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Dane County Farmers' Market eNewsletter
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July 2, 2011
6:00 am - 2:00 pm
Downtown Madison Parking Map
(Private ramps and street parking are also available.)
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Plenty of a Good Thing ... ... Snap peas, new potatoes, and strawberries from
the Xiong Family of Eau Claire. [East Main St.] --Photo by Bill Lubing
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 This Week ...
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 Whichever Came First...
... makes little difference. They're both delicious
from Pecatonica Valley Farm.
[East Main St. at MLK Blvd..]. --Photo by Bill Lubing
Dear DCFM Enthusiast,
Plenty to Choose from for the Fourth
This Saturday expect a Dane County Farmers' Market full of fresh produce, a wide variety of meats, cheeses, bakery, and more. The market will be operating its regular hours from 6:00 am until 2:00 pm. Seasonal products such as ground cherries, peas, and lettuce will be plentiful, as will tomatoes, basil, and zucchini. All of the fixings for a terrific Fourth of July picnic are available at the DCFM, from the market to the catsup, pickles, and the finest locally produced meats and cheeses. For a terrific meatless burger, check out the awesome portabella mushrooms available from several DCFM producers. The market has been getting busy earlier. For the best selection come early! Friends School on the Square The first Saturday of each month the Friends of the DCFM holds its free School on the Square in the Graze Courtyard at the US Bank Building on South Pinckney St. This Saturday at 10:00 the kids' activities begin with Worms and Peas, presented in conjunction with the REAP Farm to School program. Kids can sample different varieties of peas, then hold and observe real worms as they turn food scraps into soil. Participants can take home information on starting their own worm composting bin. At the 12:00 Noon chef demo, Chef Daniel Fox from the Madison Club will be demonstrating and sampling some delicious recipes made with ingredients available at the market. For more information contact Sarah Elliott at friends.sarahe@gmail.comSee you at market.
Bill Lubing
bill@dcfm.org
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Getting to Know You:
Monthly DCFM 'Market Walk'
Helps MG&E Employees Become
Savvy Market Consumers
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At the Wednesday DCFM Hallie Ringhand
of New U talks produce with MGE 'Market Walk' employees. --Photo by Bill Lubing Beth Skalitzky, Senior Employee Benefits Manager at Madison Gas & Electric thinks, "The benefits (MGE employees) are going to get are by far better than anything else that we could teach them." She is referring to the company's work site wellness campaign called "Go fresh go local."
"As an employer we're really trying to encourage our employees to take personal responsibility for their health," Beth says. "We're trying to encourage our employees to purchase fresh, locally grown produce." Beth says by introducing employees to fresh local produce while being led by a knowledgeable guide, the company stands a good chance of achieving its goal of better employee wellness.
Once a month a group of employees takes a stroll from the company's South Blair Street location to the DCFM on Martin Luther King Blvd. Led by New U Consultant Hallie Ringhand, the employees learn about some new uses for old standbys, like strawberries and are introduced to unfamiliar products, such as mustard greens.
"I'm just really trying to facilitate what happens between picking up a vegetable and actually ingesting a vegetable," says Hallie. She feels that many people are hesitant to buy too many vegetable or try new ones because they don't know how to prepare them.
"I'm trying to get people to think outside the box," she continues, "and to not be so intimidated by produce. Trying it initially is always the hardest part," Hallie says because people are afraid of wasting their money, "on a $4.00 bag of whatever." She says the key is to try it and get the most out of it. Chances are once folks try fresh produce they've never had, they'll love it.
When we tagged along on last month's visit, Hallie stopped and gave recipe ideas for strawberries, mint, mustard greens and other produce. Some of her ideas were definitely "outside the box," such as strawberries on meat.
"Fresh is the way to go," says Hallie. She's also a big fan of buying in season and freezing food. For example, by buying tomatoes in season, blanching them and then freezing them, "It really cuts down on cost and they can get the most nutrients from the food."
Hallie says that while you might buy produce elsewhere that is "so so," fresh, local, food like that found at the DCFM, "is so much more than so so," she says with a laugh.
For More Information:
Beth Skalitzky, MGE
608-252-7103
bskalitzky@mge.com
Hallie Ringhand
608-212-2154
hallie@newutoday.com
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Video Bonus:
Take a Tour of the
Wednesday DCFM and
Pick up Recipe Ideas
from Hallie!
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Madison Gas & Electric DCFM Market Walk
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Return to In This Issue Contents |
Recipe: Summer Pea Soup
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 | | Summer Pea Soup --Photo by Bill Lubing |
[Editor's Note:
The Journal
This week we will see plenty of fresh peas at the market. If you're wondering what to do with them, here's a seasonal recipe from Terese Allen and Joan Peterson that offers something special.
 Both are local food authors of some repute. We're thrilled that the duo has chosen to share a recipe from their upcoming Wisconsin Foods Journal 2012. We suspect this journal will find its way into many area homes, spending much of its time in the kitchen. The journal is really several publications in one:
- an engagement/desk calendar;
- a shopping guide to what's available at farmers' markets;
- a cookbook (with prize-winning dishes from REAP Food for Thought Recipe Contests);
- a personal food journal to record your local foods dishes and meals; and
- a year 'round guide to learning about eating seasonally and sustainably.
In keeping with what has recently been a theme of giving, sharing, and helping in this eNewsetter, all profits from the sale of the book will benefit REAP Food Group programs. The journal will be released later this summer and will be available at local stores and many food events.
Now, on to the recipe!
Please note that you can substitute sunflower oil from the market for the olive oil.
We wondered about forcing the mixture through a sieve, as quite honestly, we don't always get along with this kitchen tool quite as well as we do with, say, a knife or very fast blender. Terese says the sieve process removes any small inconsistencies, making the soup more elegant. We love elegance but did forgo the sieve.]
Summer Pea Soup
From Wisconsin Foods Journal 2012.
Servings: 2 large or 4 small
From recipe contributor Deanna Schneider: "A friend and I do weekly meal swaps with each other and we're constantly challenging each other to do new things with seasonal ingredients. One Saturday we biked up to the farmers' market together and decided that we'd each buy the same ingredients then go home and prepare something from them. Here's what I whipped together. It tastes like summer in a bowl."
As the season changes in late summer and early fall, you can substitute shelled fresh soybeans, also called edamame, for the peas.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound (about 3 cups) fresh, shelled green peas
- 2 1/4 cups chicken broth or water
- 3-5 tablespoons heavy cream or half-and-half
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Goat's milk feta cheese (for garnish)
Heat olive oil in a two-quart sauce pan over medium-low flame, add garlic and briefly sauté it. Add the broth, raise heat and bring broth to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, add the peas, cover and cook until peas are tender. This will vary depending on the freshness of your peas; check them often and as soon as they're tender, remove pan from the heat. Very fresh peas will need only a few minutes.
Pour peas and broth into a blender. Puree on high until very smooth. You may need to add some extra water at this stage if your peas were not juicy-fresh. Force mixture through a fine sieve. Add chopped basil and cream or half-and-half (if desired). Add salt and pepper to taste. Top each serving with crumbled feta.
___________________________ Ready for the Fourth? Make your July Fourth celebration tasty as well as safe. There are thousands of great grilling, salad, and appetizer recipes that would taste great using ingredients from the DCFM. Here are a few for you to ponder before Saturday's market. Grilling Sauces from food.com Superstars of the Grill from food.com Vegetarian Grilling Recipes from Allrecipes.com Summer Salads from food.com Side Dishes from food.com
Return to In This Issue Contents
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At Market This Week
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Chinese cabbage and collard greens from
Driftless Organics. [South Pinckney St.] --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. Chances are not all items mentioned or listed below will be at each market. Due to inclement weather, product availability, and other factors, some vendors listed below may need to cancel participation in this week's market. We saw the first of the Door County strawberries last week. And that's a good thing because those strawberries grown elsewhere are starting to thin out considerably. The exception are the ever bearing variety of strawberries, grown by several DCFM farmers. We saw the first of the ground cherries last week and expect there will be a steadily increasing supply. These delicious little fruits come in a wrapping similar to a tomatillo, which they taste nothing like. They are sweet, but not overly so and offer a complex flavor that is fantastic in a pie or tart. We rarely get these made, though, because they're so great right from the box that we usually have none left for a pie. There is a good supply of hot house tomatoes at the market. We saw a small amount of "dirt grown" last week. If you can find asparagus, grab it. Most vendors said last week was it for this season's asparagus. Is it that late already? We're just about finished with the garlic scapes basil we made last week. Now it's time to move on to basil pesto. There are some wonderful cabbages available now, including napa, Chinese, and others. Enjoy the great variety of lettuce this time of year along with the beets, dill, kohlrabi, and collard greens. Zucchini is showing up along with bok choy, broccoli, oregano, and chard. There is some beautiful fennel arriving at the market and, of course, sugar snap peas. Eat them for a snack, in a salad, as a side dish, or make a soup. The care that DCFM farmers take when raising their beef, pork, bison, lamb, fish, and chicken shows up in the flavor. Get your grilling meats from the DCFM and your guests will all wonder about your secret. Just tell them, "It pays to know a DCFM farmer!" To find a vendor or product you can: 1) check the DCFM website or take a leisurely stroll through the market. If you'd like to check with your favorite vendor about product availability, go here, then do a search for contact information. And remember, you can always inquire at the Information Booth, at the corner of North Carroll and West Mifflin streets at the top of State St. Bakery Biscotti Cheese bread Cheesecake Cinnamon rolls Cookies Cupcakes Flat breads 'Mpanata Muffins Pastries Scones
Sweet breads Tea breads Torts Tortillas Whole wheat sourdough
Cheese
Cheese curds
Goat cheese
Sheep milk cheese
Mixed milk cheeses
Cottage Cheese
World-class aged cheeses
Fresh Cut, Dried Flowers
Cut Flowers
Dried Arrangements Cut Flowers
Pussy Willows
Red Curly Willow
Red Dogwood
Fresh Vegetables Beets
Asparagus
Burdock
Broccoli
Broccoli Raab
Carrots
Chives
Cilantro
Emiranthus
Fennel
Garlic
Garlic Scapes
Ground Cherries
Herbs
Kale
Leeks
Lettuce
Micro greens
Mustard Greens
Onions (several varieties, overwintered)
Oregano
Parsnips
Peas
Potatoes
Radishes
Ramps
Rhubarb
Shallots
Salad mixes
Savoy
Scallions
Sorrel
Spinach
Tomatoes, canned
Tomatoes, fresh
Turnips Fruit
Apples
Jams, jellies, preserves
Raspberries (frozen)
Strawberries (fresh)
Strawberries (frozen)
Tomatoes (fresh)
Tomatoes (canned)
Live PlantsBedding plants Nursery stock Prairie Plants Vegetable, herb, and flower transplants Woodland plants  A Packet of Delicousness ... ... is a great way to describe these ground cherries from Young Earth Farm [East Main St.] --Photo by Bill Lubing
Meats (Grass and grain fed) Angus beef
Beef
Bison
Brats and sausage
Chicken
Conventional cuts
Emu
Elk
Ham
Highland beef
Lamb
Pork
Rabbit
Special cuts
Venison
Fresh and smoked trout
Smoked salmon
Specialty Items
Baklava
Bloody Mary mix Candles
Dried Gourds
Eggs
Flavored sea salt
Hickory nuts
Honey
Hot sauces
Infused olive oil
Maple syrup
Morels
Mushrooms
Pasties (frozen)
Persian Toffee
Pesto
Rhubarb Sauce
Salsa
Soup (canned and frozen)
Sunflower oil
Tomato sauces
Tortillas
Vinaigrettes
Return to In This Issue Contents
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Market Information
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 In the Mood... ...for a great sauté? Check out this emiranthus
from Wa Lee Xiong. [East Main St.] --Photo by Bill Lubing
2011 Saturday Outdoor Market Schedule
Date: Begins April 16, 2011 through Nov. 5, 2011
Hours: 6:00 am to 2:00 pm
Where: Downtown Madison on the Capitol Square
2011 Wednesday Outdoor Market Schedule
Date: Begins April 20, 2011 through Nov. 2, 2011
Hours: 8:30 am to 2:00 pm
Where: 200 Block of Martin Luther King Blvd.
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 larryj@dcfm.org. The DCFM website provides much information as well.
Dane County Farmers' Market
Volunteer Opportunities
Please contact Ruth Miller at ferngulley@mhtc.net 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 friends.Danielle@gmail.com.
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| Looking Ahead ... | |
A Little Bee...
... could get lost in these flowers from
Deerfield Greenhouse.--Photo by Bill Lubing
Capitol City Band to Debut "Dane 175" at Market The Capitol City Band honors Dane County's 175th anniversary with the premier of "Dane 175." The seven-minute piece, composed by Music Director Jim Latimer features drummers and dancers of the Ho Chunk Nation. According to an article in the Wisconsin State Journal, the piece is based on a song written by Bert Funmaker, whose son Elliot Funmaker is head of the Wisconsin Dells Singers. The singers join the band at 10:30 am this Saturday at the Hamilton Street walkway to the Capitol. Along with the Dane 175 premier, the groups will entertain with a full concert of musical Americana. So it makes sense to come to market early, do your shopping, then stick around for this free concert of great local music. Often when we're in town we'll put a cooler in the car so we can deposit those DCFM purchases needing to stay cold. Then we can spend a little time "just hanging."
Until next week ...
Bill Lubing
DCFM
bill@dcfm.org
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