Fresh Meadows Farm Organic Heirloom Cranberries

Regular price $39.95

This item ships in 2 weeks

A note on shipping: Please allow up to 2 weeks for this item to ship.

We know what you’re thinking: A cranberry is a cranberry, right? Not quite. These organic heirloom berries from Fresh Meadows Farm boast brighter acidity and a richer flavor, without as much of the mouth-drying astringency found in supermarket counterparts. Based in Carver, Massachusetts—just northwest of Cape Cod—this Black-owned and five-generation family farm specializes in two heirloom varieties: 1) Early Black, prized for its smaller size, purplish hue and naturally sweet flavor and 2) Howes, a larger, firmer berry with a pleasantly tart bite. Most commercial growers flood their bogs to harvest cranberries—this process leaves the berries susceptible to bruising and rapid deterioration. Fresh Meadows takes a different approach. The farm dry-harvests its crop using mechanical pickers that “comb” the ripe fruit from their vines. Though a more labor-intensive process (that yields fewer berries), this method helps preserve their concentrated flavor and firm texture—even after they’ve been cooked. This means the cranberries also freeze well, so you can enjoy them in sauces, chutneys, relishes, savory glazes, grain salads and baked goods all year round.

Organic Early Black and Howes Cranberries

Net Weight/Volume: 5 pounds
Place of Origin: Carver, Massachusetts

These heirloom cranberries add bright, tart flavor to sweet and savory dishes. Simmer them with ginger and warming spices in our jammy Cranberry-Jalapeño Chutney, or toss into greens with goat cheese or a mustardy chicken salad. They make great additions to pancake batter or orange muffins, and shine in our buttery Cranberry and Candied Ginger Buckle. For an easy holiday cocktail, muddle the cranberries with rosemary and sugar for a Cranberry-Gin Smash. And, of course, they elevate any classic cranberry sauce—we like adding a pinch of black or white pepper and a sprig of rosemary for a savory twist.

Store fresh cranberries in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. To freeze, rinse and thoroughly dry the cranberries, then spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 12 months. Thaw in the refrigerator when needed.

Fresh Meadows Farm Organic Heirloom Cranberries

Regular price $39.95
Not All Cranberries Are Created Equal

Not All Cranberries Are Created Equal

Most mass-market hybrid cranberries are flooded for industrial wet-harvests that bloat the fruit with water. But in cranberry country, Fresh Meadows Farm dry-harvests heirlooms to preserve their concentrated flavor and firm texture. A direct descendant of Cape Cod’s wild cranberries, Early Black cranberries ripen in September. Small and deep red, these high-sugar berries boast a jammy, dark-cherry richness that balances bright acidity. Howes berries ripen about three weeks later, producing larger, firmer, lighter-color berries. With bright, citrus-like acidity and a familiar (but not overwhelming) hit of tannins, they are puckery-tart.

customer reviews