Learning to Adapt Together

Maple syrup from Open Kettle Farms

Learning to Adapt Together

Three weeks into the market season and we're so thankful for the response from our customers and supporters. It's a different feeling at market this season as we learn to adjust to the new way of doing things. It feels like the first day at a new school, with different routes to learn and rules to follow. Still the good food and plants we come for are there, tasty and beautiful as ever. The sunshine on a spring market morning is better than any other day of the week stuck inside. While the masks may hide our smiles, the joy a fresh bag of Murphy Farms cheese curds bring is still clear. A bouquet of Lor Farm tulips is just as beautiful and appreciated, even from six feet apart. While we miss sharing some of the social elements of the market this year, we're proud to be open so you can take great food home and enjoy the social time with your household as you savor those tasty market finds. On a typical season, we'd be hosting our "Gear Up for the Garden" event this coming weekend, but alas we'll save our wildflower seed bombs for 2021 instead. Of course many of you are jumping at the chance to get growing this season, and the heat and rain are helping speed things up. There's still time to get some plants from our many greenhouse growers, but don't delay too long, plants are selling quickly this year. We'd also normally be getting ready to spend Memorial Day with our friends and loved ones, with parades and cookouts aplenty. While big gatherings aren't on the list for 2020, we know plenty of you will still be eager to grill out with your households this weekend. Enjoying a tasty burger with Highland Spring Farm beef is 100% approved this weekend, maybe with a side of grilled asparagus from Sai's Garden to round out that plate. Finding and embracing the good things this season will get us through until life goes back to normal. We're all going through this crazy time together. It's hard, frustrating, even scary, but we've got each other and we've got something normal in our weekly market routine. Whether it comes down to taking extra care in one-way traffic aisles or wearing masks, these seem like small sacrifices to make in order to enjoy these wonderful things Wisconsin still has to offer. Though we all must stay apart in these times, we still share in the joy of what brings us together. See you at market! Ben Zimmerman Market Manager P.S. Check us out on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more updates on the market as the season kicks off!

Shopping Safely This Season

Before you make your first trip to market, we'd like you to know what will be different for this season and we ask for your help in keeping things safe. We have an adjusted layout for this season, with single sided vendor aisles spread out with a gap between each vendor. Much like the grocery store, we're asking that foot traffic move in one direction through each market aisle, indicated by our yellow sandwich board signs. We ask you to please follow these directions and be patient as we all adapt to this different flow. As you shop the stalls, please mind the six foot spacing lines in front of vendors' tents. Give each other space to shop and don't crowd into vendor booths. While reusable shopping totes are not banned, if you're using your own bags, please do not ask vendors to pack them for you. Planning your market trip may be the easiest way to get what you need, while keeping the market safe. Many of our vendors will be offering pre-orders that you may place during the week for a quick pick up at their stall on Saturday morning. Below we'll detail what options for pre-order are available this weekend and we'll update that weekly as more vendors add that option. For what you can't pre-order, consider making a shopping list by vendor before you get to the market. Having a plan of action will speed things up and help you get what you need as quickly as possible. We know that these methods won't work for everyone, but those of you who can adapt will be helping everyone with your efficiency. We're also asking everyone to send just one person per household to the market, which will aid us in lowering the crowd count each week. You can also help out by altering your shopping time, consider coming early in the morning (we open at 7am) or later (open until 12:30pm) to lower the crowd pressure during the peak hours. These little adjustments can really help make things operate smoothly and ensure we don't become too crowded. We encourage you all to wear a mask too. Even a bandana is better than nothing and can help lower the risk of transmission. Wash your hands before you come to market, wash them when you get home and with our four handwashing stations set up around the market, you can wash them while you visit too.

No FoodShare Processing This Weekend

Unfortunately, due to issues with our card processor, we will be unable to help FoodShare customers get money off of their account this weekend. We're in the processing of getting this fixed and anticipate being able to help FoodShare shoppers by the end of the month. If you still have green FoodShare dollars from last season, you are welcome to spend them this weekend. The white Double Dollars will not return until June and cannot be accepted by our vendors until that time. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Vendor Updates & Pre-Order Options

Our amazing vendors are providing options for your shopping these season. Find all the latest pre-order options and weekly market offering here. Check back each week for notices about pre-ordering, vendor absences and other special vendor notices. Blue Moon Community Farm is offering pre-ordering of their organic vegetable and herb seedlings on their website. Chris & Lori's Bakehouse is offering the following for this weekend: Chocolate Chip Sconuts White Chocolate Raspberry Scones Espresso Dark Chocolate Scones Rhubarb Oat Scones Cinnamon Oat Scones Whole Grain Raspberry Scones Whole Grain Dark Chocolate Chunk Scones Whole Grain Cranberry Orange Oat Scone (Dairy Free) Gluten Free Vegan Banana Blueberry Scones Scone preorders are $30/Doz (all one flavor) Or $18/ Half Doz (all one flavor) Email your order at CLBakehouse@gmail.com Orders due by noon on Thursday. Don's Produce will be offering bundles of their Arena grown, pesticide free, heirloom cherry tomatoes and cucumbers. They'll also be offering 5lb bags of their sweet potatoes. Dreamfarm is offering pre-orders for market pick-up by calling (608) 767-3442 or emailing diana@dreamfarm.biz Driftless Chocolates is offering pre-orders for market pick-up on their website. Flyte Family Farm is offering pre-orders by calling (715) 228-2304 Fungi Farmers (formerly know as Herb n Oyster) are offering pre-orders through their website. Highland Spring Farm is offering pre-orders for market pick-up on their website. Honey Bee Bakery will be offering pre-orders for market pick-up on their website. JenEhr Family Farm will be offering a great array of their farm fresh organic produce, from fresh greens to tasty crisp radishes. They'll also be offering their pasture raised chicken. Madison Sourdough will be doing pre-orders only this weekend. Get your order in by Wednesday evening on their website. McCluskey Brothers Shillelagh Glen Farms is offering pre-ordering on their website. Open Kettle Farms is offering pre-orders of their maple syrup. Contact them on their Facebook page to order. ParKelm Farm is offering pre-orders for market pick-up on their website.

Fresh Flyte Family Farm tomatoes

Connect with our Vendors!

This list of alternative means to get our vendors' products will grow as new offerings roll in. Please check back regularly and feel free to email Market Manager Ben if you're looking to connect with any vendor not listed. Alsum Sweet Corn: Frozen sweet corn available at Metcalfe's Hilldale and West. Check their website for more information: www.alsumsweetcorn.com Participant in Dane County Farmers' Market's Local Food Pick Up Black Earth Valley: Participant in Dane County Farmers' Market's Local Food Pick Up Blue Moon Community Farm: Online ordering now available for their organic seedlings, on farm pick up Wednesday evening for pre-orders. Check their online store for more: https://bluemooncommunityfarm.square.site Bryant Family Farms: Webstore: www.bryantfamilyfarms.org Eggs also offered through Landmark Creamery's Special Local Delivery service: https://landmarkcreamery.com/collections/special-delivery Chris & Lori's Bakehouse: Weekly pick up orders available in Madison on Saturdays. Check their Facebook page for updates and email CLBakehouse@gmail.com to inquire about available selections. Check their website for more information: http://chrisandlorisbakehouse.com Participant in Dane County Farmers' Market's Local Food Pick Up Don's Produce: Offering deliveries of their produce to the downtown Madison area. To inquire, call or text: 608-574-0294 Participant in Dane County Farmers' Market's Local Food Pick Up Dreamfarm: Some products available at Willy Street Co-op and Metcalfe's locations. Contact via phone or email for more ordering options: (608) 767-3442 or diana@dreamfarm.biz Driftless Chocolates (New 2020 vendor): Online ordering available via: https://driftlesschocolates.com/ Emerald Meadows Family Farm: Check their Facebook page for details. Farmer Johns' Cheese: Participant in Dane County Farmers' Market's Local Food Pick Up Flyte Family Farm: Participant in Dane County Farmers' Market's Local Food Pick Up (Wednesday only) Forgotten Valley Cheese (New 2020 vendor): Online ordering available, check their website: http://www.forgottenvalleycheese.com/ Fungi Farmers (Formerly known as Herb N Oyster): Offering Saturday delivery to the Madison area. Details and limited online ordering: https://www.fungifarmers.com/ Participant in the Madison Farmers Unite pickup program. Green's Pleasant Springs Orchard: Varieties of head lettuce available for on-farm pickup north of Stoughton. Call 608-852-4165 to pre-order for Wednesday or Saturday afternoon pickup. Highland Spring Farm: Wednesday afternoon and Saturday morning farm stand sales at their farm just south of Madison. Check their webstore to order: https://highlandspringfarm.grazecart.com/store Products also offered through Landmark Creamery's Special Local Delivery service: https://landmarkcreamery.com/collections/special-delivery Honey Bee Bakery: Delivery & pickup options available, check website for details: https://honeybeebakery.org/index.html Participant in the Madison Farmers Unite pickup program. Products also offered through Landmark Creamery's Special Local Delivery service: https://landmarkcreamery.com/collections/special-delivery

JenEhr Family Farm: Participant in Dane County Farmers' Market's Local Food Pick Up (Wednesdays only)

Kopke's Greenhouse: Greenhouse is open, with 8:00am-9:30am reserved for senior shoppers. Pre-orders via email, 608-835-7569 or SALES@kopkesgreenhouse.com, for pick up or delivery with small fee. Check their website for more details: https://kopkesgreenhouse.com/shopping-options/ Mad Maiden Shrub: Online ordering available: https://www.madmaidenshrub.com/shop Products also available at the following retail locations: Fromagination, Willy Street Coop, Jenifer Street Market, Hyvee (Whitney Way and Fitchburg), Orange Tree Imports, Metcalfe’s Market (West and Hilldale), and Regent Street Market Madison Sourdough: Online pre-order for Friday or Sunday pick on Williamson Street. Check their website for more: https://www.madisonsourdough.com/ McCluskey Brothers Shillelagh Glen Farms: Online ordering available on their website: http://www.mccluskeybros.com/store/index.php Beef available at Willy Street East, cheese available at Willy East and West, maple syrup available at Metcalfe's Hilldale. Natalie's Garden & Greenhouse: Online ordering now available for curbside greenhouse pick up, open daily 8am - 6pm and 9am - 5pm Sundays; delivery also available in the Madison area with a small fee. Website: www.nataliesgardenandgreenhouse.com Open Kettle Farms: No-contact pickup being offered for their maple syrup. Check their Facebook page for details. ParKelm Farm: Shop online via: https://parkelm.farm/buy-pasture-raised-products/ Saturday delivery to the Madison area also being offered: https://parkelm.farm/new-delivery-route-for-the-fox-cities/?fbclid=IwAR3tFELLKpptijfsc9gBjAtEblBHFzSZ_ROOgg39BpY9S6nyTPXZGt0vMQ8 Savory Accents: Online ordering available on their website: https://savoryaccents.com/ Phone/email orders accepted for on-farm pickup, 608-848-4938 or chilies@tds.net Products also offered through Landmark Creamery's Special Local Delivery service: https://landmarkcreamery.com/collections/special-delivery Participant in Dane County Farmers' Market's Local Food Pick Up Stella's Bakery: The bakery on Syene Road is open Tuesday through Saturday, 7am - 2pm, for curbside pre-ordered pickup. Preorder on their website: https://www.stellasbakery.store/ Check their Facebook page for updates. Participant in Dane County Farmers' Market's Local Food Pick Up Steppin' Out Foods (New 2020 vendor): Check their Facebook page for updates. Tortillas Los Angeles: Delivery available via partnership with Christine's Kitchen. Check out the website to order: https://www.christines-kitchens.com/ Underground Meats: Online store and limited local delivery: http://www.undergroundmeats.com/ Urban Gourmet:

Check their website: https://www.madurbangourmet.com/ or Facebook page for future updates. West Star Organics: Online ordering available for pick up at their greenhouse south of Cottage Grove. Check their website for details and to place your order: http://www.weststarorganics.com/ Wetherby Cranberry Co.: Check out their web store here: https://freshcranberries.com/buy-cranberries/

Didn't see who you're looking for? Not all of our vendors have product yet available or are offering purchasing alternatives at this time. We'll keep updating this list as new venues for connecting customers to vendors arise.