If Forest Gump and an Ape could start a shrimp farm in Louisiana, why can't you start your own pearl farm?
If you do not know what I'm talking about "Let me say this: Bein a idiot
is no box of chocolates." Read the book don't just see the movie.
If you read the book you will find that Forrest Gump is a mathematical idiot savant, capable of
outperforming NASA's on-board computers, which is why Gump ends up on a space
mission with an ape and the first woman astronaut the mission ends in the
forests of New Guinea where Gump meets a Yale-tutored cannibal.
This is not intended as a step-by-step guide, but as a general outline.
With the advances in Aquaculture, I am sure that if you had the time and the
space that you could set up your own pearl farm. However, before you drain that
backyard pool and quite your day job it would behoove you to visit an actual pearl
farm and do a little more research.
This link is a very good article from somebody who visited four Freshwater pearl farms In the United States Back in 1991.
The Return of the American Pearl - Three Feisty Farmers Take on the Japanese
What you need
Water condition
Water conditions are the key to mussel growth with
the best temperatures between 65 and 75 degree Fahrenheit. The water should be
peaceful, well circulated, contain plenty of nutrients, have no pollution, and
a depth of 6 to 8 feet (definitely not more than 12 Feet). If the water is too
shallow, the temperature will shift too rapidly and the mussels will die. The
flow speed should be about 20 Feet per minute. Ideal acid - alkali concentration
is 7 to 8 ph. If it is too acidic, the pearls will be small; too much alkali
and the pearls come out yellowish. Water visibility should be 6 to 12 Inches.
Pearl farming
Generally, planting is done between (March through May)
and (September through October) since in the summer the water temperature is too
high for just-opened host mussels to survive, while in winter it is too cold for
technicians to carry through tricky implant work with their numb fingers. Harvest
is usually between October and February; during the fall and winter seasons, mussels
produce nacre layers more slowly, resulting in a smoother surface and higher luster.
Stages in farming
Selecting mussels
The mussels are divided into two groups: those
providing implantable tissue and mussels to be implanted. The selected mussels
are soaked in a basin for a few days, cleaned and put in a tub with the water
level slightly lower than the mussels so they can breathe.
In China, most farms use Hyriopsis Cumingii. This species
usually yields the best quality round pearls with high luster and big size,
but takes a long time to grow.
In The United States the most frequently used in the culturing process are
commonly referred to as the Washboard and Pigtoe varieties of the family
Unionidae.
Buying implanted mussels.
While implanting mussels themselves, some farms also buy from small farms already
implanted mussels that have been grown in water for 1 to 2 years. Though it costs
much more, the risks are decreased since the mortality rate is highest during the
first year after implanting. It is also a quality-control method simply because you
won't spend money on those implanted mussels if you find the baby pearls inside are of
low quality and irregular shape. Small farms, they are willing to sell
their young mussels, as long as it's profitable.
Implanting
The mussel is opened only about one half inch wide to avoid injury.
A triangular slit is made between the Mother-of-Pearl layer and the
Cell Lining. A piece of tissue is carefully placed in the opening and
shaped using a needle. It is crucial that the tissue not make contact
with the shell. The triangular slit runs from top to bottom one-half inch
wide and one-quarter inch deep. The implanted tissues are placed one-quarter
inch apart with three rows in each shell one-quarter inch apart. The number
of tissues implanted depends on the size and health of a given mussel.
For example, a 5-inch long mussel could be implanted with 30 to 40 pieces
of tissue, with 15 to 20 pieces on each side.
Suspended in the water
Three or four mussels are placed in a nylon net and hung at 1-yard intervals from a
long thick nylon rope above, which is tied to two poles at its
two ends respectively. At a depth of 6 to 8 feet. The rope is floated by buoys.
Feedstock
It used to be that mussels were not fed after being placed in the water.
It was assumed that they fed and grew by the nutrient contained in lake water.
Now implanted mussels are given the utmost care. Feedstock now ranges from
carbamide, soybean milk to fermented organic fertilizer such as bean cake and
chicken manure; there is even manure developed specifically for pearl mussels.
Tending mussels
The mussels are taken good care of while suspended in the water.
Check water temperatures and feeding conditions, moving the mussels up
or down as appropriate. Periodically, the mussels are lifted from the
water for cleaning and health treatments. Aquatic weed, barnacles and
other organisms that might interfere with their feeding are removed from
the mussel's shell. It is a lot of work, much of it repetitious and labor
intensive. Tending the mussels is a continuous process aimed at smoothly
developing the pearls to minimize blemishes.
Disease prevention and cure.
Implanted mussels are prone to bacteria, virus, plankton and other microorganisms.
Some freshwater fish can eat the mussel's protruded meat while they are breathing.
With the help from scientists, special medications have been invented and to some
extent, diseases may be controlled, making it more possible to cultivate mussels
for longer periods.
Cultivation period.
In the 1980's, mussels were cultivated 18 to 24 months before harvesting.
This short time of cultivation resulted in small size (no larger than 7 - 8 mm.)
and often-low grade freshwater pearls. This is why many people still rank freshwater
pearls lower in quality than salt-water pearls. Since the 1990's, pearl farmers have
gotten financially strong enough to extend the cultivation period to as long as 4 to
5 years. Now top quality freshwater pearls are available on the market with size up
to 16mm.
Harvesting and Processing.
The harvested pearls are cleaned immediately in freshwater. They are scrubbed,
and then washed in warm water followed by several more soap and fresh water washings.
They are then dried and sent for sorting, drilling and matching.
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