The Dane County Farmers’ Market is arriving April 12 and vendors eagerly await the Madison community to stop by. Many vendors attending the market, including Curiousfarmer, Rolling Pin Bakeshop and Macarons by Sim, aspire to build communal relationships this year.
Egg price increases haven’t discouraged these vendors from focusing on delivering quality products for the community. An egg market report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows wholesale egg prices have declined from $6.55 in January to $3 in March, but customers can’t find these more affordable eggs at the shopping markets just yet.
For people who consume eggs, the market can provide a great opportunity to purchase relatively affordable ones. Hannah Menzel, a market assistant for the Dane County Farmers’ Market, acknowledged how the cost of eggs has increased in grocery stores. Though she’s uncertain about specific product shortages in the market, the cost of eggs at the farmer’s market remains more stable compared to those in stores.
“You can still buy a dozen organic eggs for $6 or less at the market, which is really, really nice,” Menzel said.
Three vendors at this year’s farmers’ market noted the impact they anticipate egg prices to have on their businesses.
Curiousfarmer owner Matthew Walter has been a vendor at Dane County Farmers’ Market since 2008.
“We’ve kept our price the same, at $6 a dozen — we didn’t want to gouge our good customers through the wintertime,” Walter said. “We might raise it at the outdoor market but probably not.”
Walter prepares for the farmers’ market the night before by packaging eggs and arranging meat products so he can transport them early Saturday mornings.
“We’re excited for another great year and thank all of the customers in the Madison Area,” Walter said. “It’s a great community.”
A new vendor, Tanya Laiter, is one of the owners of Rolling Pin Bakeshop, a locally owned bakery and cafe.
“We are actually going to work with another company who is totally local and they raise chickens and eggs,” Laiter said. “Their price was not increased, surprisingly, and we are waiting for them to respond to us. But as of right now, yes, eggs are [at a] very high [price]. We increased some prices but not on everything. We make it comfortable for the customer.”
While she anticipates collaborating with a local egg producer, Laiter also added that she plans to continue her partnership with the egg producer she currently collaborates with.
“We are going to bring some Eastern-European pastries there, some delicious cookies, too, and our famous urban cheese biscuits,” Laiter said. “We are going to bring only popular items — they are all-natural from scratch and people will enjoy them, hopefully.”
Rolling Pin Bakeshop also plans on providing some gluten-free brownies and vegan brownies to accommodate all customers, according to Laiter.
As the market approaches, Laiter is excited to be in the downtown Madison area.
“I think it’s the most incredible farmers’ market ever, ” Laiter said. “I always wanted to be on the square because it’s such [a] great feeling. You provide good stuff and people love it and it’s just good energy there.”
Another new vendor this year, Simona Fabian, the owner of Macarons by Sim, explained how her macarons have been impacted by many ingredient price increases, not only eggs.
“I am affected by the prices going up on every single ingredient that I need for my baking,” Fabian said. “The almond flour, the sugar, the confectioners sugar, the egg prices, of course, I use a lot of eggs for my baking — it’s my main ingredient. I might have to go up a little bit on my prices this year.”
Fabian said she will also offer small packages of macarons at the farmers’ market. Since this is her first time attending the market as a vendor, she is looking to experiment with flavors. She also notes that all her macarons are gluten-free, and there will be dairy-free options as well.
The market provides a great space for Fabian to gain more traction for her business.
“Well, from what I hear, it’s the best market in Madison,” Fabian said. “I’m going to get new customers from all around Wisconsin. I’m going to start this year, and I’m excited about it.”
Though these vendors have been affected by increasing egg prices, they’re determined to engage with the community and provide quality products.
Menzel shared how rewarding it is to see vendors and customers engage with each other.
“I would say the most rewarding part is getting to actively support local producers,” Menzel said. “Allowing them access and helping them gain access to 20,000 customers every single Saturday is a really unique thing about my job.”
For the future, Menzel aspires for the Dane County Farmers’ Market to be a space that encourages interaction among vendors and customers while also being a place where visitors can find nutritious food, and this year is no different.
