Dayne County Farmer's Market - Something for Everyone

When Saturdays in Wisconsin aren’t busy with football tailgates, the Badgers head down to Capitol Square to shop at the Dane County Farmer’s Market.  It’s here that you’ll find an enormous assortment of the freshest seasonal produce, flowers of all kinds, and baked goods like Grandma used to make.  The Dane County Farmer’s Market is the largest farmer’s market in the country with over 150 vendors stretched around the square, with each selling their own specialty products and produce.  If you’re looking for fresh and local food, this is the place to come.

Dane County is the perfect blend of urban and rural cultures, but before 1972, the two cultures had kept their distance apart.  It was then that the mayor, Bill Dyke, had the idea to replicate an early European tradition where farmers would head to the city center to sell their products to the townspeople.  When it first began, a measly five farmers showed up to the disappointment of buyers.  However, just one year later farmers lined up by the dozen to get a good vending spot.  Nowadays, vendors have to go through a licensing process in order to be able to sell on the square.  What are the requirements to procure a license, you ask? Simple…everything has to be Wisconsin grown.

The market is held on Saturdays during three out of four seasons of the year – you couldn’t even convince Jack Frost to come out in Madison winters – and offers a wide variety of seasonal foods.   If you’re wondering what’s fresh when you go to visit here’s a little cheat sheet:

April & May
Asparagus, Bakery goods, Bedding plants, Bunch onions, Cheese, Cut flowers, Dry beans, Greenhouse cucumbers and tomatoes, Hanging baskets, Lettuce, Maple syrup, Meats, Morel mushrooms, Perennial plants, Rhubarb, Spinach, Other specialty items

June
Asparagus, Baby carrots, Beets, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cucumbers, Greenhouse cucumbers and tomatoes, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Maple syrup, Peas, Rhubarb, Salad greens, Strawberries, Zucchini

July
Apples, Baby Carrots, Beets, Broad Beans, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Cherries, Cuccumbers, Currants, Dill, Eggplant, Gooseberries, Green and yellow beans, Greenhouse cucumbers and tomatoes, Honey, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Maple syrup, Okra, Peas (Sugar, Snap and Snow), Pesto, Potatoes, Raspberries, Rhubarb, Salad greens, Strawberries, Summer squash, Swiss chard, Tomatoes (Cherry, Beefsteak), Zucchini

August
Apples, Artichokes, Baby carrots, Beets, Broad beans, Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celariac, Celery, Cherries, Cucumbers, Dill, Dried flowers, Edible gourds, Eggplant, Flowers, French shallots, Garlic, Green and yellow beans, Greenhouse cucumbers and tomatoes, Herbs, Honey, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Maple syrup, Melons, Okra, Onions, Parsley, Parsnips, Pears, Plums, Potatoes, Peas (Sugar, Snap, Snow), Peppers, Pesto, Rhubarb, Rutabagas, Salad mix, Strawberries, Summer squash, Sweet corn, Swiss chard, Tomatoes (Cherry, Beefsteak), Wild mushrooms, Winter squash, Zucchini

September, October, November
Apples, Artichokes, Beets, Broad beans, Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celariac, Celery, Cucumbers, Dill, Dried flowers, Edible gourds, Eggplant, Flowers, French shallots, Garlic, Gourds, Grapes, Green and yellow beans, Herbs, Honey, Indian corn, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Maple syrup, Melons, Okra, Onions, Parsley, Parsnips, Pears, Peppers, Pesto, Plums, Potatoes, Rutabagas, Salad mix, Strawberries, Summer squash, Sweet corn, Swiss chard, Tomatoes (Cherry, Beefsteak), Wild mushrooms, Winter squash, Zucchini

Vendors may be any of numerous organic farms, bakeries, florists, butchers, and cheese makers, but the best part is that all products are made in the wonderful state of Wisconsin.  The vendors often make friends with the “regulars” and are eager to share their love of food with anybody passing by.  So, if something catches your eye, certainly don’t be afraid to ask for a sample!  Also, if the size of the market gets to be a bit overwhelming and you can’t find that one bakery stand that everybody seems to talk about (Oakhouse Farm, I promise you won’t be disappointed!), the market has an information stand equipped with maps, info about special events and even a Lost and Found.

Besides just having food, the Dayne County Farmer’s Market offers entertainment for anybody looking for a good time.  As you walk around the square keep an eye out for neighborhood Shakespeare performers shouting MacBeth lines with great animation, talented street-musicians looking to make a buck, or even sponsored events like Crazy Legs Race or the Art Fair on the Square.  And if walking around is beginning to tire you out, do allow the grassy knoll surrounding the Capitol to take a load off as you take a seat to bask in the warm Madison sun. 

If you happen to be in Madison during the cold winter months, don’t fret just yet.  The market offers a “Winter Market Breakfast.”  For just $7, attendees get to enjoy a mouthwatering meal made of farmer’s market products, but be sure to get there early (breakfast starts at 8:30am) because the kitchen is closed as soon as the foods gone.  The menu also changes every week, reason enough to keep me coming back for more.  

This market has become my favorite part of visiting Madison – yes it even outweighs a freshly grilled brat – and I definitely recommend checking it out for a leisurely Saturday activity.  Check out the Dayne County Farmer’s Market website for more information about vendors or volunteering. http://www.dcfm.org/

Photos and words by Juliann Botham