June 11th. Summer is here in full — and the farms are delivering some of the best produce of the season. This week's box is loaded with variety: crisp cucumbers and broccoli from Brenneman's and Cedar Springs, sweet candy and red onions from Miller's, fresh-dug garlic and striking purple majesty potatoes from Abundant Pastures and Grateful Plains, tender spinach from Living Root Farm, and black raspberries from Good Soil Farmers at their peak. San Gabriel Ranch rounds it out with ruby red grapefruit, tangelos, murcott mandarins, Mexican limes, and Eureka lemons. Here's what you've got and how to make the most of it.
This Week's Box
From Brenneman's Country Store (Grabill, IN):
Cucumbers
From Cedar Springs Farm (Illinois):
Broccoli
From Miller's Farm Fresh Produce (Illinois):
Candy & Red Onions
From Good Soil Farmers (Illinois):
Black Raspberries
From Abundant Pastures (Illinois):
Fresh Garlic
From Grateful Plains (Illinois):
Purple Majesty Potatoes
From Living Root Farm (Illinois):
Fresh Spinach
From San Gabriel Ranch (California):
Ruby Red Grapefruit · Tangelos · Murcott Mandarins · Mexican Limes · Eureka Lemons
From our other farm partners:
Pasture-Raised Chicken & Turkey — Abundant Pastures
Ground Pork — Millers Farm Fresh Produce
Pasture-Raised Eggs — 3 Brothers Farm · Living Light Farms
Dairy, Milk & Artisan Cheese — Kilgus Farmstead · Prairie Fruits Farm
Wild-Caught Seafood — Sitka Seafood Market (Keta Salmon & Pacific Cod)
Pantry & Grains — Janies Mill · Pittmans Maple Syrup · Doudlah Farms Organics · Joyful Harvest Organics · Brennemans Country Store
How to Use What You've Got
Cucumbers (Brenneman's Country Store)
Store unwashed in the crisper, loosely wrapped. Do not refrigerate near ethylene-producing fruits — they yellow quickly. Use within 5–7 days. Slice raw into salads, quick-pickle in rice vinegar and salt, or blend with yogurt and dill into a cold soup. These are farm-fresh and thin-skinned — no need to peel.
Broccoli (Cedar Springs Farm)
Store unwashed in a loose bag in the crisper — moisture causes yellowing. Use within 4–5 days. Roast at 425° until the florets char at the edges and the stems caramelize. Steam briefly and finish with lemon and olive oil. Or shave raw into slaws with a sharp vinaigrette. Don't discard the stems — peel and slice them; they're sweeter than the florets.
Candy & Red Onions (Miller's Farm Fresh Produce)
Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated spot — not the fridge. Keep away from potatoes. Candy onions are exceptionally sweet and mild — slice raw into burgers, sandwiches, and salads without the bite of a standard onion. Red onions are sharper and more pungent; quick-pickle in vinegar and sugar for 20 minutes, or roast until jammy and sweet.
Black Raspberries (Good Soil Farmers)
Do not wash until ready to eat — moisture accelerates mold. Spread in a single layer on a paper-towel-lined plate and refrigerate uncovered. Eat within 2–3 days. Black raspberries are deeper and earthier than red raspberries, with a more complex flavor. Eat them straight, spoon over yogurt or ricotta, fold into a quick pan sauce for duck or pork, or freeze what you can't finish.
Fresh Garlic (Abundant Pastures)
Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated spot — not the fridge. Fresh garlic is milder and more moist than cured; the papery skin is thinner and the cloves are plumper. Use it generously. Roast whole heads until caramelized and spreadable, slice thin into pasta, smash and sauté as a base for nearly everything, or blend raw into vinaigrettes and aioli.
Purple Majesty Potatoes (Grateful Plains)
Store in a cool, dark, well-ventilated spot — never the fridge (cold converts starch to sugar and makes them gritty). Keep away from onions. Use within 1–2 weeks. Roast halved at 425° until crispy and caramelized, boil and smash with olive oil and flaky salt, or slice thin for a striking purple gratin. The color holds best when roasted or baked — boiling fades it slightly.
Fresh Spinach (Living Root Farm)
Store unwashed in a loose bag with a dry paper towel to absorb moisture. Rinse just before use. Use within 3–5 days. Eat raw in salads with a warm bacon vinaigrette or citrus dressing, wilt quickly in a hot pan with olive oil and garlic, or fold into eggs, pasta, grain bowls, and soups. Fresh farm spinach wilts faster than store-bought — prioritize it early in the week.
Ruby Red Grapefruit (San Gabriel Ranch)
Refrigerate loose for up to 3 weeks, or keep at room temperature for a few days. The ruby flesh is sweeter and less bitter than white grapefruit. Halve and broil with a dusting of brown sugar until caramelized, segment into salads with avocado and shrimp, or juice for a morning tonic. The zest is fragrant and worth saving — use it in dressings, baked goods, and compound butters.
Tangelos (San Gabriel Ranch)
Store loose in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. A cross between tangerine and grapefruit — easy to peel, deeply fragrant, and juicy with a bright sweet-tart balance. Eat fresh out of hand, segment into salads, or juice over grilled fish and chicken. The peel is aromatic and zests beautifully.
Murcott Mandarins (San Gabriel Ranch)
Store loose in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or at room temperature for a few days. Peel easily by hand — sweet, rich, and nearly seedless. Eat fresh, segment into salads, or juice over fish and grain dishes.
Mexican Limes (San Gabriel Ranch)
Store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. Smaller and more aromatic than Persian limes — more floral, less sharp. Essential for tacos, ceviche, guacamole, and finishing grilled meats. Roll before cutting to maximize juice.
Eureka Lemons (San Gabriel Ranch)
Store loose in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. The workhorse citrus — bright, tart, and versatile. Use the juice to finish fish, brighten dressings, and balance rich braises. Zest adds floral lift to pasta, baked goods, and compound butters.
Storage Quick Reference
Use within 2–3 days: Black Raspberries
Use within 3–5 days: Fresh Spinach
Use within 4–5 days: Broccoli
Use within 5–7 days: Cucumbers
Use within 1–2 weeks: Tangelos, Purple Majesty Potatoes
Use within 2–3 weeks: Candy & Red Onions, Fresh Garlic, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Murcott Mandarins, Mexican Limes, Eureka Lemons
Proteins: Chicken/Turkey 2–3 days · Pork 3–5 days · Seafood 1–2 days · Eggs 3–4 weeks · Dairy per label
Questions about your delivery? Reach us at info@ironandacremeats.com. See you in two weeks.
