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Dane County Farmers' Market eNewsletter
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October 6, 2012
6:00 am - 2:00 pm
Downtown Madison Parking Map
(Private ramps and street parking are also available.)
Dane County Farmers' Market
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A terrific selection of fresh produce from The Plahnt Farm.
(West Mifflin St.) --Photo by Bill Lubing
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 This Week ... 
Terrific looking cauliflower from Mammoth Produce. [RECIPES]
(North Pinckney St.)--Photo by Bill Lubing Check out some of the great squash and gourds at Bures Berry Patch. (West Mifflin St.)
--Photo by Bill Lubing |
Fully Into Fall The photos and video from Shady Blue Acres should be proof enough that we're deep into Autumn. Spinach is once again plentiful along with numerous other greens. We saw watercress at last week's market along with a nice variety of potatoes, both savory and sweet.
The squash and gourds are looking more and more on the wild side.
As shown above, there is plenty of cauliflower at the market. A good supply of broccoli is also available.
Peppers will start slowing down, along with tomatoes. The word from Alsum's Sweetcorn is that this will be the last market for fresh sweet corn from them. They'll be bringing packaged frozen corn through October.
Nothing Lasts Forever
It's hard to believe that there are only six more weeks this season on the Capitol Square for the Dane County Farmers' Market (DCFM). The market finishes the year at Monona Terrace, starting on November 17. Remember that a number of non-food items are for sale at the Monona Terrace markets, including soaps, holiday ornaments, and other gift items.
Turkey Call
It's not too late to order your Thanksgiving turkey from your favorite DCFM vendor. Pre-ordering your turkey means you'll have the best chance of getting the type and weight bird you requested. In some cases, preordering is the only way to assure you're get a bird at all. If you're interested in duck, goose, rabbit, or other meats, checking about preordering with your favorite vendor wouldn't be a bad idea, either.
See you at market. bill@dcfm.org
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Meet the Producer:
Sheep Shearing at Shady Blue Acres  
This past Monday we drove out to the Richland Center Area to visit Blue Strom and Skye Zitkus, the husband and wife team that is Shady Blue Acres. We were taken by surprise by the burst of Fall colors we saw on the way there and on the farm.
Shady Blue Acres is a certified organic farm located on 36 acres in the Driftless Area of scenic Southwest Wisconsin. It's situated amid rolling hills and valleys.
The farm produces an array of seasonal vegetables, fruits, canned goods, free-range eggs, pastured poultry, and 100 percent grass fed lamb. Blue and Skye raise heritage breeds of rare and endangered livestock including Ancona Ducks and Black Mulefoot hogs.
Our mission was to see how sheep shearing is performed. We saw that plus a wonderful assortment of very content, healthy looking animals, from chickens, ducks, and pigs, to their resident cat.
(From top to bottom, left to right) Skye and Monty Hamann, of Hamann Fine Quality Shearing, in Viola, bring Ivy onto the shearing platform. Then Monty gets her in a comfortable and safe position. He trims and inspects her hooves, looking for any problem areas. After that he begins the shearing, using special equipment that is quiet and gentle, which keeps Ivy calm. After she's finished Ivy is guided out of the area where she can join the rest of the newly shorn flock. (bottom) Blue takes the fleece and spreads it out on a skirting table. Here she cleans debris from the fleece, giving it a good inspection before taking it to the mill. We were expecting a lot of hoof pounding, bleating, and general ruckus during the shearing. That wasn't the case at all. The sheep were quite docile. Everyone was calm and relaxed, which seemed to keep the sheep that way as well. Blue and Skye offer finished yarn at their DCFM stand, along with duck eggs, canned goods, and various meats. Other DCFM vendors that offer yarn and other wool products made from their own sheep include: - Ela Orchard
- Heirlooms & Blooms
- Sylvan Meadows Farm and Artos Handcrafted Bread
- Wisconsin Highlands Farms
For More Information: Shady Blue Acres 608-647-8934 www.shadyblueacres.com farm@shadyblueacres.com Video Bonus! We Visit Shady Blue Acres to Learn About Shearing and Saw So Much More!  | | Shearing Sheep at Shady Blue Acres Organic Farm |
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Recipe:
Gitto's Tortilla Creation, 'Mexican Lasagna'
Carol Gitto of Gitto Family Farm n Kitchen holds
the delicious 'Mexican Lasagna.'
(West Mifflin St.)--Photo by Bill Lubing
A few weeks ago Carol Gitto showed us this beautiful baked concoction, shown above. Brought to her by one of her customers, it looked absolutely delicious. We wanted that recipe! Carol came through for us and we present it here.
You'll note that all of the ingredients can be found at the DCFM. That much freshness and quality wrapped in Gitto tortillas sounds like the perfect lunch, dinner ... oh heck yes, or breakfast item.
To be clear, this is not a product that Carol sells. But she does incorporate her tortillas with many other DCFM ingredients to make this delicious dish.
Carol notes, "The tortilla creation is loosely referred to as "Mexican Lasagna," ironically appropriate, since our Greg's heritage is half Mexican, and half Italian. The recipe is great for a large individual serving or easily shared for a twosome."
Ingredients- 1 package (6 count) tortillas (small size)
- 1 cup pinto beans, cooked and mashed
- 1/2 cup corn (cook and cut from 1 cob)
- 1 cup salsa
- 2 cups cheese (shredded or ricotto. Check with your favorite DCFM cheese maker.)
- 1/2 pound mushrooms
- 1 pound fresh yellow heirloom tomato, sliced thickly
- 1 pound fresh red tomato, diced
- Fresh basil leaves
- White cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions- Oil a small (8" square) glass casserole dish.
- Put 1 tortilla on the bottom.
- Spoon beans and spread to cover.
- Next layer is 1 (large) spoonful corn, then 1 spoonful salsa.
- For a predominantly "Italian" twist (as pictured), spoon 1 layer ricotta (or similar) cheese, then 1 spoonful pesto.
- Add 1 slice of yellow tomato and 1/4 cup diced red tomato (and a few basil leaves, if desired).
- Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Repeat with the other 5 tortillas. Bake for 35-45 minutes at 350 degrees.
- For a family of 4-6, double the recipe, or try (Gitto Family) 10" tortillas and use a 9x13 glass pan.
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Cleaning and Slicing Carrots
Peter Robertson of
RP's Pasta Company
shows us how to clean
and prepare carrots.
 | | Cleaning, slicing, chopping fresh carrots -- Peter Robertson, RPs Pasta, Lubing Creative |
Previous Tips
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At Market This Week
Time to replenish the pantry!
Bundles of carrots from Dia Vang's Produce
(North Carroll St.) --Photo by Bill LubingWe 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 that not all items mentioned or listed below will be at each market. If you see an item at the market that is not listed here please email bill@dcfm.org so we may update the list. Bakery
Asiago Black Pepper Semolina Bread
Biscotti
Cashew finger baklava
Cheese bread
Cheesecake
Chocolate walnut baklava
Cinnamon rolls
Cookies
Dinner rolls (plain, garlic cheddar cheese, or Jalapeņo garlic cheddar cheese available)
English toffee
Flat breads
Garlic cheddar cheese flat bread
Gluten-free bakery
Jalapeņo garlic cheddar cheese flat bread
Kalamata olive & herb semolina bread 'Mpanata Muffins
Panettone Pastries
Persian toffee
Persian rice cookies
Pistachio baklava
Ragusa Style Sicilian Semolina Bread Scaccia Scones Spicy cheese bread Sweet breads Tea breads Torts Tortillas Whole wheat sourdough Whoopie pies
Cheese
Cheese curds Goat cheese Sheep milk cheese Mixed milk cheeses
Cottage Cheese
World-class aged cheeses
Return to 'In This Issue' Contents Fresh Vegetables
Arugula
Asparagus
Banana leaves
Basil
Beets
Bitter Melon
Bok Choi
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Burdock
Cabbage (several varieties)
Carrots
Chard
Collard Greens
Cucumbers
Dill
Edible flowers
Garlic (green)
Herbs
Kale
Keiffer lime leaves
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce
Mustard
Mustard greens
Okra
Onions (Green, overwintered, and fresh)
Popcorn
Parsnips
Peas (Sweet, Snow, Snap, other)
Potatoes (several varieties)
Radishes
Ramps
Rhubarb
Sweet Potatoes
Shallots
Salad mixes
Spinach
Squash (Summer, Zucchini, others)
Sun chokes
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes, canned Tomatoes, fresh Turnips
DCFM shopper Virginia Schumann found
her perfect squash at Lancour's Greenhouse.
(West Mifflin St.) --Photo by Bill Lubing
Canteloupe Jams, jellies, preserves Musk melon
Pears
Plums
Raspberries (frozen)
Raspberries (fresh)
Strawberries (fresh)
Strawberries (frozen)
Tomatoes (fresh)
Tomatoes (canned)
Tomatoes (dried)
Watermelon
Meats (Grass and grain fed)
Angus beef
Beef
Brats and sausage
Chicken
Conventional cuts
Duck
Elk
Emu
Trout (fresh and smoked)
Ham
Highland beef
Lamb
Pork
Salmon
Special cuts
Turkey
Venison
Fresh and smoked trout
Smoked salmon
Plants
Bedding Bulbs Cut flowers Dried arrangements Floral arrangements Hanging baskets Herbs (starts and potted) Native Ornamental starts Perennials Potted flowers Vegetable starts
Specialty Items Apple Cider
Black Walnuts
Bloody Mary mix Candles
Eggs
Flavored sea salt
Gluten-free bakery
Gourds, decorative
Grains (whole and flour)
Hickory Nuts
Honey
Hot sauces
Infused olive oil
Maple syrup
Morels
Mushrooms
Pasties (frozen)
Pesto
Popcorn
Salsa
Soup (canned and frozen)
Stocks (Chicken and Beef)
Sunflower oil
Tomato sauces
Tortillas
Vinaigrettes Return to 'In This Issue' Contents |
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Market Information
Beautiful mums from Jos and Mary De Block
(North Carroll St.) --Photo by Bill Lubing
Dates, Times, Locations, and Contact Information
for The Dane County Farmers' Market
2012 Saturday Outdoor Market
Date: April 21 through November 10, 2012
Hours: 6:00 am to 2:00 pm
2012 Wednesday Outdoor Market
Date: April 25 through November 7, 2012
Hours: 8:30 am to 2:00 pm
Where: 200 Block of Martin Luther King Blvd., Madison
Parking: Nearby municipal ramps and area on-street 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
Volunteers are needed to staff the Information Booth, located at the top of State Street. If you'd like to find out more about this fun way to get involved with the Dane County Farmers' Market, drop an email to The shifts are short. The people are fun. And it's a great way to learn more about the Dane County Farmers' Market.
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Looking Ahead ...
Check out the tasty samples of grilled cheeses
from Mary Schulte of Brunkow Cheese of Wisconsin
(West Main St. at the Martin Luther King Blvd. inlet.) --Photo by Bill Lubing
Speaking of Samples
Brunkow Cheese of Wisconsin is the only cheese vendor who samples a cheese made specifically for grilling. Most other cheese makers offer samples of their products, as do those producers who offer bakery, produce, and meat. Sampling is a good way to try before you buy. And unlike almost any other venue in our area (actually anywhere), the person who made it is the one offering samples. Got a question, ask!
Until next week.
Bill Lubing
DCFM
bill@dcfm.org
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