Get Your Fill at the Farmers' Market
Preserve Wisconsin's farming heritage, meet the folks who grow your food and get the best tastes the state has to offer
It is 9:00 on a Saturday morning. A procession is making its way around the Capitol. Joining the crowd, you notice the strains of a string quartet in the background as you glance at the line of booths along the sidewalk. The smell of fresh-cut flowers is overpowered by whiffs of baklava, bread, cheese curds and strawberries, picked fresh from the garden.
All around you people are talking: "This farm always sells the best vegetables." "Where is the family that sells the parsley plants?" "You can never get apples this sweet at the store!"
The serious shoppers are frantically filling up their bags and carts, trying to beat the crowd. The rest of the pack is slowly winding around the Square, stopping periodically to get a closer look at the products for sale.
You look at the booths and soon see a pattern — each one is operated by a producer with a smile on his or her face.
You have just experienced the Dane County Farmers' Market on the Square (DCFM). The crowds are generally loyal patrons who stop by every time the Market operates. Some of the customers, though, don't realize that the Farmers' Market on the Square also operates on Wednesdays, and that there are many other markets in Madison and the surrounding communities throughout the year. Larry Johnson, Market Manager of the DCFM, explains the complexity and intrigue of the Farmers' Market.
As Market Manager, Johnson coordinates each market day and communicates with all of the vendors who sell their products at the DCFM, the largest producer-only market in the U.S. He makes sure that the 'seasoned' vendors get their set spot, and then fills in the extra spaces with 'daily vendors' who show up sporadically throughout the year.
"Promoting Wisconsin products and producers is the aim of the Dane County Farmers' Market," said Johnson. "By having only producers selling products, it ensures that the consumer can count on freshness and quality. A healthy relationship and high level of trust between the producer and the consumer is one of the best outcomes of this system."
There are 300 active vendors throughout the year at the Market, with an average of 150 vendors each Saturday during the growing season. Products sold include meat, honey, baked goods, cheese, fruits, vegetables and flowers. This tantalizing combination of food attracts a large number of customers; nearly 8,000 have shown up on a rainy day, and up to 20,000 will venture out on a sunny day.
In addition to the Market in summer, there is also a Market that runs throughout the winter season, with an average of 15 to 50 vendors selling meat, cheese, potatoes, apples, baked goods, and some canned produce. Before Christmas, the event is held at the Monona Terrace; after the holidays, the Market moves to the Madison Senior Center until the growing season arrives. The DCFM is much smaller in winter, but is becoming more popular each year, as more and more producers decide to set up a booth during both seasons. As of this year, most only show up during the summer season to sell their goods.
Jim and Rebecca Goodman of Northwood Farm, located outside of Hillsboro, Wis., come to Madison throughout the summer to sell their organic beef at the Farmers' Market. It is their seventh year participating as a vendor.
In speaking with the Goodmans, it is clear that their experience has been a positive one. They were accepted as vendors for the Farmers' Market the same year that they applied, though farmers applying now commonly have to wait three years. Both agreed that it is a great to have a producers-only market: "There's just no other way to do it," said Rebecca. "We owe it to our customers to be there for the sale and listen to comments about our products."
Jill Smith, a student at Madison Area Technical College, lives near the UW campus, and goes to the Farmer's Market on Saturdays whenever she can.
"There is another Market on Park Street, right near my house, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, but the number of booths is much fewer than those around the Capitol on a Saturday," she said.
Smith chooses to shop at the Farmer's Market for several reasons, one of which is that the grocery stores near her house do not have a great selection of fresh fruits and vegetables. "I grew up on a farm, my parents planted a lot of the vegetables that we ate, and I still like to eat fresh foods while I am here in Madison," she explained. "It's also great to talk to the vendors and find out about their products." She added, "It's just so interesting to walk around and experience the atmosphere of the market. It's a great feeling to know that so much good food comes from right here in Madison."
If you are have never been to the Saturday Farmers' Market on the Square, be sure to give it a try. If Saturday just doesn't work, there are several other markets in Madison and the surrounding communities, including Sun Prairie, Verona, and Fitchburg.
For more information on these and other markets in the area, consult the Farm Fresh Atlas. This guide is the result of a collaboration between the DCFM, Friends of the DCFM, the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, and the Research, Education, Action, and Policy on Food (REAP) Group, all of which are located in Dane County. It can be found on the REAP website, www.reapfoodgroup.org, and also in various locations in the Madison area. The Farm Fresh Atlas lists 71 farms and businesses offering sustainably and locally grown food, as well as 30 Farmers' Markets located in southern Wisconsin.
So go ahead, buy local and preserve Wisconsin's farming heritage, while ensuring yourself the tastiest produce the state has to offer.