Field Trip: Madison Farmers' Market

If you're thinking of visiting Madison, Wisconsin, let me strongly suggest you do so in the summer. (Unless you're one of those lunatics who loves snow, in which case, anytime between early October and late April works.) (Sometimes May.) (For the record, I know and respect many of those snow-loving lunatics, but we must agree to disagree.) (There's nothing quite as artistic as using four tangential parenthetical phrases in a row, don't you think?)

ANYWAY, June, July, and August are the three months where Madison shines down upon its residents and reminds us why anyone settled here in the first place. It's beautiful. I can hardly go for a run without snapping a lovely lake shot. If you do come in the summer, be sure to spend a Saturday here so you can enjoy the wonder of Madison's Farmers' Market.

The whole capital square is blocked off to traffic and replaced with tent after tent of homegrown veggies, fruits, flowers, honey, etc. There's delicious homemade scones, breads, and cookies. There's locally raised meat. And honey. And herbs. And everything, really. A few more pictures from this past Saturday:

These are the first black raspberries I have seen this year!

You can get any color potato that your heart desires.

Same goes for heirloom tomatoes!

And it wouldn't be Wisconsin without a plethora of cheeses. (Most tables offering free samples!)

And of course....so many flowers. I snapped this photo at my first market of the season.

Since everything's homemade/grown in Wisconsin, it's fun to see the seasonality of the fruits and veggies (e.g. we aren't quite to sweet corn season yet, but I can't wait! Also, delicious apples will come in the fall.) This Saturday we bought beets (roasted beet recipe here), fingerling potatoes, Door County cherries (first photo) that were amazing (worth the $5!), radishes, and green beans.

If you're visiting Madison anytime soon, definitely pencil in the farmers' market to your itinerary. (And don't forget your cash!) If you live in Madison and haven't been to the farmers' market yet, what are you waiting for? :)

p.s. Another fun Madison activity? The Olbrich Botanical Gardens.