Every Saturday from April 12 to Nov. 8, over 150 vendors gather around the state Capitol for the Dane County Farmers Market this year. Since 1972, the market has been home to some of Wisconsin’s finest locally produced vegetables, meat, bakery and plants.
The market has only one rule: products must be produced by the vendors in Wisconsin. The Dane County Farmers Market is the largest producer-only farmers market in the country, and community members from Madison to Soldiers Grove participate.
Each vendor shares a commitment to quality, locally produced products and values the direct interaction the market provides. For many, the companies are family-owned, going back generations.
One farmers market staple is Gentle Breeze Honey, based out of Mount Horeb, Wisconsin. Since the 1960s, Gentle Breeze has been maintaining bees and producing honey in southwestern Wisconsin. Eugene Woller started the company, and three generations later, Woller’s son and daughter-in-law, Tim and Catherine Woller, have taken over the family business.
“We do a lot of our sales in grocery stores, so we don’t get that customer contact,” Catherine said. “Just seeing people come out and shop for great local food when it’s 30 degrees, raining [or snowing, it’s awesome.”
Family ties also run deep for Driftless Gold Organic Maple Syrup. For seven generations, the family-run syrup company has operated out of Viola, Wisconsin. Scott Walter, co-owner of the company, enjoys his weekends on the square.
“Everybody's having a good time and it's a great place to hangout," Walter said.
Noah Angle, a Dane County Farmers Market member since 1993, agreed.
“[I love] coming down and talking to the customers,” Angle said. Angle’s 36-year-old stall specializes in root crops, such as potatoes, carrots, beets, onions and winter radishes.
Newcomers and old stalls alike look forward to the crowd that gathers.
Patrick Roth, a Richmond, Wisconsin native who has been at the market for two seasons, likes the steady business.
“This is our second season,” Roth said. “It’s always busy.”
Emily Ricter is one of the owners of Savory Accents. Located in Verona, Wisconsin, the company grows 25 varieties of chili peppers for various oils, sauces and other products.
Savory Accents has been a part of the farmers market for the last 40 years and keeps coming back.
“It’s the connection with the people, the connection with the Earth,” Ricter said.
Another Dane County Farmers Market specialty is Brunkow Cheese of Wisconsin’s Brun-uusto
cheese. The Finnish and Swedish words for ‘baked cheese,’ this exotic cheese with a bread-like crust has been a market staple for 30 years.
Co-owner Karl Geissbuhler’s favorite part of the farmers market is interacting with his customers.
“It's fun to get their feedback on different products. That's what farmers markets are all about, person-to-person interaction," Geissbuhler said.
Another creamy Wisconsin special is Hook’s Cheese Company. Founded over 50 years ago, this Mineral Point institution has been at the farmers market since 1994. Co-founder Tony Hook started making cheese in 1970.
After 35 years at the market, Hook has come to appreciate the face-to-face interaction with his consumer base.
“[It’s nice to be] Selling directly to the consumers so you get direct feedback from the people that are eating your product,” Hook said.
For those who can’t make it on Saturdays, the Wednesday Dane County Farmers’ Market starts April 23 and runs until November 5. From 8:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., shoppers can find an assorted array of locally produced specialties.
