As the leaves melt into a wide spectrum of colors and the pleasant summer breezes morph into frigid gusts, we are reminded that winter is quickly approaching. The end to this tradition-filled season undoubtedly calls for the last-minute carving of pumpkins, excessive consumption of caramel apples and perhaps a few spooky nights exploring corn mazes. One weekly event in particular that will soon be coming to a close as fall fades is the Dane County Farmers’ Market that hosts stands selling a wide array of local goodies.
Most transparently, the farmers’ market acts as a start-of-the-weekend pastime for many students at the University of Madison. Walking around Capitol Square and simply observing the richness of the cultures, people and values expressed can be reason enough to experience the market. Bringing your best friend, your significant other or even your parents to take a stroll around the square is a wonderful opportunity to spend quality time with loved ones while also getting some exercise! (Though I might point out that any exercise that I ever get while walking around the square is always entirely outweighed by the three or four baked goods I consume while walking … oops!)
The farmers’ market offers not only fresh fruits and vegetables, but also flowers, fried treats, nuts, honey, baked goods and my personal favorite — all the cheese anyone could possibly desire. The selection offered at this particular farmers’ market is incredible, as countless farmers often offer their own products of the same type of goods. These endless choices easily outweigh any limited options available at a supermarket. Many locals even offer pumpkins, making it possible to satisfy that carving itch most of us have around this time of year.
In addition to the wide variety of goods available, the quality of the produce sold at the Dane County Farmers’ Market always amazes me. Last weekend I bought a cucumber for 75 cents that was almost the size of a loaf of bread! The produce is not only extremely fresh, but often the vegetables are larger than the produce offered at regular supermarkets. Don’t get me wrong, the vegetables are not always ginormous. As I mentioned earlier, the wide selection of produce offers a perfect option for everyone. A large reason for the unbelievable freshness of these fruits and vegetables stems from the fact that the farmers are almost always local. This means that the food does not have to travel across the country or world in order to end up in Madison. The elimination of travel time allows farmers to offer some of the freshest produce possible.
The cost of many of the items at the farmers’ market is less than or comparable to prices found at institutionalized grocery stores. Although sometimes the bakery items can climb a smidge higher than prices on factory made products of the same type, the quality often justifies the few extra cents. Additionally, the prices of organic products are lower than many organic products that are sold at supermarkets.
The choice to shop at farmers’ markets is a choice that is not only beneficial to the consumers, but also to the local producers who are fellow community members. By choosing to purchase local goods, we are choosing to support our neighbors.
The last day of the Dane County Farmers’ Market is Nov. 8.
