For over 35 years, the Dane County Farmers' Market has provided Madison area residents with fresh, seasonal, Wisconsin-grown products. Every Saturday, rain or shine, more than 200 vendors travel to the Capitol Square to exchange wholesome foods for a small profit. The diverse selection of food provides market goers with endless ingredients to create healthy and hearty meals, along with an opportunity to support local businesses, eating naturally grown products and saving a few dollars in the process.
The Dane County Farmers' Market offers buyers the opportunity to get to know the vendors, the products they are buying and the types of farming practices used to grow their food.
According to Larry Johnson, manager of the Dane County Farmers' Market, the greatest benefit of buying local products lies in the relationship between buyer and vendor. You have a one-on-one connection with the farmer, and that's something you can't get in a grocery store,"" Johnson said.
In addition, buyers are certain to receive fresh, lasting products. ""You're buying local produce, which has not traveled 1,500 miles and has been in storage for weeks,"" Cate Eddy of Ridgeland Harvest, a certified organic produce vendor said. Purchased locally, organic products are grown for their taste, not for their ability to store well over long travels. Farmers' market products are as fresh as they come. ""You know it has been picked at the right time, there's more to the product; it will last longer and taste much better,"" Johnson said.
The flavorful taste of locally grown produce comes from the practices of the farmers. More than 20 of the produce vendors at the farmers' market are USDA Certified Organic growers. This label assures buyers that their produce was not grown in fields covered with harmful chemicals and pesticides. ""It comes down to food safety,"" Eddy said. ""Certified organic produce has the benefit of third-party verification that the food was grown in a sustainable manner without the use of GMO [genetically modified organisms] and synthetic chemicals."" She added that the food does not contain any toxic residues. ""Also, the third-party verification has rules for manure use, whereas produce that is not certified organic has no such rules.""
Although there are only 20 vendors that are certified organic, Johnson confirmed that many of the vendors practice organic methods of farming. To ensure your products are grown without synthetic chemicals, you can search the Dane County Farmers' Market website for a list of certified organic vendors. Johnson suggests getting to know the vendors' practices as you shop to have a better idea of the way they grow their products.
Being able to choose from a variety of products picked only days before the market, buyers are sure to receive quality food. But is there a steeper cost for this quality? In an economic recession, budgets are tight. However, shopping locally may save money.
Spinach is one of many vegetables in season during this time of the year. According to Eddy, who grows the calcium-rich veggie, buyers can purchase fresh spinach plants for as little as $2 a bunch. If you were to trek to a Sentry Foods store, you would find a 10-ounce bag of pre-packaged spinach for just under $3. Many of the seasonal products run at very reasonable prices at the market. However, this may not be the case for every product on the square. Vendors are responsible for setting their own prices, but don't be shy to bargain if you come across a better deal at a different stand.
The country's largest producer-only farmers' market brings hundreds of residents to our Capitol Square once a week for a true Madison tradition. With rich Wisconsin agriculture right in our backyard, we have a unique opportunity to take advantage of locally grown products.
