To Inspire, Transform & Heal

Linda Wiggen Kraft
Creativity for the Soul

Hometown & Homegrown – Dream Farmers Market – Madison

Is this a dream? A farmers market where 20,000 show up every Saturday morning. Where the goods are only locally grown and produced. No, it’s my hometown Madison, Wisconsin farmers market.

madison-farmers-market-capital-building-blog-creativity-for-the-soul-blog

I was in Madison for a family reunion recently. I love the Farmers Market there. It stirs my heart to be where I was born and raised. I love farms and farmers. I spent many summers and weekends at my Grandparent’s dairy farm an hour’s drive away from our city home.

madison-farmers-market-bee-man-blog-creativity-for-the-soul-blog

Whenever I go, the Saturday downtown Farmer’s Market is a must. It’s held around the state capitol building with eight blocks of sidewalk around the building, creating the Capitol Square.

 

madison-farmers-market-five-deep-blog-creativity-for-the-soul-blog
It’s celebration of food, farms, art and music. People walk side-by-side counter clockwise around  the eight blocks, where over 160 vendors sell everything from cheese curds to emu meat and lots of things in between.

madison-farmers-market-crowds-blog-creativity-for-the-soul-blog

The shaded tree lined square is beautiful on sunny summer days, with the white capitol building in the center. But the best part is the food.

 

madison-farmers-market-produce-1-blog-creativity-for-the-soul-blog

Fresh Strawberries, the kind that are red through and through.

madison-farmers-market-maple-syrup-blog-creativity-for-the-soul-blog

Maple Syrup like the kind I helped make as a kid at my Grandparent’s Farm.

madison-farmers-market-lilies-blog-creativity-for-the-soul-blog

Of course flowers. Lovely Lilies

madison-farmers-market-blue-yellow-flowers-blog-creativity-for-the-soul-blog

Blue Larkspur,  Coreopsis and Feverfew

madison-farmers-market-hmong-flower-arranger-blog-creativity-for-the-soul-blog

The flowers are arranged by an Elder Hmong woman.  She’s wearing a traditional headpiece with a plume in front. Many of the market stalls  are run by Hmong growers, who settled here after the Vietnam war.

madison-farmers-market-radishes-blog-creativity-for-the-soul-blog

Radish Mountain

madison-farmers-market-plant-sellers-blog-creativity-for-the-soul-blog

I bought a goji berry bush from these women plant sellers

madison-farmers-market-gourds-blog-creativity-for-the-soul-blog

The gourd guy posed for me.

madison-farmers-market-cheese-tent-blog-creativity-for-the-soul-blog

Of course cheese. You couldn’t get near this cheese tent, but there were lots of other cheese sellers.

madison-farmers-market-emu-meat-blog-creativity-for-the-soul-blog

Also Emu meat.  I passed on this.

madison-farmers-market-farmer-blog-creativity-for-the-soul-blog
This farmer in the blue shirt looked and talked just like my Uncle who still lives on the farm where he, my mother and their siblings were born.  Many of the farmers here are second and third generation farmers.

madison-farmers-market-flower-factory-blog-creativity-for-the-soul-blog

More flowers. The painting on the truck for the Flower Factory.

 

madison-farmers-market-drums-photoCheck out the street signs

My St. Louis friends Kelly and Barry  (who lived in Wisconsin) Larson were in Madison the week after I was there. They took  great videos of  the musicians above and  below, but I couldn’t convert the videos to work on this blog. Darn.

madison-farmers-market-trio-photo

 

If you are ever in Madison (only six hour drive from St. Louis) don’t miss the largest farmers market in the country with only locally grown and produced food allowed.  It’s a delicious and fun treat.

Enjoy & Create

 

Attend a class, workshop, or event

See Full Schedule

Follow Me