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Hey there Phoenix FishHuggers! We intend to be available at both Roadrunner Park and Ahwatukee Farmers Markets through April 26th this season (as usual). As you know, farmers markets are essential and are a great place to get the groceries you need directly from your local producers. As always, stocking up on nutrition is more valuable than stocking calories. We appreciate any orders placed in advance for a “grab and go” style pick up at the market. We prefer payment through zelle to further encourage your efficiency through the market…we still accept cash and cards. Vendors and management are taking many precautions to keep our customers and ourselves safe out at the markets.

For your convenience, we are offering curbside order pick up by appointment at our Phoenix test kitchen (near Thomas Rd & 44th St) on Thursdays and Fridays throughout the month of April. Call, text or email us your order.

In addition to our usual Alaska Wild Salmon and Arizona Local Raw Honey, don’t forget we currently offer: Pasture-Finished Beef (ground), Fresh California Olive Oil, Kenny’s Original Spice Rub, Kenny’s New Mexico Spice Rub, NM Organic raw Pecans, Herbal Infused Sparkling Water, Homemade Mustard and Pickles, Gray Sea Salt, Beeswax, Honeycomb, Pollen, Fresh-Frozen Elderberries and Lavender Tallow Soap!

Whether you buy food to eat or buy food to sell, you are essential. We need you to eat what we produce to keep you healthy and productive so we can keep feeding you and your family. This month’s demand will help determine next years’ availability. We will decide whether to scale up or down our production before harvest season starts in five weeks. Your input and support will have the greatest influence on what to do next.

Focus on what you can do:

Inventory your food and medical supplies

Calculate your need and a little more

If you need something more to do, create a temporary small scale business to help yourself and others in your circle to buy a supply together. Get involved.

We have weathered 9/11, housing bubbles, globalization, farmed salmon and fake meat. Confidence is high that American ingenuity will come up with good answers to the questions of today.

What I’m going to do today is share some simmering broth with the family and have a shot of cod liver oil.

Hello Phoenix FishHuggers, it’s almost officially spring and we anticipate the recent desert rains will provide abundant nectar for the bees in the coming season.

We’re available at both Roadrunner Park and Ahwatukee Farmers Markets this weekend (March 14/15).

We’re currently offering 5 varieties of Arizona Local Raw Honey + 8 regional favorites including Oak Leaf Honeydew, Snowberry and Meadowfoam!

Sockeye Salmon and Keta Salmon are both in abundant supply and we have a few portions of Black Cod/Sablefish available as well.

If you’ve been looking forward to trying our New Mexico Pasture-Finished Beef Steak, this is your chance! We have a few Beef NY Strip Steaks and Beef Chuck Roasts available this weekend along with our delicious 5 star Ground Beef.

We have a great supply of fresh harvest fall 2019 Bariani Olive Oil too! This has been our favorite olive oil for over 15 years, a delicious product of California, try both the green olive oil and the black olive oil.

We will not be available at our favorite Phoenix Farmers Markets next weekend (Sat/Sun March 21/22). Please catch us back at the markets the end of March through the end of April 2020 for the spring season. Please contact us if you’re interested in a dinner party, cooking class, honey tasting or freezer delivery. Further inquiry welcome.

Hello Phoenix FishHuggers! Please join us this Sunday, March 8 from 1pm-5pm at our Test Kitchen (2031 N 47th St, Phoenix AZ 85008). Snacks and samples will be available. As many of you already know, our harvest season will begin in early to mid-May and we won’t be available at our favorite Phoenix Farmers Markets until fall. Now is the time to consider stocking your freezer and pantry for the summer. We offer salmon, beef and honey by the case, however, most FishHuggers prefer a custom order. Advance orders, questions and comments are welcome at the market, by email, phone or on Facebook. We appreciate your feedback and look forward to seeing you soon!

When we first started promoting our fish at farmers markets, salmon was all the rage. It was on every restaurant menu and in every supermarket across and country. The challenge then was that the only widely available salmon was farmed raised. Farmed salmon is a genetically engineered Atlantic salmon grown in net cages in the open ocean off the Pacific coast of Chile (mostly). You may have seen wild salmon canned or “fresh” in the fish counter on occasion. Back in the early 2000’s, we spent many hours discussing the superiority of Wild Salmon over farm-raised with consumers. Well, times have changed rather quickly and now it seems that a large share of seafood consumers are well aware of the wild vs. farmed debate and consistently seek out sustainably harvested wild Alaska salmon. As you probably know, wild salmon has higher omega-3 oils and better nutrition, it’s more eco-friendly and has a superior flavor and texture. What you may not know is that there are 5 species of Wild Pacific Salmon caught in the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean around Alaska. We’re commonly asked, “which one is the best?” There is no simple answer, but we can certainly help you determine your favorite salmon. Here is a basic overview:

1. Sockeye or Red Salmon is the darkest red of the five wild Alaska salmon species and has a rich, pronounced salmon flavor. Due to its high omega-3 oil content and astaxanthin levels, sockeye is often considered one of the most nutrient-dense salmon species. These fish migrate thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean during their 2–3 year lifespan. Sockeye is our favorite salmon for sashimi, though we also grill and pan sear it often. Worldwide, sockeye has long been especially popular in Japan and other global seafood markets.

2. Coho or Silver Salmon is slightly lighter in color and milder in flavor than sockeye, while still offering excellent omega-3 nutrition. Coho tends to stay juicy and flavorful when cooked. It is our favorite salmon for baking, grilling, and smoking. In our experience, coho has historically been one of the most popular wild salmon species among American consumers.

3. Keta Salmon (known in Alaska as chum salmon) is mild, lean, and still provides significantly more omega-3 oil than most whitefish species. Due to its mild taste and firm texture, we think keta makes an excellent substitute for cod or halibut while offering the nutritional benefits of salmon. The flesh turns a pale pink when cooked and does especially well with sauces or gently poached in white wine and water. Keta is one of our favorite salmon species to prepare for guests who may not think they enjoy salmon. Kids often love it too. Worldwide, keta is especially valued for both its roe and its versatility.

4. Pink Salmon has traditionally been canned, as it is the most abundant of the five wild Pacific salmon species. We recommend canned wild salmon over farmed salmon any day of the week. Pinks have a two-year lifecycle and are generally more abundant in odd-numbered years. Pink salmon provides excellent protein and omega-3 nutrition and works especially well in chowders, salads, omelets, and salmon cakes. Historically, most of our pink salmon harvest was wholesaled directly to the cannery at the time of harvest.

5. King or Chinook Salmon is the largest and least abundant of the five wild Pacific salmon species. It spends several years feeding in the open ocean and can reach extraordinary size. King salmon is Alaska’s state fish and is prized for its rich flavor and exceptionally high omega-3 oil content. It is excellent cut into steaks and prepared simply. We did not harvest any king salmon during our last fishing season, so we often suggest coho as a more accessible alternative.

For many years, sockeye was our family’s favorite salmon. Over time, we’ve come to appreciate all five species for different reasons, cooking methods, and seasons. We encourage people to try a variety of wild Alaska salmon over time and discover which species best fits their own table.

ENJOY!