Madison in parts: The Dane County Farmer's Market

Around here, we like our farmer's markets, I know. The Ann Arbor Market could pick a fight with almost any other market in southeast Michigan and win on sheer number of supporters alone. Ann Arbor farmer's market rolls deep, and for a good reason-- we have a great little producer-only market on our hands.

The Dane County Farmer's Market market is also Producer-only, but boasts over 300 vendors (for contrast, A2 has about 100) and is widely believed to be the largest producer-only market in the county.
It's mind boggling. It's farmer's market mecca. I'm serious. Its the only farmer' s market written up in that 1,000 Places to see Before you Die book (as far as I can tell from my very unempirical flipping through). It is the market.

It's held each Saturday around capitol square, which is the sidewalk that rings Madison's spectacular capitol building in the center of downtown.
It is a well established fact that foot traffic moves counter clockwise around the square-- not that you have much of a choice. By the the time we left at 11 am, the crowds were like art fair, or Huron's 6200 hall, or floor ticket at a concert. A concert full of veggie loving folk with a thing for cave aged Gouda and cheese curds.



Not to mention ostrich jerky and jam and snickerdoodles and hot and spicy cheese bread, which was still warm when we bought it, wispy like old fashioned school rolls, flecked with hot pepper flakes and greasy cheese pockets.

It definitely did not make it home with us.