. “I love the customers. I love my colleagues. And we have a great team helping us take the business to the next level.”
Working with family is another perk, Monberg adds. Her brother Adam James manages the oyster farm while their other brother Tom James runs the Hama Hama Company forestry operations and serves as company president. “You end up talking about work around the dinner table, but it’s fun,” she said. “We all feel like we’re building something together, which is great.”
The company uses low-impact farming methods to grow world-class oysters while stewarding the land and water for the next generation. They sell their oysters at the farm store and oyster saloon, pop-ups throughout the Puget Sound and Portland regions, and directly to consumers and chefs nationwide. But Hama Hama’s story starts in the 1890s when Daniel Miller Robbins bought land along the Hood Canal to harvest timber. When his grandson, Bart Robbins, took over the logging company 60 years later, he started the oyster and clam farm.
Monberg, Bart’s granddaughter, started working for the family business in middle school, picking single oysters on the beach in the summer. She’s been full-time with the company since 2005. In 2014, she helped create the oyster saloon, which recently made Seattle Met’s list of best restaurants in Washington State.
It’s easy to see why. The heated A-frame shelters offer a feast for the senses—the smell of woodsmoke, the feel of the salt breeze, the sight of sea lions splashing around and the briny taste of oysters. The menu also features crab cakes, sourdough grilled cheese and occasional soups. You need a reservation for full dinner service, but walk-ins are welcome in the adjacent outdoor bar for soup, shuck-your-own oysters, beer and wine.
The Hama Hama Oyster Company welcomes chefs for farm tours and hosts occasional Farm Days, scheduled around tides and the seasons, when people can harvest their own oysters. They also regularly hold classes in which people can learn to shuck, taste a variety of oysters, and learn about regional variations and preparation methods. They also ship oysters all over the country.
“It’s been a good challenge convincing people that they can shuck oysters at home,” said Monberg. “That it’s easy, and they’ll be fresh and a lot of fun.”
Over the years, the company has branched out to explore different merroirs (the seafood equivalent of a terroir in winemaking) and farming methods to produce unique oyster varieties. They grow two of them at their home farm: classic, beach-grown Hama Hamas and tumble-farmed Blue Pools. They also source oysters from elsewhere in Washington.
The Hama Hama Oyster Company is both a community and a business, employing nearly 40 people, many of them for several decades or longer. Its long trajectory reflects values rooted in family, appreciation for working in the woods and water, commitment to sustainability, and love of the bountiful Salish Sea.
Siblings Lissa James Monberg and Adam James run Hama Hama Oyster Co. (Photo: Jenn Repp)