MSP-FRESH CRANBERRIES (by October 31)

[snoboardbabe77]

Getting married November 1 and want to do table centerpieces made with fresh cranberries and cinnamon sticks to celebrate the fall.

I've been doing some research on fresh cranberries (and particularly in bulk...) but I haven't had much luck. Most of the MN/WI/midwest websites have not said much except that they're sold out til the fall.

I know that around that time (probably what, mid to late October) the grocery stores will be carrying them--but does anyone know where I'll be able to get them in bulk? fresh? (They can last a week or more if they're properly cared for) so I can make these centerpieces?

Thanks-

[The Dairy Queen]

Congrats on your engagement. Your centerpiece ideas sound lovely (and chowhoundly.) Is Warrens, WI close enough--it looks like it's just off of 94? Seems like it would be easy to get to. Wetherby Cranberry Co. sells cranberries direct to the public--I don't know if that means "in person" or via mail order only, but it sounds like they arrange all kinds of group tours and such, so, surely, they'd let you come get cranberries if you wanted to. http://www.freshcranberries.com/wetherby.htm For shipping, they sell them in 1, 5, 12 and 30 pound quantities, and they are available late September through mid-November.

Maybe if you contacted them, they'd let you reserve your required quantity in advance and let you come get them?

According to this MPR piece from 2006 (maybe things have changed since 2006?) , there is only one commercial cranberry farm in Minnesota and it sounds like they have a contract with Ocean Spray (which makes me wonder if they sell to the public at all). And it's in Aitkin, MN (I don't know where that is...

)

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/disp...

Anyway, good luck, and best wishes.

~TDQ

[Quince]

I've seen one vendor that sells only cranberries at the St Paul Farmer's Market, from a farm in Wisconsin. They had 25 lb boxes...I bought 10 lbs and froze them. They were there in October/ early November, I believe.

[Enso]

Wow, Quince, what did you make with 10 lbs of cranberries? I'm interested in hearing about different dishes with 'em.

[snoboardbabe77]

Hey guys -thanks for the tips!!! October, early November huh??? I'll probably check that out in October-ask around at the Farmer's Market....and then have a back up in case it doesn't pan out! Thanks guys!

[Quince]

I'm afraid to say that we didn't do it for the variety....we mostly ate it as cranberry sauce, since my spouse likes to eat whole bowlfuls of the stuff. But we did manage to make a cranberry crisp at least once.

[mtullius]

I bought a fairly large quantity of cranberries last year at the St. Paul Farmer's Market. Not sure what month that was.....

[Enso]

The centerpieces sound attractive (especially if you include something sparkly!). Have you tried googling for local cranberry farms? Maybe you could check where stores that source local ingredients get theirs from? My last off-the-top-of-the-head idea is to check the MN Grown directory (it's online) for growers. Good luck

[type2runner]

Link to the Minnesota Grown directory.
http://www.mda.state.mn.us/food/minnesotagrown/

link to a similar publication from Wisconsin:
Something Special from Wisconsin
http://datcp.state.wi.us/mktg/busines...