Planning on spending your Saturday morning at the farmers market? Follow this guide!
The Dane County Farmers’ Market, Saturday on the Square, is an iconic Madison tradition. Families with strollers, students with tote bags and couples holding hands stroll along the square, admiring the vibrant produce in the shadow of the state capitol. This producer-only market is the perfect place to spend time outside, try some new treats and support local businesses! But the crowds and sheer size can be a little overwhelming. So, here’s your guide to the ultimate farmer’s market visit!
Step one: set yourself up for success
There is a strategy when it comes to farmer’s markets: you have to have the proper bag arrangement. My recommendation? Bring your everyday purse or crossbody for carrying your basic essentials: money, keys, lip gloss. Then bring a separate tote bag for your shopping. I’ve made the rookie mistake of putting my essentials in the tote bag and this is a recipe for disaster. Why? It makes money and/or lip gloss access impossible! Once your bag is filled with vivacious veggies and yummy pastries, your essentials will be trapped beneath the weight of your shopping. While this is a great way to prevent excess spending, it will make your life more challenging. The bustling atmosphere and fast money exchanges require the utmost efficiency.
Speaking of money, there are a variety of ways to pay for your fresh goods at the Dane County Farmers Market. Most vendors have mobile payment options like Venmo or PayPal, and many accept cards. But, the tried and true way of payment is cash. It is a guarantee that all vendors will accept it, and giving direct cash is the most straightforward option. Also, if you use cash it’s like you’re not spending any money at all! (Kidding, unfortunately, cash is real money). I recommend bringing some cash if you have some, but operating solely with cards and/or mobile pay works well, too.
Step two: pre-gaming the market
My favorite way to approach the market is to walk there, starting at the end of State Street (by the University BookStore) because you can get yourself a fun beverage before you shop! Since the market is a producer-only market, there are no coffee or drink stands, besides the quintessential smoothie stands. But there are many cafes along State Street. You can treat yourself to a coffee, matcha, tea or any drink of your choosing at one of the many cafes along State Street and sip as you stroll down toward the capitol (that’s my kind of pregame). Before you reach the capitol square, you will be intercepted by a hoard of craft vendors. There are boujee bath bombs, handmade knit decor, cute Madison crewnecks and much more. These are great for one-of-a-kind gifts for family, friends, or yourself!
Step three: the market
Then, you will arrive at the star of the show: the market! There are a plethora of vendors (or as Dane County calls them, “members”) of all kinds: produce, florals, breads, honey, maple syrup and jarred goods. The Dane County Farmers Market has so many loyal, quality members.
You will see a lot of family farms with really heartwarming stories and admirable dedication to the market. There’s Singing Fawn Gardens with 32 years at the market under their belt, Hickory Hill Farm a fourth-generation family farm with certified organic produce, Fungi Farmers family owned and operated in Madison with sustainable mushroom farming practices, Young Earth Farm, a women and LGBTQ+ owned organic farm and so many more!
There is also an abundance of local bakeries. The County Bakers are famous for their old-fashioned potato buttermilk donuts and Sugar River County Bakery is family-owned with their exclusive “from scratch” goods sold only at the market. And of course Chris and Lori’s Bakehouse with their iconic scones, which you may have seen on Bria Lemirande’s TikTok, @brialem. This is Chris and Lori’s last year selling at the market, so get them while they last – they freeze well!
Another must-visit is Stella’s. You have to get their Hot & Spicy Cheese bread and eat it immediately! They give it to you warm with gooey melted cheese, slightly sweet bread and spicy red pepper flakes;the perfect balance of flavor and texture. Neat-O-Bake has some amazing homemade pop tarts, I recommend the almond one, it’s like an easier-to-eat version of an almond croissant (no shade to almond croissants).
Land-of-O’s has every jam, jelly, relish, or pickle you could ever need, and they even have mini jars (who doesn’t like mini things?)! Marquardt’s Tree Farm has delicious maple syrup and homemade maple candies! Capri Cheese sells goat cheeses of all kinds. The Gourd Guy is the largest provider of clean, hardshell gourds in the Midwest. Ghost Valley Farms sells their famous Pickle on a Stick, and if you are a pickle lover, you have to try it. Savory Accents specializes in chili products with a variety of vibrant peppers for the spice lovers out there. There are so many members with quality products and cool stories. For more information about the members, their products and their stories visit dcfm.org/members.
Step four: appreciate the vibes & relax
Aside from food, the Dane County Farmers Market has beautiful flowers, live music and decor. Pick out a nice bouquet of flowers for yourself, grab some treats, stock up on your groceries for the week and enjoy the music. There is often a violin player, small band or piano player somewhere along the way. The Raging Granny Singers are always there! They are a non-violent, peaceful protest group of grannies that sing for peace and justice. You can’t miss them in their floral hats and button-filled aprons.
After all your shopping, you’re going to want to take a break and try some of your new treats (or maybe you have already taken a few tastes while walking). Take a seat in the grass outside of the capitol, if you want, bring a picnic blanket and have a picnic with your new foods (you can do that without a blanket too of course). In my opinion, this is the best way to end your visit to the market!
That is my (not-so) scientifically proven best way to navigate the Dane County Farmers’ Market Saturday on the Square! Try it out before the farmers’ market season comes to a close!