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Saturday mornings in Los Ranchos settle into a rhythm this time of year. You show up early, walk the market while it’s still cool, and start to see the season come together with spring greens and the first stretch of what’s ahead.

We’re so pleased to be back in New Mexico for the summer and we look forward to seeing you soon. We’re coming in strong to start the season with a solid lineup.

Coho salmon portions will be available in larger quantities, along with black cod. These are two we lean on heavily this time of year, and it’s a good opportunity to step in while selection is strong.

Green chile pork sausage will also be available, along with a limited selection of beef cuts including roasts, shanks, and short ribs as we finish out the current round. The next harvest is expected mid June.

If coho salmon tails have been on your radar, this is a good time to take a look. We’ve got a strong run on them to start the season.

If you’d like to stay up to date on product availability and current specials, we share those regularly through our email newsletter.

If you want something specific set aside, orders for market pickup can be placed by Friday at 3:00pm. Otherwise, come see us Saturday morning!

Stay Well Fed,

Brenna & Kenny

Thank you, Phoenix! This past season has been a meaningful one for us, and we’re grateful for your continued support, the conversations at the market, and the growing interest in high quality food and nutrition. You are all so appreciated!

We’ve wrapped up our spring markets and are heading to New Mexico for our summer harvest season. While we won’t be in Phoenix for the next several months, we do plan to make one return trip in mid-summer for those who would like to restock. We’ll share those details as they come together.

After that, we’ll be back in Arizona for our fall farmers market season, typically around mid-October, with a fresh round of products and a full table again.

For those of you in New Mexico, we’re looking forward to seeing you soon. We’re tentatively planning to return to the Los Ranchos Growers Market beginning Saturday, May 9, and will confirm that as we get closer. Keep a watch on our calendar page for details.

In the meantime, keep an eye on the newsletter for updates, timing, and details on our summer visit back to Phoenix. If there’s something you’d like us to cover in a future newsletter, feel free to let us know.

Stay Well Fed,

Brenna & Kenny

We’re heading into our final weekend in Phoenix, and Sunday, April 26 is the last day to get food from us before we leave for the summer. If you’ve been meaning to stock up, this is the time to do it while there’s still a solid variety available.

We’re offering a number of end-of-season specials this week on some of the items people tend to rely on most, including coho salmon, black cod, pork, and select cuts of beef. To see current specials and stay up to date on availability and timing, please join our mailing list.

We’ll also have smaller quantities of halibut and Pacific cod available, along with raw local honey, Medjool dates, and Bariani olive oil, and the insulated tote bags are back in stock as well. If there are specific items you’re hoping to pick up, it’s worth reaching out ahead of time so you can get exactly what you want, otherwise everything will be first come, first served as we move through the weekend.

We’ll be at the market with a nice variety available, and orders for pickup are due by 3:00pm on Friday. If you’re not able to make it out, you’re welcome to make an appointment to shop at our home near Thomas Rd & 44th St. Sunday, April 26 is the last day to get food from us before we head to New Mexico, so if we don’t see you this weekend, have a great summer and keep an eye on the newsletter for our usual mid-summer trip back to Phoenix. Otherwise, we’ll be back in the fall.

Stay Well Fed,
Brenna & Kenny

With just one week left in our spring season in Phoenix, now is the time to stock up.

Pork tends to be one of the easiest ways to keep meals simple. A pound of green chile pork sausage in a skillet is usually most of the meal. Add a few eggs, toss in whatever vegetables you have on hand, serve it over rice, or keep it simple and eat it as-is. It’s quick, flexible, and something you’ll actually use.

Pork chops are a different kind of meal, but just as reliable. Thick cut, bone-in, and best when given a little attention, they’re something many of you already know how to work with. A simple approach goes a long way here, especially if you’ve made our pork chop recipe before. In addition to pork chops and sausage, we’ll also have a limited supply of pork shanks, ground pork, pork ribs, and pork lard.

Most of you already cook this way. You keep a few reliable things on hand and let them carry you through the week without much effort. With that in mind, we’re currently offering some exclusive year end deals to our subscribers. If you’d like to be notified of specials and sales, please join our mailing list.

Seafood is still well stocked, including coho salmon and black cod, along with halibut and Pacific cod. We’ll also have raw local honey, Medjool dates, and Bariani olive oil available. FishHugger insulated tote bags are back in stock too!

If there are specific items you’d like, we strongly recommend ordering in advance so you can get exactly what you want. Otherwise, everything will be first come, first served.

We’ll be at the market this weekend with everything on hand. If you’d like to place an order for pickup, please do so by 3:00pm on Friday for both Saturday and Sunday markets. If you’re not able to come to the market, you’re welcome to make an appointment to shop at our home near Thomas Rd & 44th St. Sunday, April 26 will be our final day in Phoenix before we head to New Mexico for the summer.

Stay Well Fed,

Brenna & Kenny

With just two weeks left before we wrap up our spring season in Phoenix, this is the time to start picking up what you’ll want to have on hand in the weeks ahead.

Our wild-caught sashimi quality seafood is already portioned and frozen, which makes it one of the easiest things to keep on hand for the summer. You can take out exactly what you need, let it thaw, and have something ready for dinner without much planning or waste.

Alaska wild coho salmon is as steady as it gets. Light, clean, and easy to work with, it handles just about any approach. A simple method is often the best place to start. Salt, a little olive oil, and into a hot pan or oven until just done. It’s the kind of fish you can come back to again and again without overthinking it.

Black cod is a little different. Richer, softer, and more forgiving, it’s hard to overcook and does well with gentle heat. A low oven or a slow pan with a bit of oil lets it relax into itself. It’s one of those fish that feels like more than the effort it takes.

For those looking to stock up, we’re currently offering some subscriber exclusive seafood bundle options. To be notified of special sales and deals, please join our mailing list.

These are straightforward ways to fill the freezer with portions you’ll actually use.

We’ll also have halibut and Pacific cod in smaller quantities, along with pork, beef, raw local honey, Medjool dates, and Bariani olive oil.

We’ll be at the market this weekend with a nice variety on hand. If you’d like to place an order for market pickup, please do so by 3:00pm on Friday for both Saturday and Sunday markets. If you’re not able to make it out, you’re welcome to make an appointment to shop at our home near Thomas Rd & 44th St. Sunday, April 26 will be our final day in Phoenix before we head out for the summer.

Stay Well Fed,

Brenna & Kenny

Many of you are likely well aware that we leave Arizona for the summer to spend our harvest season in New Mexico. Our last few markets are approaching quickly, and we’ll only be available in Phoenix through Sunday, April 26.

NOW is the time to stock up for the summer. Please review our current product list prior to placing an order.

Aside from a single mid-summer trip back to Phoenix, we won’t be here again until mid-late October. That’s our usual rhythm, and as we get closer to the end of the season, availability and variety naturally begin to narrow. The sooner you stock your freezer and pantry, the more likely you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for.

Honey tends to be one of those things people keep around without thinking too much about it, and it will be the first to shift. After this weekend, it’s likely we’ll have little more than classic wildflower available.

Right now, we’ve got a full range on the table: cotton blossom, cactus blossom, catclaw acacia, mesquite, and wildflower. Each one carries its own flavor, some lighter and more neutral, others deeper and more distinct. Some disappear easily into tea or coffee, while others hold their own over yogurt, toast, or a simple piece of cheese.

Honey is packaged and sold year-round, but it’s produced on a seasonal timeline. What’s on the table now is the last of this range until the next harvest begins.

For those of you who use honey regularly, this is a good time to choose the ones you like and keep a few jars on hand. Not in excess, just enough to carry you through.

Regular 14 oz jars are $14 each, or you can stock up with 4 for $50 or 12 for $96

Quart 46 oz jars are $28 each, with options of 4 for $100 or 12 for $240

We’ll be at the market this weekend with the full selection on hand. If there are particular varietals you don’t want to miss, feel free to reach out ahead of time and we’ll do our best to set them aside.

We’ll also have beef, pork, salmon, black cod, halibut, Medjool dates, and Bariani olive oil available. If you’d like to place an order for market pickup, please do so by 3:00pm on Friday for both Saturday and Sunday markets.

If you’re not able to make it to the market, you’re welcome to make an appointment to shop at our home near Thomas Rd & 44th St. Sunday, April 26 will be our final day in Phoenix before we head out for the summer.

Stay Well Fed,

Brenna & Kenny

Over the last several years, the cost of putting good food on the table has changed. Meals that once felt routine now ask you to be a little more intentional with what you buy and how you use it. One practical way to push back is not by buying less food, but by using what you already have more completely.

In many households, this wasn’t a strategy. It was simply how things were done. Kenny’s dad had a name for it: “hand grenade stew.” Whatever was left in the fridge, bits of meat, vegetables, maybe some rice or potatoes, all went into the pot. No recipe, no waste, and always somehow better than expected. It wasn’t fancy, but it worked as an easy solution to managing leftovers.

We saw a version of that last week with the salmon tails. Scraping the meat, crisping the skin, making use of the whole piece without overthinking it. Once you get comfortable working that way, it doesn’t stay limited to fish. It carries over into the rest of the kitchen.

A piece of cooked salmon doesn’t need to be reheated and repeated. It can be flaked and turned into something new, like the salmon avocado boats we shared recently, or folded into a quick meal with what’s already on hand. The same goes for a portion of cooked meat, a scoop of rice, or whatever is left from the night before. These aren’t leftovers in the usual sense. They’re ingredients that are already partway there.

That’s where most waste disappears. Not through strict systems or perfect planning, but through knowing how to use what you already have. When a piece of fish or meat becomes the starting point for the next meal instead of the end of the last one, you naturally get more out of it. It’s simple, practical, and it adds up quickly.

For those of us who keep a freezer, this approach matters even more. Not as a place where food sits indefinitely, but as a tool to give you flexibility. Portion something before it gets overlooked, pull it back out when it fits, and keep things moving without pressure.

If you worked through a salmon tail last week, you’ve already practiced this. The same approach applies across the rest of the kitchen. A well-stocked freezer and a few simple habits go a long way.

As we get closer to our seasonal transition, it’s also a good time to take a look at what you have on hand and what you’d like to keep stocked for the months ahead. Having a few reliable options in the freezer makes this kind of cooking even easier.

Eat Well,

Brenna & Kenny

Salmon is most often served from the center of the fish. Neat, uniform portions that look like a “deck of cards” make sense in restaurants where speed, consistency, and visual sameness matter. At home, we have more freedom.

Wild Alaska salmon offers far more than its middle. The tail portion, often overlooked, is every bit as nutrient dense and flavorful as the center cut. The tail muscles work harder, which gives the meat deeper flavor and makes it ideal for chopping, poaching, and other simple preparations.

In Alaska’s commercial salmon fisheries, careful management makes sustainability non-negotiable. These fisheries are designed to protect future runs and harvest responsibly season after season. Using the whole fish naturally follows from that philosophy. While some portions not sold for human consumption are diverted to fertilizer or other uses, much of the world has long valued parts Americans tend to overlook. Heads for soups and broths. Collars and cheeks for richness. Roe and milt for concentrated nutrition. Skin for its fat and flavor. These are not scraps. They are simply parts Americans forgot how to cook.

We see the same pattern with produce. Perfect apples without blemishes. Tomatoes without soft spots. Peaches that look untouched, even after half the bin has been squeezed. Fish is no different. What we often call inferior is simply unfamiliar.

At sushi bars, spicy tuna and spicy salmon are often made from the tail end of the fish. Once thawed, the flesh can be scraped from the skin with the back of a spoon, creating a coarse texture that’s ideal for seasoning. Instead of bottled sauces, a quick homemade aioli lets the flavor of the salmon stand on its own.

Here are four simple ways to cook a salmon tail.

Spicy Salmon

Ingredients
Wild Alaska Coho salmon tail

For the Homemade Spicy Aioli
1 egg yolk, at room temperature
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
Fresh lemon juice
Bariani extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Crushed red chile flakes or a pinch of cayenne

Directions
Thaw the salmon tail completely. Hold the skin flat and use the back of a spoon to scrape the flesh away from the skin. Chop lightly if desired, or leave the texture rustic.

To make the aioli, whisk the egg yolk with garlic, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Slowly drizzle in Bariani olive oil while whisking constantly until thick and emulsified. Season with chile flakes or cayenne to taste.
If using an immersion blender, combine all aioli ingredients in a narrow jar and blend until emulsified.

Mix the aioli into the scraped salmon, using just enough to coat without overwhelming the fish.

Serving Suggestions
Serve over rice, tucked into nori, spooned onto sourdough toast, or alongside sliced vegetables. As with sushi or sashimi, this tends to disappear quickly, so plan on one Coho salmon tail portion per person.

Do not discard the skin. Pat it dry, lightly oil a skillet, and fry the salmon skin until crisp. Break it into shards and serve alongside or crumbled over the spicy salmon for contrast and crunch.

Quick Poached Salmon Tail

Ingredients
Wild Alaska Coho salmon tail
Water or light broth
Lemon slices
Sea salt

Directions
Bring water, lemon, and a pinch of salt to a bare simmer. Add the salmon tail and poach about 4 to 5 minutes, just until the flesh turns opaque and flakes easily. Remove from the liquid and flake.

Serving Suggestions
Drizzle with Bariani olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Excellent warm, or chill and use for salads.

Crispy Salmon Rice Bowl

Ingredients
Cooked salmon tail
Cooked rice
Green onions or vegetables of choice
Bariani olive oil
Sea salt

Directions
Flake cooked salmon over warm rice. Top with vegetables and drizzle with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.

Serving Suggestions
Add crispy salmon skin for extra flavor and crunch.

Salmon Stuffed Avocado Boats

Ingredients
1 avocado
4 oz cooked Coho salmon
1/4 lemon, juiced
Sea salt

Directions
Slice the avocado in half and remove the pit. Scoop a little avocado into a bowl to make room for filling. Add cooked salmon and lemon juice and mash lightly. Season with salt.

Serving Suggestions
Fill the avocado halves with the salmon mixture and serve.

We’ll have plenty of wild Alaska salmon tail portions at market this weekend. Four coho salmon tails, four easy meals!

Stay well fed,

Brenna & Kenny

Over the past few weeks we’ve taken a closer look at the world of the hive. We started with honey itself and the simple truth that real honey crystallizes. From there we slowed down to understand bee pollen, not as a supplement but as part of the nutrition that sustains a colony. We explored the quiet mechanics of plant reproduction behind pollination. We followed bees across large agricultural landscapes and then stepped back inside the hive to see how royal jelly fits into the life of the colony.

Along the way a pattern began to appear. The more we looked at how the hive actually works, the less convincing many of the common stories about bees and honey became.

Some of those stories have been around for a long time. For years people were told that crystallized honey must be fake or spoiled. In reality crystallization is simply what happens when the natural sugars in honey reorganize over time. It is one of the most ordinary things real honey does.

Other misunderstandings come from removing hive foods from their context. Pollen is often treated as a human health product when its real role in the hive is feeding the colony. Royal jelly is sometimes described as a kind of superfood, even though inside the hive it serves a very specific purpose tied to raising queens and guiding the colony’s future.

More recently another kind of myth has been circulating through short videos and viral posts. These clips promise quick ways to determine whether honey is real using visual tricks or patterns. One example, sometimes called the honey hex test, suggests that swirling diluted honey should reveal hexagonal shapes similar to honeycomb. It can look convincing, but these demonstrations do not actually measure authenticity.

Honey is a remarkably complex food. Determining whether it has been adulterated requires laboratory analysis, not visual reactions in a bowl. Scientists studying honey authenticity use tools such as NMR spectroscopy, isotope analysis, and melissopalynology, the study of pollen grains naturally present in honey. Together these methods create a botanical and molecular fingerprint that reveals where honey came from and whether anything has been added.

That work matters because honey fraud does exist. In some cases modern adulteration involves novel syrups designed to resemble honey closely enough to pass simple screening tests. Detecting those products requires careful scientific analysis, sometimes described as honey forensics.

But for most of us the deeper lesson is not about running tests at home. It is about understanding the system that produces honey in the first place.

Bees do not make honey to prove purity to us. They store it as energy for winter. Pollen nourishes the colony. Royal jelly guides the future of the hive. Each substance exists because the colony needs it, not because humans find it fascinating.

When we see the hive that way, many of the myths lose their appeal. What remains is something far more interesting: a living system built on cooperation, timing, and survival.

We’ve received thoughtful feedback and some fascinating questions throughout this series, which tells us many of you are just as curious about the inner life of the hive as we are. As we close this chapter, we’d love to hear what you’d like to explore next. Another short series? A deep dive on a single topic? Let us know what questions you’re carrying, and if you found value in this series, feel free to share it with someone who might enjoy the journey through the hive as well.

Bee Well,

Brenna & Kenny

After watching bees at work in the fields, it feels right to step back inside the hive.

Over the past few weeks we’ve followed honey from flower to jar and learned why real honey crystallizes. We slowed down to understand bee pollen for what it actually is, not what it’s often marketed to be. We even lingered on the quiet mechanics of plant reproduction that make both honey and pollen possible. Most recently we followed bees far beyond the hive as agricultural workers, pollinating vast landscapes not of their choosing. But none of that outward labor exists without something steadier and more deliberate happening inside the hive itself.

Inside the hive, priorities are different. Honey is stored as food for the colony. Pollen is gathered, packed, and transformed to nourish developing bees. These are shared resources produced in abundance and meant to sustain many. Royal jelly belongs to a different category altogether. It is not stored. It is not abundant. It is a fresh, metabolically costly secretion produced by nurse bees and used sparingly at very specific moments in the life of the colony.

Royal jelly is often described as the food of a queen, but that shorthand misses something important. All larvae receive royal jelly briefly at the start of life. Only a few continue to receive it, and that difference shapes everything that follows. This is not about luxury or excess. It is about allocation. Royal jelly is how a hive determines continuity, leadership, and survival. It is produced fresh and used immediately because the bees require it.

Lately we’ve been asked about royal jelly more and more, often in the context of supplements or social media trends. That curiosity is understandable. Humans tend to notice what is rare, powerful, and difficult to obtain. But fascination can easily flatten context. When something is removed from the system that gave it meaning, it becomes easy to misunderstand what it was actually for.

Royal jelly is not harvested the way honey is. It is not produced in surplus and it is not something bees are trying to offer. Commercial production relies on repeated queen rearing and collecting the jelly early, before a queen can fully develop. Much of the global supply comes from large-scale operations overseas where freshness, handling, and consistency are difficult for the end consumer to verify. Like many hive products that drift into the supplement space, hype often travels faster than clarity.

We’re also sometimes asked whether royal jelly is already present in honey. Honey is a complete food in its own right, created by bees to sustain the colony through scarcity. Royal jelly, by contrast, is produced fresh and used immediately for a very specific purpose. If trace amounts ever appear in honey, they are incidental, not concentrated, and not something bees are intentionally providing. These substances serve different roles inside the hive.

For us the line is simple. We don’t separate, concentrate, or sell royal jelly, not because it lacks intrigue, but because it does not belong to the category of foods the hive makes for sharing. Honey does. Pollen does. Royal jelly serves a different purpose entirely, one that only makes sense inside the system that produces it.

Next time we’ll close this series by widening the lens one last time and looking at what happens once honey leaves the hive and enters the larger human world that surrounds it. If you’ve found value in this series so far, we’d be grateful if you shared it with someone who’s curious too.

Bee well,

Brenna & Kenny