From Buds to Blossoms

Farm fresh Dreamfarm eggs, what better to mark the return of market?

From Buds to Blossoms

The gods of spring surely heard our prayers this last weekend, as we welcomed in the 20th season of the Westside Community Market with what felt like a blessed peach of a day.

Sunshine blanketed our first strolls through the aisles, as we caught up with the neighbors and vendors alike who we'd missed during the winter.

Shoppers shared their news as they waited for their first Madison Sourdough croissants and talked about new finds, like elm mushrooms (pictured) from Fungi Farmers.

For other shoppers, restocking the essentials was first on the list. That meant new jars of honey from B's Honey, spice blends from Savory Accents and the flavor-packed Kick Sauce from Ernie's Homemade Hot Sauce (pictured).

Soaking up the warmth of the sun during the season opener was quite the motivator for others who are itching to get back in the garden. Domann's Plants was awash with shoppers perusing their vegetable and flower starts, offering many varieties to satisfy those green thumbs.

While some can enjoy expansive garden spaces, for those making the most of their balconies, patios and window boxes, check out the lettuce bowls offered by County Line Plants & Produce (pictured). These cute planters allow shoppers to grow their own greens, harvest as they go and then repeat the cycle for future harvests.

For the bakers out there, we also got the heads up from County Line that the first rhubarb of the season will be heading into market this weekend. If you're itching to make a pie or crumble, we recommend coming early before it's sold out.

As it goes in spring, the forecast looks a bit cooler this weekend, so grab those sweaters before venturing out to market to welcome more of our returning vendors, with prospects of the first radishes, spring greens and (spoken in an apprehensive whisper) rumors of the first asparagus of the season. Shh!

Oh boy do we have a lot to look forward to this season. It's just beginning...

See you at market!

Ben Zimmerman

Market Manager

manager.wcm@gmail.com

As a reminder to everyone, dogs are prohibited within the market area, though we welcome service animals at all times.

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