Dane County Farmers' Market
 Dane County Farmers' Market eNewsletter

Saturday, October 31, 2009
6:00 am - 2:00 pm
On the Capitol Square

Wednesday, November 4, 2009
8:30 am - 2:00 pm
200 Block of Martin Luther King Blvd.

Garlic from Bleu Mont Dairy. --Photo by Bill Lubing 
TopPotent garlic from Willi Lehner at
Bleu Mont Dairy. (Located on North Carroll St.)
--Photo by Bill Lubing



In This Issue
This Week ...
DCFM Scholarship Fund
Giants and Weirdness at DCFM
Recipe: Halloween Pumpkin Soup
AT MARKET THIS WEEK
Market Information
Looking Ahead ...

Quick Links
Join our list
Join Our Mailing List

thisweekThis Week ...

Pie Pumpkins from J's Veggie Patch. --Photo by Bill Lubing


Tasty pumpkins for making pies from J's Veggie Patch.
(Located on North Carroll St.) --Photo by Bill Lubing

Dear DCFM Enthusiast,


Those who know me would tell you I can read a map but am baffled by a calendar. I'm usually at the right place, but not necessarily at the right time. That's what happened last week when I incorrectly reported that the first Indoor DCFM at the Monona Terrace would be on November 7. As many of you correctly pointed out, November 7 is the last outdoor market of the season. The first indoor market takes place on November 14, 2009.

For those of you attending the Wednesday outdoor market, the last session is next week, on November 4. For those of you who still may not trust my calendar reading skills, here's a link to the DCFM web site "When & Where" page.

One thing we did get right last week, and bears repeating this week because there's a potential for free products, is that schedules and cards for the DCFM Annual drawing are available at the Information Tent, on North Carroll St. at State St. (Note: Market Manager Larry Johnson says that Freak Fest may cause the Info Tent to be in a slightly different place but will be in the general area.

Cards can be entered beginning on November 14 (the first indoor market) and the drawing will take place on November 28. Awards will be as DCFM gift certificates with one first place prize of $75; one second place prize of $50; and 11 third place prices of $25.

Finally, remember that Saturday's Freak Fest will cause no changes to the DCFM's operation except vehicular traffic will be closed off for North Carroll and West Mifflin streets. The DCFM Info Tent may be in a slightly different place than is normal.


Bill Lubing
[email protected]
 

 

DCFM Scholarship Fund
The wonder created by large growing things. --Photo by Bill Lubing
Established last year, the Dane County Farmers' Market Scholarship Fund seeks to provide scholarship grants to college or technical school students who intend to major in a field that complements the mission of the DCFM. Fields of study include agriculture journalism, soils, agriculture science, etc.

Market Manager Larry Johnson notes that the members of the DCFM wanted to establish a fund to help qualified recipients with a demonstrated financial need as a way to give back to the community and encourage youth who endeavor to pursue an agriculture-related  career.

The fund is administered by the Madison Community Foundation, with grant recipients evaluated and screened by the Scholarship Committee of the DCFM Board of Directors.

At this time no grants are slated to be awarded as the fund has not attainted a sufficient capital threshold to begin disbursement. Larry says the amount of dollars contributed by DCFM members has been been impressive. The hope is that DCFM attendees who believe in the mission of the market will feel the DCFM Scholarship Fund would put their tax-deductible contributions to good use so that the Fund can begin giving grants.

To contribute to the fund go here. The name of the fund is "The Dane County Farmer's Market Scholarship Fund" and its fund number is 8090802. For more information contact the Madison Community Foundation at 608-232-1772 or (toll free) 888-400-7643. Larry Johnson can be contacted at 608-455-1999 or [email protected].

Giants and Weirdness Abound at the DCFM

 Tess Hauser with her giant cabbage. --Photo by Bill Lubing
 
What would you do with a huge cabbage like the one shown above being hefted by DCFM Enthusiast Tess Hauser? Tess, who is a Friends of the DCFM board member and faithful volunteer did what any enthusiastic cook would do. "I made tons of cabbage borscht," she wrote.

RDell Johnson and his puff ball. --Photo by Bill LubingWe know that Tess bought her cabbage at the DCFM but we're not too sure where.

We do know where the gigantic 13 pound puffball dragged from the market by RDell Johnson came from, however. Dan Schultz of Wodill Greenhouse (located on North Carroll St.) had, not one, but two of these giants. RDell took his home and made mushroom soup ... gallons of it, from his puffball.

Interestingly, while the 13 pound giant puffball was larger than any Dann or others gathering at his stall had ever seen, they are not that unusual, as noted by the authorities.

[Note: If you're inclined to seek and eat puffballs, make sure you know the difference between these edible mushrooms and the deadly amanitas, which looks frightfully similar.

We thought we'd seen it all from Dann with the gigantic puffball. Yet he wasn't finished with us yet. The eggplant (shown below) that has been greeting visitors to his stall for the last several weeks is just plain weird. It's strange enough that it waves but it also says hello in both Bengali and Portuguese.

Dan Schultz's happy eggplant. --Photo by Bill Lubing





recipeRecipes: Halloween Pumpkin Soup
with Breadstick Broomsticks


by English_Rose

Halloween Pumpkin Soup with
Breadstick Broomsticks
Serves 4

This hearty, warming pumpkin soup is perfect for Halloween, especially when it's served with breadstick broomsticks! It's packed with goodness and it's low-fat too ... a winner all round!


Ingredients
2 tablespoons sunflower (or olive) oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1-1/2 lbs pumpkin, roughly chopped
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
2 pints water or vegetable broth
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons cream

Broomsticks
4 part-baked breadsticks
2 tablespoons sunflower (or olive) oil


Directions

  1. Heat the oil in a large pan.  Add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes to soften.
  2. Add the pumpkin and sweet potato and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the water or stock. Season with salt and ground black pepper, cover and bring to the boil. Simmer for 25 minutes until the pumpkin and sweet potato are really tender.
  3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400�F Cut the breadstick dough in half lengthways, then make several cuts one third of the way up the length to look like broom bristles. Repeat with the other bread, put onto a large baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes until golden.
  4. Stir the milk into the soup, whiz everything together in blender or processor in batches until smooth.
  5. Return to the pan and gently warm through. Pour into bowls and finish with a swirl of cream.

Recipe adapted from recipezaar.com


 

 
At Market This Week

Onions from Plahnt Farm. --Photo by Bill Lubing

Beautiful red onions from Plahnt Farm.
(Located on East Mifflin St. at Wisconsin Ave.) --Photo by Bill Lubing

We strive to keep this list as accurate as possible. We probably  missed an item or two that is at the market or listed an item as available when it is not.  Please use this as a general guide to what's at the market this week.

Pecatonica Valley Farm
has some new frozen pulled pork that is just great. It's precooked. All you do is thaw, heat, and put on your favorite bread or add a side or two for a great meal.

Mary Uselman from Don's Produce was quite excited a few weeks back because of the special tomato sauce she has created. Using their Bolzano Orange and Lorenzo Yellow tomatoes, this is a tomato sauce the color and taste of which you've never experienced before. Don's Produce is growing the tomatoes and RP's Pasta is processing and canning it for them. Mary has a mysterious smile when she says there are more products "coming soon."

Some of the peppers are starting to slow down a little bit but there will be plenty of them at market, along with cabbage, cauliflower, parsnips, and potatoes. There are some beautiful leeks available, along with salad mixes, kale, and radishes. Squash and onions are in great supply.



Breads
Biscotti
Cheesecake
Cinnamon rolls
Cookies
Doughnuts
'Mpanata
Flat breads
Muffins
Panettone
Pastries
Ragusa Style Sicilian semolina bread
Scaccia
Sweet breads
Tea breads
Torts


Cheese
Cheese curds
Goat cheese
Sheep milk cheese
World-class aged cheeses


Decorations

Candles
Decorative gourds
House plants



Fresh Cut, Dried Flowers
Cut Flowers
Pussy Willows 
Red Curly Willow 
Red Dogwood 
Willow Wreaths

Fresh Vegetables

Beans (several varieties)
Beets (several varieties)
bok choi
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Carrots
Celeriac
Chard
Cilantro
Collard greens
Edamame
Eggplant
Fennel
Garlic
Herbs
Hon Tsai Tai
Horseradish
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce (several varieties)
Mizuna
Onions (several varieties)
Parsley
Peppers (hot and sweet)
Potatoes
Radishes
Savoy cabbage
Shallots
Salad mixes
Spinach
Sorrel
Sunchokes
Tomatoes (several varieties)

Fruit
Apples
Cantaloupe
Cranberries
Grapes
Jams, jellies, preserves
Pears
Plums
Raspberries, fresh
Raspberries, frozen
Tomatoes

Live Plants
Prairie Plants
Succulent dish gardens
Woodland plants

Meats (Grass and grain fed)
Angus beef
Beef
Bison
Brats and sausage
Chicken
Conventional cuts
Duck
Elk
Emu
Ham
Highland beef
Lamb
Ostrich
Pork
Rabbit
Special cuts
Trout (smoked and fresh)
Venison
 

Specialty Items
Bloody Mary mix
Butternuts
Candles
Eggs
Flavored sea salt
Flour
Hickory nuts
Honey
Hot sauces
Infused olive oil
Mushrooms
Pasta
Pasties (frozen)
Pesto
Popcorn
Salsa
Soup (canned)
Sunflower oil
Tomato sauces
Vinaigrettes


 
Market Information

Cauliflower from Lange's Country Market. --Photo by Bill Lubing

Three colors of cauliflower from Lange's Country Market.
(Located on West Mifflin St. at Wisconsin Ave.) --Photo by Bill Lubing

Saturday Outdoor Market Schedule (In Session Now)
Date: Every Saturday during the Summer and Fall
Hours: 6:00am to 2:00pm
Where: Downtown Madison on the Capitol Square
Last Session: November 7, 2009
 
Wednesday Outdoor Market Schedule (In Session Now)
Date: Every Wednesday during the Summer and Fall
Hours: 8:30am to 2:00pm
Where: 200 Block of Martin Luther King Blvd.
Last Session: November 4, 2009
 
Saturday Indoor Market Schedule
(First Session at Monona Terrace Starts November 14)
Date: Every Saturday starting November 7
except December 26, 2009 and January 2, 201o
Hours: 7:30 am to Noon
Where: End of Martin Luther King Blvd.
First Session: November 14, 2009

Saturday Indoor Market Schedule
(Second Session at Madison Senior Center
Starts January 9, 2010 )
Date: Every Saturday starting January 9, 2010
Hours: 7:30 am to Noon
Where: Madison Senior Center, 330 West Mifflin St.



Parking
 
Questions About the Market?
 If you have any questions about the market or the vendors, please contact the market manager, Larry Johnson, at 608-455-1999 or email him at [email protected]. The  DCFM website provides much  information as well.
 
Dane County Farmers' Market
Volunteer Opportunities

Please contact Ruth Miller at [email protected] for information about volunteering at the market breakfasts (winter months only) or during the outdoor market at the information booth. It's fun, rewarding, and really appreciated by the market-going public.
 
Friends of the DCFM
For information on volunteering for any educational projects and programs on the Square or becoming a member of Friends of the Dane County Farmers' Market contact Danielle Wood at [email protected].
 

Looking Ahead ...
Peppers from Out of Our Gourd. --Photo by Bill Lubing

Peppers from Out of Our Gourd.
(Located on South Carroll St.)
--Photo by Bill Lubing

Farmers' Market Vegetable Quiche, Leek Mushroom Strata, Apple Crisp Cheesecake, and Gluten Free Apple and Pumpkin pies. These are just a few of the wonderful savory and sweet pies that will be featured at Reap Food Group's Fifth Annual Pie Palooza! to be held on Sunday, November 8, 2009 at the Goodman Community Center, 149 Waubesa St., in Madison. Tickets are $16 in advance or $18 at the door and get you a choice of two slices of scrumptious sweet or savory pie, a farm-fresh salad, and a beverage.

Admission to the event will be by timed entry during three one-hour slots, starting at 9:30 am. Walk-ups are welcome from 12:30 to 1 pm.

All proceeds from Pie Palooza! support REAP Food Group programs. New this year, whole pumpkin or apple pies may be pre-ordered, to take home for your Thanksgiving dinner.

Chefs and bakers from all over the area are contributing their culinary masterpieces to this event, including many of our DCFM vendors. Tasty delights from Grace Cheesecake, Jordandal Farms, Silly Yak Bakery, and RP's Pasta will be served alongside those from Bradbury's, Dardanelles, L'Etoile, Fresco, the Mermaid Caf�, and many other area eateries.

Finally, Lori Skelton from Wisconsin Public Radio dropped us a line to let us know that she'll be hosting the Friday, October 30 "Here on Earth" Food Friday. She'll be interviewing Gourmet Magazine editor-in chief and cookbook author Ruth Reichl about her new book, Gourmet Today, which focuses on the new ingredients you can find at both the farmers' market and supermarket. Lori writes that she hopes, "farmers and cooks will be calling in to share their kitchen stories!"

Oh, and about Dann's eggplant ... just joshing. It barely waves, much less talks.


Until next week ...

Sincerely

Bill Lubing
DCFM

[email protected]