Edible Madison — Issue 50 • Fall 2022

Wild Turkey • Squash • Dane Co. Farmers' Market 50 th

Celebrating the Abundance of Local Foods in Southern Wisconsin

So Much to Explore in magical mount horeb!

Stay in a beautifully restored 1903 Victorian Four Square home in a quiet neighborhood, just one block off Main Street Mount Horeb.

Telsaan Tea sells a variety of loose leaf green, black, white, oolong and herbal teas at their shop in downtown Mount Horeb as well as through monthly and bimonthly subscriptions delivered right to your door.

Telsaan Tea

108 E Main St, Mt Horeb, WI

TELSAAN.COM

McFee on Main

With more than 30 years of experience, Lynn McFee uses her eye for style, fabric and decor to find the right piece to round out a wardrobe or complete a home decor moment.

Founded by Erin Ulrich in 2015, Telsaan is one of a few specialty tea providers in the Madison area. They offer a wide range of blends, perfect for serving warm or iced during every season. In the shop, you can also find great local products like honey from Black Earth, chocolates from Paoli, and ceramic infuser mugs from Centerground Studios in Mount Horeb.

This small-scale, organic CSA farm just outside of town grows diverse vegetables, poultry, mushrooms, and hogs. Don’t miss their airbnb with a private sauna!

Explore

If I'm an advocate for anything, it's to move. As far as you can, as much as you can. Across the ocean, or simply across the river. The extent to which you can walk in someone else's shoes or at least eat their food, it's a plus for everybody. Open your mind, get up off the couch, move. —ANTHONY BOURDAIN

FIELD NOTES by Emma Waldinger

DRINK LOCAL

Modern Mead in Madison by Jessica Jones

FOODWAYS

Wild Table: Turkey & Other Fowl by Duke Welter

COOK AT HOME

the World with Winter Squash by Lauren Rudersdorf

DANE COUNTY FARMERS' MARKET

50 YEARS by Candice Wagener

INDEX

BITE

An abundance of squash at Knapp's Fresh Veggies

the Dane County Farmers' Market. Photo courtesy of Dane County Farmers' Market.

Aerial view of Wollersheim

Du Sac.

courtesy

& Distillery

SUNNY FRANTZ

Sunny is an editorial and commercial photographer with a studio on the west side of Madison where she lives with her husband, their two kids and a tiny dog. She specializes in food and product photography and loves the opportunity it gives her to connect with the many wonderful businesses and entrepreneurs in Madison.

TRACY HARRIS

Tracy is a graphic designer and photographer from Madison.

A polymath at heart, she dabbles in various arenas of makery including cooking and baking, sewing and knitting, painting and collage, and has a soft spot in her heart for film photography.

When she’s not busy making things, she enjoys travel, good food and drinks, gardening and live music.

JESSICA JONES

Jessica is the brewer and co-owner of Giant Jones Brewing Co., an independent, women-owned, certified organic craft brewery in Madison. She is a Grand Master Beer Judge through the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) and an Advanced Cicerone®. Jessica loves barley wine and providing extremely in-depth answers to what you believed was a simple question.

LAURA POE MATHES

Laura is a registered dietitian in private practice, focused on healing with real foods and herbs. She loves to spread knowledge and enthusiasm about great food, and teach traditional cooking and fermentation classes around the region. Originally from Missouri, Laura lives in Viroqua and now understands why cheese curds are a thing. She also loves to canoe, drink coffee and watch stand-up comedy.

LAUREN RUDERSDORF

Lauren is the voice behind the local food blog The Leek & The Carrot where she shares recipes and stories about life, food and farming.

Before that, she owned Raleigh’s Hillside Farm, an organic CSA vegetable farm, with her husband Kyle. She advocates for local farms, local food and cooking with the seasons. When she’s not writing or testing recipes in her sunny kitchen, she’s probably on a trail somewhere with her daughter Lillyan.

CANDICE WAGENER

Candice is a freelance writer passionate about storytelling and anything related to food. A Chicagoland native, she came to study at UW-Madison in 1995 and, long story short, found her new home. When she’s not writing, she’s creating in the kitchen, reading too many books at once, cheering on the Cubs, Packers or Badgers, or hiking one of the many beautiful areas of Wisconsin with her husband and two boys.

EMMA WALDINGER

Emma (she/her) is a writer, grower and maker based in Madison. She cherishes warm summer memories spent at her grandparents’ hobby farm and harvesting from her family’s backyard vegetable garden. These experiences have catalyzed her fascination with the intersections between art, ecology, agriculture and good food. When she’s not dreaming of the perfect cake, Emma helps to produce community events at Pasture and Plenty.

DUKE WELTER

Duke lives in Viroqua has long enjoyed the fruits of nature. Over a lifetime of hunting, fishing, berry-picking and just scrounging, he has enjoyed cooking and eating many foods he finds in the wild. Duke is practicing retirement again, following careers in conservation, law and journalism. His first career was as a reporter for the Capital Times, and his articles have been published in Isthmus, Midwest Fly Fishing, Ski Racing magazine and other publications.

MANAGING EDITOR

Lauren Langtim

PUBLISHERS

Christy McKenzie

Cricket Redman

BUSINESS DIRECTOR

Christy McKenzie

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Cricket Redman

SALES DIRECTOR

Lauren Rudersdorf

LAYOUT

Cricket Redman & Nicole Peaslee

COPY EDITOR

Andrea Debbink

CULINARY ADVISOR

Christy McKenzie

SOCIAL & DIGITAL PRODUCER

Lauren Rudersdorf

ADVERTISING & SPONSORSHIPS

Lauren Rudersdorf

laurenr@ediblemadison.com

DRIFTLESS REGIONAL

SALES MANAGER

Kristen Wagner kristen@ediblemadison.com

CONTACT US

Edible Madison

4313 Somerset Lane Madison, WI 53711 hello@ediblemadison.com

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Edible Madison is published quarterly by Forager Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used without written permission by the publisher. ©2022.

Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings and omissions. If, however, an error comes to your attention, please accept our sincere apologies and notify us. Thank you.

VISIT US ONLINE AT EDIBLE MADISON.COM

Somehow, another summer is fading and fall is almost upon us. Where does the time go? Maybe summer travels made the season go by in a flash, or maybe you stayed close to home since Wisconsin summers are amazing. Either way, the fall is also an incredible time to explore the Driftless and all of south west Wisconsin. This is our annual travel issue, and because we are focused on the hyperlocal, we get a little creative with our travel theme—think road trips within our region, recipes from around the world, and even a journey back in time to the origin story of the famous Dane County Farmers’ Market, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this season.

The Dane County Farmers’ Market is the beating heart at the center of our local food system. The seeds planted by the DCFM in the seventies have flowered into an incredible food scene. Boasting the largest producers-only farmers’ market in the nation is a simple way to let visitors know what we’re all about here in Madison. The market and its vendors supply dozens of farm-to-table restaurants, and our chefs have garnered more than 30 James Beard Award nominations over the past 25 years.

Madison proves that you don’t have to be in a major city to find major league food. In fact, you don’t have to be in a city at all. Just this year, Mary Kastman of the Driftless Café in Viroqua was named a James Beard Award semifinalist.

We’re so lucky to live on the cusp of the Driftless area, which is home to an exceptionally high concentration of organic farms and artisanal food producers.

We’re able to keep doing what we do because of relationships within our community. We’re able to offer 12,500 copies of this magazine for free at over 90 locations throughout southwest Wisconsin due to support from our advertisers, all small local businesses. We are so grateful to this community. We also get a little help from our friends the mail subscribers, also known as our supporting members, who pay to have the magazine mailed right to their door. As a supporting member, you won't miss an issue or have to go hunting to find one. (Our last issue, the summer issue, flew off the magazine racks faster than ever before, and it’s been out of stock since mid-July.) If you’re interested in becoming a supporting member, please visit ediblemadison.com/ subscribe.

We hope this issue helps you slow down, explore the fall wonders all around you, and enjoy the season in all its delicious glory!

Let’s dig in!

Lauren Langtim, Managing Editor

P.S. As always, we welcome your thoughts and feedback. Drop us a line at hello@ediblemadison.com.

Be sure to check out ediblemadison.com for exclusive online content, like Local Upstarts, a new quarterly digital column that celebrates local entrepreneurs who have participated in the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation's UpStart program, a free entrepreneurship program for women and people of color.

This quarter, we profile Jasmine Banks, founder of Perfect Imperfections, a natural home and body care company.

Senses

us for an intimate evening with Edible Madison

founders of the Farm/Art DTour

HOSTED AT

Homecoming

242 N Lexington St, Spring Green

Happy Hour with American Wine Project

Followed by a five-course meal of locally grown fare with fermented features.

Register at ediblemadison.com/homecoming Seating is limited: $100/seat

Celebrate the fall issue release and get a preview of the DTour.

Community

MARY KASTMAN OF DRIFTLESS CAFÉ NOMINATED FOR JAMES BEARD AWARD

Viroqua’s Driftless Café has met wide acclaim for prioritizing local farm sourcing and offering creative, produceforward fare. Now, for the second time in its history, the Driftless Café’s executive chef received a nomination for the prestigious James Beard award in the Best Chef: Midwest category. Mary Kastman, executive chef, and Ruthie Zahm, co-owner of the Driftless Café, reflect on what this nomination meant for their small-town community and the influence of farm-to-table dining. Ultimately, the award went to Dane Baldwin of The Diplomat in Milwaukee, but even so, Mary considers the nomination alone to be a "huge win... for communities like ours."

Photos by Peter Cozad Photography

by Emma Waldinger (left) Mary Kastman, executive chef (right top) Ruthie Zahm, co-owner, of Driftless Café in Viroqua.(right bottom) Honeynut squash fondue with crudites and toast.

“People who love food follow the James Beard Awards. They're watching

by Emma Waldinger

TAKE THE FLAVORFUL ROUTE

Enjoy the sights and tastes of southwestern Wisconsin’s most scenic highways.

For an abundant supply of outdoor experiences, head northwest on Highway 12!

Prairie du Sac

Baraboo

Wisconsin Dells

Mauston

New Lisbon

SCENIC STOPS

Pewit’s Nest State Natural Area

View the gorge from above for a pleasant fall walk or, weather-permitting, squeeze in one more warm day splashing in Skillet Creek.

Devil’s Lake State Park

Hands down, one of Wisconsin's most iconic fall hikes. Take in the contrast of the deep blue lake against towering foliage in red, gold and orange.

Rocky Arbor State Park

A quick pit stop off the route, Rocky Arbor tucks in a 1-mile walk through picturesque and mossy woodland—just enough to stretch your legs.

Mill Bluff State Park

Climb to the Mill Bluff observation deck for a stunning view of the park's rock formations. Book a campsite through September for an extended stay.

ROUTE HIGHLIGHTS

Wollersheim Winery, Prairie du Sac Scenic and historic hillside winery destination with a variety of decorated wines, handcrafted spirits, and seasonal dishes. 7876 State Road 188. wollersheim.com

New Life Lavender and Cherry Farm, Baraboo Family-owned farm growing lavender and cherries. Visit their farm store for lavender and cherry products, baked goods and drinks, and embark on a “farm-to-table” tour of the landscape. E10766 County Road W. newlifelavender.com

Downtown Baraboo Farmers’ Market, Baraboo Shop an array of fresh produce, meats and baked goods and support local farmers, healthy eating, and sustainable agriculture. Every Wednesday and Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. through October. 500 Oak Street. baraboofarmersmarket.com

Hidden Valley Mushroom Farm, Wisconsin Dells Find out how fungi grows and schedule a tour to visit this family-owned mushroom farm specializing in white buttons, portobellos, crimini, shiitakes and oysters. S270 Birchwood Road. Facebook @HiddenValleyMushrooms

Gravity Box Brewing Company, Mauston

Locally-owned brewery with 16 rotating taps all brewed on-site and an outdoor beer garden for warmer fall days. Nonalcoholic options available! 134 E State Street. gravityboxbrewing.com

Collin’s Coffees, New Lisbon Direct trade, ethically sourced, locally roasted and brewed coffee plus breakfast offerings. Collin’s Coffees is a veteran-owned business! N6828 State Road 58. collinscoffees.com

New Life Lavender and Cherry Farm, photo courtesy of New Life

Wollersheim Winery. Photo courtesy of Wollersheim

Downtown Baraboo Farmers' Market. Photo courtesy of the DCFM.

ROUTE HIGHLIGHTS

Crossroads Coffee House, Cross Plains

Marking a gateway into the Driftless region’s rolling hills, Crossroads is a community coffee house serving fair-trade coffee and tea and dishes made with local products whenever possible. 2020 Main Street. crossroadscoffeehouse.net

Appleberry Farm, Cross Plains

Enjoy a favorite fall pastime! Pick your own heirloom apples or head out later in the season and take home a few pumpkins.

8079 Maurer Road. theappleberryfarm.com

The Old Feed Mill, Mazomanie

Elevated midwestern classics in a restored historic grain mill offering fresh breads, pasture-raised cheeses and local Wisconsin flavors. Make reservations for brunch or dinner! 114 Cramer Street. oldfeedmill.com

Seven Seeds Organic Farm Store, Spring Green

Small seventh-generation family farm raising organic pork, beef and chicken using regenerative land stewardship practices. Visit their on-site store for a selection of pasture-raised meats and products on Wednesday from 3 to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 5079 County Rd Z. sevenseedsorganicfarm.com

Taliesin, Spring Green

Just a quick detour onto County C south of Spring Green brings you to Frank Lloyd Wright's storied estate. Swing by the Riverview Terrace Café in the visitor center for grab n’ go fare made with local ingredients.

5607 County Rd C. taliesinpreservation.org

Hotel Fortney Lounge, Viroqua

Tucked into the historic Hotel Fortney, once a grand place to lodge at the turn of the nineteenth century, the newly restored lounge serves a selection of craft wine and beer with food from nearby Driftless Café and Noble Rind. 100 N Main Street. hotelfortney.com

Noble Rind Cheese Company, Viroqua

Ar tisan cheese spot with both local farmstead cheeses and global wedges, charcuterie and local products. Also serving a menu of sandwiches, small plates and cheese boards. 110 W Court Street. noblerind.com

Hotel Fortney. Photo courtesy of the Hotel

Crossroads Coffee House, Photo: Katie Gardner Photography

Grab-and-go or grab-and-stay! Photo courtesy of Taliesen

For those with a strict foodie agenda, head west on Highway 14!

Cross Plains

Mazomanie

Spring Green

Viroqua

W E E K E N D

A L I E S

SCENIC STOPS

Black Earth Creek

Following the eastern portion of the route, Black Earth Creek is a spring-fed waterway with excellent trout fishing surrounded by wildlife, wetlands and prairie.

Ice Age National Scenic Trail

Find many inlets to the Ice Age Trail in Cross Plains, just a short drive off the route. Enjoy the unique, glacier-sculpted landscape of Wisconsin as you hike!

Tower Bottoms State Natural Area

As you pass through Spring Green, stop to visit this lesser traversed floodplain forest along the Wisconsin River. Tree enthusiasts will find a variety of species.

Kickapoo River

Beloved for swimming, canoeing, kayaking and trout fishing, the Kickapoo River passes through Readstown on the route as it meanders around southwestern Wisconsin.

N

Viola, Wisconsin

LocaLLy

For an adventure off the beaten path, head southwest on Highway 18!

SCENIC STOPS

Blue Mound State Park

This park has great recreation for both hikers and bikers with 20 miles of hiking trails, 15.5 miles of challenging off-road bike trails, and access to biking and walking on the Military Ridge State Trail.

Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers

Keep driving west to Prairie du Chien and you'll encounter the Wisconsin River as it flows into the Mississippi River. There are prime spots for taking in views and interacting with the mighty Mississippi along the length of the city.

Wyalusing State Park

A park with all types of recreation and an incredible view of the confluence between the Mississippi and Wisconsin rivers. Book a campsite to have more time for activities.

Mount Horeb Prairie du Chien

ROUTE HIGHLIGHTS

Driftless Chocolates, Paoli

Fine chocolates taking inspiration from the art and beauty of Wisconsin’s Driftless region. Stop in for a taste of chocolate bonbons, truffles, caramels, barks and bars.

6890 Paoli Road. driftlesschocolates.com

Botham Vineyards & Winery, Barneveld

Visit the tasting room for a glass of their award-winning wines or schedule a tour and learn about Botham’s regional “vine-to-bottle” approach to winemaking.

8180 Langberry Road. bothamvineyards.com

The Lemon Door, Fennimore

Small-town coffee shop and café with funky vibes featuring grab-and-go and fast fare made from fresh housemade ingredients. 1030 Lincoln Avenue. the-lemon-door.square.site

Valley Fish & Cheese, Prairie du Chien

Freshly caught and smoked fish and a selection of meats and Wisconsin cheeses purveyed by a local fisherman in an eclectic log cabin-style shop.

304 South Prairie Street.

Facebook @ValleyFishCheese

Sutter's Ridge Farm, Mount Horeb

Gather your choice of apples, raspberries, pumpkins, grapes and aronia berries, get lost in the corn maze, and grab some apple cider donuts and caramel apples for the road.

2074 Sutter Drive. suttersridge.com

Bistro 101, Mount Horeb

Part of Mount Horeb’s vibrant downtown, Bistro

101 offers fine dining dishes composed of locally farmed and foraged ingredients in a relaxed atmosphere. Make a reservation for dinner.

101 East Main Street. hoffbistro101.com

The Lemon Door, photo courtesy of Lemon Door.

Driftless Chocolates, photo courtesy of Driftless Chocolates

Botham Vineyards & Winery, photo courtesy of Botham Vineyards

DESTINATION DINING

by Rose Brookins

Throw a dart at a map of Wisconsin and you’ll find something worth seeing and something worth eating. With such abundant natural beauty and a rich agricultural history, it’s no wonder that our region has proven fertile ground for a rich array of culinary adventurers with a passion for pairing taste with experience. This fall, join us as we go beyond the Madison city limits in search of road-trip-worthy dining destinations from Viroqua to Spring Green, Delafield and beyond.

Bailey's Run Vineyard

NEW GLARUS

Nestled in the scenic rolling hills of New Glarus, you’re invited to the place “where wine goes to have fun!” Pair a glass of handcrafted Wisconsin wine with a Neapoli tan-style pizza from their wood-fired oven, then kick back to relax and enjoy a stunning view and year-round live music.

Branding Iron Roadhouse

LIME RIDGE

A unique farm-to-fork eatery in a small-town setting, the Branding Iron Roadhouse serves Angus beef they raise themselves alongside other locally-sourced ingredients. Burgers, sandwiches, wood-fired pizza and, of course, Friday night fish fry plus open mic nights on the porch—perfection!

BRANDINGIRONRH.COM

Brix Cider

MOUNT HOREB

A small craft cidery with a taproom and farm-to-table restaurant in beautiful Mount Horeb, at Brix the ciders and scratch-made foods are created with a dedication to local ingredients sourced from friends and neighbors. With plant-based, gluten-free and nonalcoholic options, live music, education and community events, there’s something for everyone!

& Boutique

Once a luxury hotel in historic Miner al Point, the Old Royal Inn is now home to Café 43. Part coffeehouse with seasonal breakfast and lunch menu, part hub of local industry, their market offers fresh produce, dairy, cheeses and meats along with everyday pantry items, specialty foods, and regionally-sourced coffee, wine, beer and spirits.

A destination dining spot on the edge of the Driftless, Farm and Hearth is family-owned and family-run, offering a memorable experience for your date night, dinner party, or event. Come savor authentic slow food made from locally-sourced ingredients and cooked to perfection in a wood-fired oven.

You’re invited to a place where beer is (literally) their middle name, where the menu is designed to complement the beer and the beer is brewed within feet of the bar. This cozy, eclectic brewpub in downtown Sun Prairie offers sandwiches, wood-fired pizza, live music and a space designed to bring community together.

The Wildwood Café dining room o ers a charming community atmosphere.

Historic Trempealeau Hotel and Restaurant

The Trempealeau offers dining, drinking, music and lodging in a historic setting overlooking the Mississippi River. You’re invited to dine indoors or out to enjoy the beautiful views, welcoming vibes and meals made from scratch using responsibly-sourced ingredients. Menu changes daily based on seasonal availability and the chef’s inspiration.

Homecoming

Homecoming is a locally-focused, casual fine dining restaurant that is quickly becoming a staple for Spring Green residents and a destination for folks from all over the Midwest who enjoy their beautiful garden dining, craft cocktails, local beer, wood-fired oven, warm and friendly staff, and a diverse wine list.

I.d.

Food is meant to be shared. That’s why I.d features a chef-inspired menu of shareable dishes prepared in a beautiful open-concept kitchen where you can watch the masters at work. This modern American restaurant brings together the elements of inspired food, drink, service and design to create an exceptional dining experience.

The Lakely

CLAIRE

In the beating heart of downtown Eau Claire is a place for you to feel at home. Boasting a locally-sourced, seasonally-inspired dinner menu, come to The Lakely for casual midwestern comfort food, craft cocktails and local brews, live music, and evenings on the open-air patio.

Lark

JANESVILLE

Celebrating five years in downtown Janesville, Lark delights in using local in-season ingredients to create dishes that pay homage to those international comfort foods that are the essence of New American cuisine. Pair with original craft cocktails, wine and artisanal beer for an unforgettable night out.

backyard grill, delectable cocktail bar, and many vegan and gluten-free offerings, the menu is sure to offer something for every one in your group, all in a beauti fully designed space.

Sandwich Bar

Visiting Sandwich Bar is like stepping into a graphic novel where you can enjoy deliciously inventive sandwiches. Towering murals by artist Jeff Henriquez pair with a vintage tin ceiling to capture that vibrant feeling of an urban neigh borhood bar, serving “damn fine sandwiches and okay beer.”

pastries and coffee from local roasters. Here, you'll find a charm ing atmosphere paired with a fresh take on café fare with an emphasis on fostering community.

WILDWOOD-CAFE.COM

Wollersheim Winery

PRAIRIE DU SAC

Wollersheim sits on a scenic hillside above the Wisconsin River where grapes have been cultivated since the 1840s. Come for the award-win ning wine and spirits, then come again and again for the ambience, views, tours and tasting events, and the simple pleasure of a good meal in a magical setting.

WOLLERSHEIM.COM

by Jessica Jones

MODERN MEAD IN MADISON

“Mead is definitely mainstream now!” says Colleen Bos, Madison’s first mead maker, who started Bos Meadery in 2012. It is a positive status update for what is likely the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage. “When we first opened, people were constantly asking what mead was and trying to peg it into a beer or wine framework. But at some point, in 2018 or 2019 that conversation really disappeared and there seemed to be a greater openness to mead as simply the local alcoholic beverage we made here.”

Mead, in its simplest form, is made by diluting honey with water and adding yeast; some amount of nutrients are usually added by modern mead makers since honey lacks sufficient nutrition for yeast to complete fermentation stress-free. Yet even in this simplest form there are a plethora of options that can influence flavor: honey variety, dry or sweet, still or bubbly, low or high alcohol. Honey is flavorful and leaves its fingerprints on even the most delicate meads. The places and specific flowers bees visited determine many of the floral, fruity or even spicy flavors perceptible in the final product. Fruit and spices also are often added to mead.

Mead’s emergence as yet another option among locally produced alcoholic beverages is likely due to a variety of factors. Modern mead makers in the United States have been gradually growing the mead market for the past two decades, delighting and educating new fans along the way. Yet the shift from niche market to mainstream option is likely tied to trends happening with other beverages in the past five years.

Hard seltzer—fermented cane sugar with or without flavoring added—rapidly grew as a category over the last decade and did much to disrupt the alcoholic beverage scene, shifting more people beyond a limited beer or wine dichotomy. Meanwhile, consumer acceptance of a broader range of beverage ingredients grew as fruit and spices were finding their way into craft beer. The latter has deep roots in mead traditions.

Bos Meadery’s best-selling product has long been their Hammer Smashed Cherry, a sparkling 6.5% abv session mead that is made with Door County cherries. Meads made with fruit fit into a category known as melomels. When spices are included for balance and

Photos by Tracy Harris

complexity, they may be called a metheglin; Bos Meadery’s lineup features several. Another sparkling session mead, Magic Carpet Ride, includes cardamom, saffron, vanilla and star anise for a crisp yet heady experience. The stronger 12% abv Hibiscus & Ginger Mead is brightly spicy from the ginger with a touch of tart fruitiness from the hibiscus, adding balance and dimension to the mellower honey flavors; a dry finish and moderate carbonation make it a compelling pairing with seafood or dairy-based dishes.

A world of crossover meads also exists. Bos regularly collaborates with Giant Jones Brewing on two braggots—a honey and grainbased beverage—both made at the brewery since the state of Wisconsin licenses grain-based beverages differently than fruit- or honey-based beverages. Brix Cider and The Cider Farm both feature cyser, made by using apple cider instead of water to make mead. In a similar vein, pyment is made using grape must in place of water, like in Bos’s award-winning Pomegranate Pyment.

At present, the greater Madison area boasts four mead producers and “there is definitely space for all of us in the Madison market,” Bos says. Yet, having this many mead producers would have been hard to imagine a decade ago when Bos Meadery launched. “Making a meadery a viable business was a tough go and we basically had to become a local music venue—which has been an incredible joy on its own—to get enough people coming through the Mead hall.” In 2021 the building that housed Bos Meadery & Mead hall sold; an agreement could not be reached and Bos is in the process of opening a new mead hall—including music venue—with intention to reopen in 2023.

At the moment, the only dedicated mead hall in the area is Mead King in Rock Springs in central Sauk County. Mead King has a wide range of meads, mostly in the 11-13% abv range, sold in 750 ml bottles or by the glass on-site.

Bos’s production now happens at Mershon’s Cidery in Stoughton. After a few months' interlude, bottles and kegs of their mead started popping up again over the summer. The stronger Wildflower Oaked Mead and Equinox were the first to return. Equinox is a seasonal release for the warmer months made with clover honey, rosé grape juice and a bit of lavender. It’s a bright bubbly mead with a mediumlow strawberry flavor that opens with notes of cherry-skin, blanched almond and a cinnamony floral note from the lavender; lots of bubbles and a dry finish. The session meads and other favorites from their lineup are appearing this fall on store shelves.

New producer Kindred Spirits Meadery, also operating out of Mershon’s Cidery, started releasing meads in fall 2021. Their lineup includes two strong wildflower meads of differing sweetness levels and two melomels—one raspberry and one blackberry & basil. Also new to the scene in 2021 was Nottingham Nectar, working out of Restoration Cider in Madison. Their lineup focuses on sparkling 6% abv session meads; two wildflower meads of varying sweetness and two melomels—one with cherry and one with strawberry.

“I am really excited to see Madison’s mead scene growing like this,” Bos says. “With this many meaderies here, I can totally see us become a destination spot for mead fans. And we are all doing something different from each other which just makes it all the more exciting for people to explore.”

“WITH THIS MANY MEADERIES HERE, I CAN TOTALLY SEE US BECOME A DESTINATION SPOT FOR MEAD FANS. AND WE ARE ALL DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER WHICH JUST MAKES IT ALL THE MORE EXCITING FOR PEOPLE TO EXPLORE.”

Colleen Bos of Bos Meadery

Photo by Tracy Harris

Photos courtesy of Bos Meadery

Wildflower Three Ways

Bos Meadery, Wildflower Oaked Mead

Complex, dry and light bodied. Impressions of yarrow and dandelion blend with notes of nectarine and stewed rhubarb to dance across light prickly tannins and hints of vanilla from the toasted oak. 750 ml bottle, 12% abv

Kindred Spirits Meadery, Dry Elven Mead

Gentle, fuller body and off-dry. Rounded apple notes— juice, sauce and fresh—and apricot nectar flavors are prevalent with a deeper turmeric-like earthy complexity, a hint of allspice and a touch of warmth. 750 ml bottle, 11% abv Nottingham Nectar, Bonfires & Battlecries

Effervescent, delicate and semi-dry. Floral apple impression gives way to a honey glazed croissant character with hints of golden raisin, daisy and burnt sugar, yet the whole thing is so crisp and refreshing it is easy drinking. 12 oz bottle, 6% abv

< Photos clockwise from upper left: Blueberries infusing mead at Bos Meadery. Equipment to measure alcohol content by volume. A good pour of Wildflower Oaked Mead from Bos.

by Duke Welter

Wild Table : Turkey & Other Fowl

Out here in the heart of the Driftless Area, outdoors people savor the gifts of the wild gathered from our ridges and hillsides. This time of year, we have numerous wild choices for our tables. But some species found here were not even present a hundred years ago.

European settlers killed off the last Wisconsin wild turkey in 1881, according to the Department of Natural Resources. There were many failed attempts at reintroduction using a strain of tur key with both wild and domesticated genes. It was not until 1973 that pure wild strain birds were released and survived.

Over the next several years, DNR and Wisconsin Wild Tur key Federation volunteers released over 360 turkeys obtained from Missouri in a swap for Wisconsin ruffed grouse. Finally, they took hold. While DNR staff thought the birds would only thrive in our far southwest counties, they have expanded their range across the state to every county, even the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior. Wild turkeys are one of the state’s prime examples of a species reintroduced after being extirpated by overhunting or hab itat loss. Today, the population is healthy enough to sustain over 30,000 being taken by hunters each year in spring and fall seasons.

Why restore populations when we can? Reintroductions add to the diversity of the area and give new life to species that have adapted to this environment over thousands of years. Wildlife reintroductions have helped our region recover from greedy over harvesting of several species of birds. “Market hunting” during the late 1800s sent tens of thousands of ducks, geese, passenger pigeons and other game to restaurants and stores in cities around the Midwest. Market hunting was banned around 1910. A last ing loss, however, was the hunting to extinction of the passenger pigeons. These birds, which once darkened Wisconsin skies for several days each year when they migrated, were considered to be limitless. But they were gone from the wild by the 1880s, and went extinct in 1914, when the last one died in the Cincinnati Zoo. In recent years, restoration efforts have brought back not only turkeys, but Canada geese, sandhill cranes, trumpeter swans, and, to some extent, whooping cranes.

Sometimes successful restorations become too much of a good thing and create public nuisances, as is the case with Greater Canada geese. Reintroduction often involves the establishment of a few separate populations in a few different geographic areas. This allows the species to continue if one population is decimat ed by disease, fire or other threat. The Greater Canada geese have gone from three far-separated populations to hundreds of thou sands of birds across their range. They’re now so ubiquitous that public park and golf course managers must employ herding dogs to keep the geese from fouling public property.

Other restoration efforts often make a little progress, followed by partial or total failure. Whooping cranes were reintroduced in Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in 2001, brought in from oth er populations in Alberta, Maryland and Texas. Nesting success was limited—harassment by blackflies caused many parent birds to abandon their nests. When they migrated to Florida (led by motorized hang gliders) predators caused losses. But conserva tionists continue to try new approaches, and about 80 cranes now spend part of their year in Wisconsin.

As a conservationist and avid hunter, my cooking often fea tures wild game, notably deer, turkeys, pheasants and grouse. In over 50 years of hunting and cooking wild meats, I’ve worked to learn to properly handle and cook those species.

Wild turkeys have both light breast meat and dark legs and thighs, and their carcasses make delicious stocks and soups. They are athletic birds and strong runners and their flesh is not fatty like domestic turkeys. It’s necessary to cook them with added fat or moisture or add sauces to keep them from drying out. Outdoors, wild turkeys are better deep-fried than grilled, in my opinion.

Wild turkeys are procured by hunting, and a hunter’s aim is at their heads with shotguns. Some shot might be found in the breast afterward, but you will see a shot entry point and can re move any errant shot when the breast is cut up. Sometimes feath ers are carried into the flesh by a shot pellet; remove them and any bruised flesh.

Many of the recipes I use for game cooking came originally from Europe. With wild turkey, one of my favorites is wild tur key smitane, a French recipe probably originally used to cook smaller game birds like partridge or quail. Auguste Escoffier, one of the best-known French cookbook writers, wrote about a sauce smitane in his 1903 treatise, and versions of it are used for pheasant, dove and other birds.

At its base, a smitane sauce needs stock, wine (or Calvados, apple brandy), sour cream or crème fraîche, and sliced apples cooked together near the end of the cooking time. You can add bits of onion or herbs to give a little more fragrance.

Turkeys harvested in Wisconsin can range from 14 to 28 pounds, so the size of the breast and its tenderness can vary. You’ll want to adjust cooking times and amounts depending on the size and age of the bird.

My own recipe cuts the meat into bite-sized pieces, al though some recipes use larger filleted pieces. My rationale is that these smaller pieces benefit from being braised slowly and absorbing the moisture and flavors of the surrounding liquids.

If you’re looking for delicious complements to the wild turkey smitane, I suggest good quality wild rice (I prefer North Bay Trading Company’s wild-harvested Ontario rice, with long grains and great flavor.) simmered slowly with homemade poultry stock, and homemade cranberry sauce. Wild cranberries have a nice flavor if you can find them along a peaty wetland, but our Wisconsin growers will have plenty of bulk berry bags for your freezer this time of year. Mush rooms, minced bacon or onions or chopped pecans are all nice choices for additions to your wild rice dish.

Photo by Tracy Harris

A wild turkey out for a stroll. The colorful birds can be spotted all over our region.

Wild Turkey Smitane

Serves 4-6

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 1½ -2½ hours

INGREDIENTS

1 cup diced bacon ends or 6 bacon slices, diced

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil

½ wild turkey breast, cut into ½- to 3/4-inch cubes (2-4 pounds)

3-4 tablespoons minced onion

1 cup poultry stock, divided

1 cup white wine, divided

1-2 cups sour cream or crème fraîche

4-6 cups tart apples, peeled and sliced

4 tablespoons Calvados (apple brandy)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, optional

Pinch of nutmeg, optional

Fresh parsley, optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Brown the bacon until nearly cooked. Brown onion until translucent. Set both aside. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease. Add the butter or olive oil, and heat the pan to medium-high.

2. Brown the turkey chunks until golden. Set aside. Deglaze the pan with ½ cup of stock and ½ cup of wine, loosening any browned meat.

3. Add the turkey, bacon and onion back to the pan. Add ½ cup of stock and ½ cup of wine, or more as needed to keep the meat covered. Simmer for 45-75 minutes or until the turkey is tender.

4. Remove the turkey and bacon from the pan and continue to simmer the liquid until reduced to approximately ½ cup.

5. Add the turkey and bacon back to the pan. Add the sour cream or crème fraîche, apples and Calvados. Cover and simmer until the apples are soft.

6. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you wish for a little more verve, add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice just before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley and nutmeg (optional) and serve.

Photo by Sunny Frantz

This October, take a drive in the country by bike, car or horse-drawn wagon. Hay bales are sculptures. Fields are stages. Curious, large objects made by artists from around the country are hosted by farmers in hayfields after the last harvest.

Get curious and come closer. See artwork inspired by the land, hear songbirds, cows and pasture performances, smell fresh cut hay and campfires, discover roadside poetry around the next bend in the road, and enjoy local delicacies.

poetry

Art effervescence

LAND Photo by Diane Schmidt

Wormfarm Institute—along with participating landowners, collaborators and local businesses—invite you to travel the Farm/Art DTour, a free self-guided excursion through 50 miles of scenic farmland in rural Sauk County, with trailheads in Plain and Sauk City, WI (where you’ll pick up your DTour Map!)

As you wander through small towns, grazed pastures, country churchyards and productive farmland, you’ll be amazed at the creations of artists and the daily artistry of farmers. Come be delighted, enlightened and fed, and catch a glimpse of the culture within and inspired by agriculture.

Want a sneak peek?

Gather around the table at Homecoming in Spring Green with our partners at Edible Madison.

September 24th 5-8:30 PM Fixed Price Dinner

Learn more and get tickets at Ediblemadison.com/homecoming.

cowscider Cheese wormfarminstitute.org

More information about the DTour and see the route:

Small Farms Thrive with Agritourism

By Emily McCluhan

The breeze gently beats against the other end of the phone as Tucker Gretebeck guides his dairy cows across the ridge of All Seasons Farm in Cashton, Wisconsin, about 30 miles east of La Crosse. Over the bellowing of his herd, Gretebeck shares how a pumpkin patch changed the future of this organic, grass-based family farm.

“I never like to have all my eggs in one basket,” says Gretebeck, who grew up farm ing the land 10 miles from All Seasons. “The dairy cows graze up on the ridge, and the valley below has so much energy to it. It made sense to put it to use.”

So in 2010, the Gretebecks began to explore agritourism as a way to allow their neighbors to connect to the land and create opportunities for their two children to learn more about farming and their community.

Tucker and his wife, Becky, planted a quarter acre of pumpkins and invited a few friends to explore the patch and enjoy the late summer nights. A few years later, there was a pizza oven, hired actors panning for gold in the “crick,” wagon rides, and visitors from across southern Wisconsin learning about the land and building relationships with each other.

“It’s about evolving the farm,” says Gretebeck, who went fully organic in 2006 when All Seasons joined Organic Valley, a farmer-owned cooperative based in La Farge, Wisconsin. “I’m farming differently than my dad did and my kids will farm differently than me. I want to create opportunities for them now so they can decide how they want to farm in the future.”

As an Organic Valley farm, the Gretebecks benefit from the co-op’s mission to create a more stable economic model for member farms, allowing them to explore things like agritourism.

“We offer our farms a stable pay price,” says Joshua Fairfield, Organic Valley public relations manager. “That means we're not passing market pressures on to our farmers. Farmers in our cooperative can plan further ahead to grow their farms and their livelihoods.”

In 2018, a flood washed through the valley at All Seasons Farm, taking the pump kin patch, cabins, pizza oven and gathering place with it. Instead of giving up on what they had built, Gretebeck seized the opportunity to show his two children the power of resilience. Because the dairy operation overlooks the valley and he could rely on stability for his product from Organic Valley, Greteback was able to sustain the loss from the flood and rebuild.

They converted a hog smoker to a pizza oven, allowing local groups to do pizza fundraisers in the pumpkin patch. The farm provides the ingredients and a quick training session, then the kids cook the pizzas and get to keep the profits. Gretebeck’s son, Trent, even took over making the pizza sauce. Last year they had roughly 4,000 visitors on the farm, equal to pre-flood numbers.

Gretebeck says his family sees pumpkin patch season as a vacation, something to look forward to every year. “We hire someone to milk the cows at night so the family has time to focus on the pumpkin patch and make connections,” he says. “When we have school groups or tours, we let our kids get involved and it gives them exposure to the business end of it like figuring out how much food we need, how to manage the money and thinking of other experiences we can offer.”

Fairfield notes that agritourism is booming across the cooperative’s 1,800 farms in 30 states and attributes much of it to technology and social media.

“Technology has made it possible for the small farmer to reach a broader audience and market their farms with things like tours, overnight stays and pizza nights,” he says. “Before those channels were available, it wasn’t possible to find the time and resources needed for advertising, scheduling and accounting.”

He adds that the rise of domestic tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic drove the desire for experiences and connections, creating the perfect environment for small farmers and agritourism.

Overnight stays on farms is one category that has seen a boom. According to Airb nb, nights booked at farms have doubled in the first quarter of 2022 compared with the same period in 2019, and there are now roughly 100,000 farms to choose from across the country on their site.

Don and Samantha Frei, owners of Morning Dew, an Organic Valley member farm in Argyle, Wisconsin, jumped at the chance to introduce travelers looking for a rural getaway to their dairy farm by turning a property on their land into a bed and breakfast. Guests can slip on their farm boots and help milk the cows, collect eggs or assist with other daily chores. The Frei’s mission is to reconnect visitors with where their food comes from, either hands-on, through tours of the farm, or by just watching the animals go about their daily lives from the comfort of the front porch of the guest house.

Former chef Andy Watson and his family, owners of Sprouting Acres in Cambridge, Wisconsin, began considering agritourism in 2010 when they began to see declining interest in their community supported agriculture (CSA) program that had been the core of their small vegetable farm for years.

“All of a sudden there were so many organic delivery options like Hello Fresh and stores offering more organic produce. It got harder and harder to fill those 100 CSA box spots each year,” says Watson. “We realized we were too dependent on our CSA and farmers’ markets.” The Watsons knew they wanted to keep their operation small yet sustainable, so instead of taking their food to people, they decided the answer was to bring people to the food.

Watson and his wife put together a 10-year plan in 2010 to diversify and explore agritourism. They built a structure to host events and meals, and as a former chef, Watson eased into cooking classes and private dinners on the farm.

In 2018, the family hosted their first Pizza on the Farm event with a few friends. Four years later a typical Sunday crowd swells to 400. Watson encourages visitors to make an afternoon of it when the weather cooperates. Grab a picnic table, enjoy the band set up on the small stage, let the kids wander through the mowed grass trails or watch bluegills swim in the pond.

“It’s about creating this culture where people can slow down and experience their food and where it comes from,” he says and notes that the average age of farmers is only getting older as children decide to leave farming behind. “But if they can do a haunted barn or a pizza night or an event space, it can help them diversify and find other interests on the farm. It’s how we as the next generation continue.”

Pizza on the Farm is one of the many ways the Watson Family support their dairy farm, Sprouting Acres, located in Cambridge.

“It’s about creating this culture where people can slow down and experience their food and where it comes from.”

—Andy Watson, Sprouting Acres Farm

Bottom right: the Gretebecks of All Seasons Farm. Other photos: Sprouting Acres Pizza on the Farm courtesy of Brett Wilson.

Travel the World withWinter Squash

One of my favorite things about cooking is the opportunity it provides to travel from my home kitchen and experience the world through recipes lovingly prepared by chefs with backgrounds and food stories different from my own. Whether it’s taking the afternoon to attempt agnolotti (a stuffed pasta), making mole from scratch for enchiladas, or preparing a simple Korean squash porridge, these recipes are sure to transport you somewhere new.

Three Sisters Soup

Elena loves using a grocery-store staple—smoked turkey legs—to make a quick broth for the base of her three sisters soup. Be careful when adding additional salt as the smoked turkey flavor will add a lot of salt to the final dish. If using fresh corn on the cob, feel free to add the cobs to the turkey stock to build a more complex flavor.

Serves 4-6

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 11/2 to 21/2 hours

INGREDIENTS

1 smoked turkey leg

4 cups water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 leek, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 celery stick, sliced

1 acorn squash, peeled and cubed

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 cup fresh (or frozen) sweet corn or canned hominy

1 15-ounce can white navy beans, rinsed

2 sage leaves, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. In a roaster oven or large pot, place the turkey leg in enough water to cover. Bring the water to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cook until the meat starts pulling away from the bone, about 1-2 hours. Remove the turkey leg from the broth and place it in a pan to cool. Strain the broth and set aside.

2. Heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the leek, garlic, carrots, celery, winter squash and corn (or hominy) and sauté for 5 minutes, until just beginning to brown. Deglaze the pan with turkey stock, and bring everything to a boil. Once the soup reaches a boil, turn down to simmer. Cook until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Add the rinsed beans.

3. Pull the turkey off the bone and add it to the soup along with the sage. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

Recipe by Elena Terry of Wild Bearies

Hobakjuk (Pumpkin Porridge)

This Korean pumpkin porridge is one of Francesca’s mom’s favorite things to make. It works well here in Wisconsin with butternut, acorn or kabocha squash (Fran’s personal favorite). Some hobakjuk recipes call for sugar, but her mom would never allow that. Francesca likes to be rebellious and add a little bit of maple syrup.

Serves 5-6

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 kabocha squash, 2-3 pounds

cup maple syrup

cups plus 3 tablespoons water, divided

cup sweet rice flour (or tapioca flour)

Sea salt to taste

teaspoon sesame oil, optional

teaspoon sunflower oil, optional

tablespoons toasted pepitas, optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Peel and cut the squash lengthwise into quarters. Place the squash in a steamer on a stovetop and steam over a rolling boil until soft and fork-tender, about 8-11 minutes.

2. Cool slightly, then puree the squash in a blender with maple syrup and 3 cups of water until smooth.

3. In a small bowl, stir together the sweet rice flour and the remaining 3 tablespoons of water until the flour is dissolved and becomes a sticky paste.

4. Pour the squash puree into a medium saucepan and bring to a low simmer over medium heat. Add the rice flour paste and whisk for 3-5 minutes.

5. Season with salt to taste. If using the sesame and sunflower oils, mix them together in a small bowl. Finish the porridge with a drizzle of the oils and add toasted pepitas to garnish.

Recipe by State Representative Francesca Hong of Morris Ramen

Photos by Sunny Frantz

Chicken Enchiladas in Mole Amarillo

One of Jonathan’s passions at La Cosecha is educating people about simple, traditional Mexican cooking techniques. That was the inspiration for his mole amarillo made with hard-skinned winter squash, chiles, seeds, nuts and spices. He uses it here with shredded chicken, cheese and tortillas to make enchiladas, but it could just as easily be served with rice, eggs or grilled meats. Guajillo chilies should be easy to find at any Mexican grocery store, or the chilhuacle amarillo chiles (Jonathan’s preferred chiles) can be ordered online from a specialty store.

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

For Mole:

8 guajillo or chilhuacle amarillo chiles

¼ cup pumpkin seeds (or pepitas), plus more to garnish

¼ cup blanched almonds

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, plus more to garnish

½ large yellow onion

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 cups diced, peeled butternut squash (any winter squash will do)

¼ cup orange juice

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

3 cups chicken or vegetable broth

For Enchiladas:

12 small corn tortillas

1 pound shredded chicken

1 pound Oaxacan cheese or string cheese, shredded or pulled apart into individual strands

¼ cup minced cilantro

Sliced jalapenos, optional

Recipe by Jonathan Correa of La Cosecha Tortilla Company

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. To make the mole, heat a heavy-bottomed pan (such as a cast-iron skillet) over medium heat. Add the chiles and toast until they become flexible and fragrant. Set aside. Once cool, remove the seeds and stems.

3. Using the same pan, toast the pumpkin seeds, almonds, and sesame seeds until they become fragrant and lightly golden brown.

4. Over an open flame or in your heavy-bottomed pan, char the onion until one side is black. Set aside. Remove the skin from the garlic and lightly char each clove. Set aside.

5. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat and add the squash. Cook until the squash begins to get some color, about 5-10 minutes. Slice the charred onion and garlic, and add them to the pan with the squash along with the chiles, pumpkin seeds, almonds, sesame seeds, orange juice, lime juice, cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper and broth.

6. Continue to cook until the squash is tender. Allow the mixture to cool, then blend in a blender or food processor until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add additional broth or water until the sauce reaches a consistency close to tomato soup. Season with salt to taste.

7. To assemble the enchiladas, heat the tortillas in a hot pan until they’re flexible. Working one at a time, add a few tablespoons of shredded chicken to each tortilla, followed by an equal amount of cheese. Roll up the filling, and place the filled tortilla in a baking dish. Repeat until all 12 tortillas are filled and rolled.

8. Cover the filled tortillas with the squash mole and bake for 20 minutes.

9. Remove the enchiladas from the oven and garnish them with cilantro and additional toasted sesame and pumpkin seeds. For additional spice, add sliced jalapenos.

Photo by Sunny Frantz

Agnolotti Alla Zucca (Pasta Stuffed with Squash)

If making pasta from scratch is your thing, there’s no better teacher or enthusiast than Italian-born chef and owner of Bar Corallini, Giovanni Novella. This recipe for homemade pasta stuffed with winter squash and ricotta is a bit of a project, but utterly delicious with an herbed brown butter sauce and a pile of freshly grated Parmesan. If you’d prefer to skip making the pasta dough from scratch, you can special order fresh lasagna sheets from Alimentari in Madison to use for this recipe.

Serves 6-8

Prep time: 2+ hours

Cook time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For Pasta Filling:

1 small kabocha squash (about 11/2 lbs), peeled, seeded and quartered

Extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon sea salt, plus a pinch

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup fresh whole-milk ricotta

½ teaspoon finely grated nutmeg

Freshly ground black pepper

1 egg yolk

For Pasta Dough:

5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough 4 large eggs, plus 4 egg yolks, divided 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

For Sauce:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 sprigs thyme, plus 2 tablespoons thyme leaves, divided 10 sage leaves, thinly sliced, divided ¼ teaspoon sea salt ¼ cup toasted pepitas Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Place the squash in a roasting pan, then brush it with olive oil and sprinkle it with a pinch of sea salt. Cover the pan tightly with foil and cook the squash until fork-tender, about 40-50 minutes.

3. When the squash is cool enough to handle, mash or puree it until smooth. Measure 2 cups of mashed squash into a large bowl, reserving any extra for another use. Add the Parmesan, ricotta, nutmeg, ½ teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust flavors as desired. Fold in 1 egg yolk until smooth. Put the squash filling in a piping bag or bowl and set it in the fridge while you prepare your pasta dough.

4. To make the pasta dough, mound the flour on a dry, clean counter top and make a deep well in the center. Crack 3 of the eggs into a bowl followed by the 4 egg yolks. Gently stir in the olive oil and 1 teaspoon of

Recipe by Giovanni Novella of Bar Corallini

sea salt. Pour the egg and oil mixture into the flour well. Gently whisk the egg mixture with a fork, slowly incorporating more and more flour. Once the eggs and flour are fully incorporated, use your hands to fold the remaining flour into the mixture. The dough should not be sticky at all. If it is, continue folding in additional flour, adding up to ½ cup more, as needed. If the dough is too dry (and won’t stick together), mix in some of the reserved egg white.

5. Once the dough is no longer sticky, clean the work surface with a pastry scraper and knead the dough for about 8 minutes until it is very smooth to the touch. Wrap the dough tightly with plastic and let it rest for 15 minutes on the counter.

6. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg.

7. To make the agnolotti, divide the dough into quarters and roll out each quarter into sheets that are 2 millimeters thick, 3.5 to 4 inches wide and 12 inches long. Brush each sheet with the whisked egg. Starting ½ inch from the short edge and one inch from the long edge of each pasta sheet, use a piping bag fit with a wide tip to pipe five long mounds of filling (about 1 tablespoon each) in a line about one inch apart. Carefully fold the pasta sheet over the filling and run your finger along the overlap to seal, forming a tube. Fold the overlapping pasta back over the filled dough to create a flap. Firmly pinch the tube between the mound of filling to create and seal individual agnolotti. Use a pasta wheel or a sharp knife to cut the filled pasta from the rest of the dough sheet and separate each pocket. Repeat this process with the remaining dough.

8. Before cooking the pasta, make the sauce by melting the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the thyme sprigs, half the sage leaves, and ¼ teaspoon sea salt. Simmer the butter sauce very gently for 10 minutes, stirring often to dissolve the salt. Remove from heat.

9. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add a generous splash of olive oil. Add the agnolotti to the boiling water and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the pasta from the water with a slotted spoon.

10. Strain the thyme-sage butter sauce and serve it over freshly cooked agnolotti. Garnish the pasta with the toasted pepitas and remaining thyme and sage. Serve with extra Parmesan and add salt and pepper to taste.

Check online to see video of Chef Giovanni's technique assembling these Agnolotti at ediblemadison.com/stories/giovanni.

Photo by Lauren Langtim

Smoky Adobo-Seasoned Winter Squash

This recipe comes straight off the menu of Maybe Lately’s: a breakfast and lunch restaurant serving up delicious comfort food on Main Street in Viroqua. Jessica loves the simple but huge flavor of this roasted squash that borrows from the flavor profiles of Filipino cuisine. She uses it as the base of the restaurant’s beloved squash melt which comes served on buttered and grilled housemade sourdough with braised collard greens, cheddar cheese, an herby salsa and crunchy fried shallots.

Serves 4-6

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 medium-sized (or 3 small) winter squash of any kind

¼ cup neutral cooking oil (sunflower, vegetable or olive)

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1-2 teaspoons soy sauce, depending on your salt preference

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon maple syrup or other sweetener of choice

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon ancho chili flakes (or other mild chile flake)

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Peel the squash and cut it into thick slices. (If you plan to use the squash on a sandwich, cut the slices thick enough that they will have a nice bite, but not be overpowering between two pieces of bread.)

3. Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a bowl that’s large enough to fit all the squash.

4. Toss the squash slices in the oil-and-vinegar mixture until well coated, then place them on parchment-lined baking sheets in a single layer. Cook until the squash is softened and just starting to blacken. (Check every 10 minutes for doneness as it will vary with the variety and thickness of squash.)

Recipe by Jessica Bowman of Maybe Lately’s

Photo by Sunny Frantz. Illustrations by Nicole Peaslee.

Our Four Favorite Squashes to Cook With

Delicata

With an edible skin, beautiful striation, and a sweet flavor, delicata squash is hard not to love.

Acorn

Acorn squash has a mild flavor that requires a bit more dressing up than other squashes, but we love it for its predictability. It grows well, doesn't require curing and can be found pretty much anywhere.

Butternut

Elegant, sturdy, sweet and great for long-term storage, butternut squash is a classic, excellent choice for any dish you plan to make.

Kabocha

Kabocha is a Japanese variety of squash with a creamy flesh that tastes something like a sweet potato crossed with a pumpkin. It can be hard to find, but is flavor-packed and utterly delicious.

Dane County Farmers’ Market Celebrates 50 Years

by Candice Wagener

Many of us have spent a Saturday morning or two (or more) strolling along the Capitol Square, awakening all five sens es with the experiences of the Dane County Farmers’ Market.

The sight of rainbow rows of produce, flow ers and jams are commonplace. The scents of freshly baked scones and herbs waft through the air. Babies’ cries are heard inter mittently as farmers and patrons communi cate about products.

“Edible flowers, right. These taste like pep per. Use sparingly.”

Samples of creamy or spicy or tangy aged cheese kickstart your taste buds. Your can vas bag starts to dig into your shoulder as you add more to it.

These are just some of the joys that are part of the Dane County Farmers’ Market (DCFM), an event which has become a food ie destination and celebrates 50 years in ex istence this fall.

Beyond home cooks and culinary enthusi asts, the DCFM has had an undeniable im pact on the strong farm-to-table movement in local restaurants. Odessa Piper’s early promotion of the market has grown into a squad of chefs who make a regular habit of visiting today.

“Sal’s would not be who Sal’s is without the DCFM,” says Patrick DePula, owner of Salva tore’s Tomato Pies in Sun Prairie and Madi son.

DePula says it was difficult to get farm de liveries to their original Sun Prairie location when they opened in 2011, so he started vis iting the DCFM. At first, he brought a bag, then a little red wagon, a giant cart, two gi ant carts and, eventually, a van. DePula goes every Saturday, rain or shine.

“It’s been such a great place to meet people and develop relationships with farmers,” says DePula. “You get such an added value from farmers that you wouldn’t get from large produce providers.”

What has evolved into a source of pride, nostalgia, and tradition for so many looks quite different from the early iterations of the market, but the spirit and mission re mains steadfast.

Madison’s unofficial history with farmers’ markets actually dates back to the 1850s, when farmers’ markets were held at the wa ter tower on East Washington, just off the Capitol Square (note the capitol building was completely different, too).

Small markets and stands continued here and there, but the concept of a large-scale farmers’ market was first proposed by May or Bill Dyke in the early 1970s. Dyke was in spired by large markets he had seen as far away as Europe and as nearby as Sauk City. Dyke, along with his administrative assistant Bob Brennan, Dane County Extension agent James Schroeder and Dane County farm management agent Ron Jensen were all mo tivated to make it happen. The circle wasn’t complete until Jonathan Barry got involved.

(Left) The Saturday market draws a crowd on a beautiful day in 2006. (Above, left to right) Scenes from the 2001 market: Dale Marsden of Marsden's Pure Honey, Roxanne Jordan, and the Westons' Antique Apples stand.

Left page: photo by Jo Futrell. Right page: top three photos courtesy of DCFM. Bottom: photo courtesy of Jonathan Barry.

DCFM's first market manager, Jonathan Barry, mans his stand at the market circa 1973. Barry says, "The youth in the photo is one of several neighbor kids I hired for summer jobs over the years. As I recall, this young man went on to an Air Force Academy appointment. Good kid. He'd be in his 60's now. Yikes!"

Barry, a “city guy” from Milwaukee who caught the farming bug, was harvesting pro duce off five acres of land near Primrose in southwestern Dane County and selling what he grew out of his truck in front of Ella’s Deli (which had a State Street address then). Un fortunately, parking restrictions put a halt on his sales. When Barry turned to Jensen for advice on where to sell, he was recruited as the first market manager of the DCFM.

Sites at both West Towne and Hilldale malls were considered, but management feared a market would be “too messy” for their space. Noting the idyllic background of the Capitol building and the central location downtown, sights were set on the Square. City officials were concerned about waste management and liability. When the Central Madison Committee (Downtown Madison, Inc. today) offered to cover the costs of waste removal and sponsor the new market, including it in its liability insurance, everything else came into place.

Vendor Arnold Lancour with an abundance of squash on offer in 2001.

Photos courtesy of DCFM archive

On September 30, 1972, 11 vendors grouped together along Monona Avenue (now Mar tin Luther King Jr. Boulevard) and quickly sold what they brought. The next week, 85 vendors set up around the Square, sell ing to several thousand customers. Every one agreed the market was a success, and planned for a full-season version to open in June 1973.

As the years went on, the outdoor mar ket expanded from April to October and Wednesdays were added. There are also in door markets at Monona Terrace (over the holiday season) and Garver Feed Mill (Janu ary through April).

While the look of the DCFM has changed quite extensively over the last 50 years, the concept remains steadfast. Everything is Wisconsin grown, made, or raised, making the DCFM the largest producer-only market in the U.S.

“It’s unique that it is a producer-only mar ket,” says Jamie Bugel, current DCFM market manager (since April 2021). “The person be hind the stand is the person who owns the business, who is making the product, and can tell you about it. There’s a great diversi ty of products—all types of vegetables and fruits, vendors come from all over the state. You can have fruit from Door County and then vegetables from five miles away.”

The DCFM is a private corporation—"People are often surprised to hear that,” says Bu gel—led by nine board members, all farmers. A small but mighty crew keeps the DCFM running each week. Bugel is joined by her as sistant market manager (who also runs the Wednesday market) and a part-time food access coordinator who runs the info booth on Saturdays, coordinates volunteers, and makes sure the FoodShare/EBT program is running. Volunteers are stationed at the info booth to process EBT transactions.

The FoodShare program offered through DCFM (and surrounding markets) allows customers who are eligible for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to obtain an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card to pay for products at the market. In addition, from June to Octo

ber, participants can double their dollars (up to $25).

Bugel says the program promotes invaluable food access. She relays a phone conversa tion with a participant who told her “having this program allows me to afford the luxury of fresh strawberries,” putting into perspec tive how grateful participants are for acces sible farm produce.

In the early days of the mar ket, farmers would arrive well before dawn, waiting in their vehicles for a coveted space on the Square. These were administered on a first-come, first-served basis. By the 1990s, a much-needed senior ity system was instituted and additional limits needed to be put into place.

“The number of members blew up to over 300 at some point,” says Bugel. “Because of that, a blackout period had to be instituted and newest members were not allowed to vend during August and Sep tember. Our goal is to never have that happen again, to keep the number reasonable so the members who are a part of the market can always depend on coming on a Saturday.”

In 2022, the total member count is near 250. Only about 150 members fit comfortably around the Square but it works out because not every vendor comes every week. For in stance, greenhouses typically show up for spring and early summer, to be replaced by orchards in the late summer and fall.

Coming to market since the 1980s, Kopke's Greenhouse holds the top seniority spot and is known by many. And almost everyone who has paid a visit to the market has heard the cries of “Hot spicy cheese bread!” Many have succumbed to temptation and ripped into the warm, round loaf, nibbling while shop ping. Only market originals will know, how ever, that Stella’s Bakery began by selling eggplant. Like many delicious innovations,

Current market manager Jamie Bugel

Build

Dream Cheeseboard

their hot, spicy cheese bread was a happy accident. Owner Coralia Harn was making empanadas to send with her workers before the morning market but something wasn’t quite right with the dough. Short on time, she quickly wrapped the dough around the Monterey Jack cheese anyway and baked it. What resulted was the iconic loaves Madiso nians have come to know and love.

Of course, we mourn the loss of original ven dors such as “Jelly Jim” Schroeder, whose Summer Kitchen jellies were a favorite of many, and Schroeder’s personality was equally as sweet.

The DCFM is an indelible part of Madison, creating two-way access between farmers and consumers, driving the farm-to-table movement in restaurants, and enhancing tourism. We can’t wait to see what the next 50 years have in store.

50th Anniversary Events

Some special events are lined up to celebrate the accomplishments of the DCFM:

A cookbook with recipes solicited by vendors and customers is slated for publication in 2023

The “Hitch Your Wagon to the Market” fundraiser showcases wagons decorated by local sponsors in August and September

A virtual cooking class

CABBAGE SALAD WITH SOY GINGER DRESSING

Recipe by Lisa Dussault

8-10 servings

How do you celebrate fifty years of farm-totable excellence, weekly gatherings of hundreds of food producers and thousands of shoppers, plus an ever-expanding array of seasonal crops and specialty products? With a cookbook, of course. Slated for publication in 2023, the Dane County Farmers’ Market’s cookbook will be a keepsake collection featuring topnotch local foodstuffs in dishes from around the world. The book will share recipes and stories from the DCFM community—the farmers, buyers and chefs who support and cherish the market. And it’ll show readers how to "buy local, cook global."

As a taste of things to come, here’s a recipe from the book contributed by one of the DCFM’s longtime customers, Lisa Dussault.

—Terese Allen, editor of the DCFM cookbook.

INGREDIENTS

For Dressing:

1/2 cup avocado oil (or other neutral oil)

2-3 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce

1 heaping tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon Kingfisher Farm Szechuan Oil (or other bottled Asian chili oil)

For Salad:

8 cups thinly sliced cabbage (green, red, purple, Napa or Savoy)

1 small bunch scallions (white and light green sections only), finely chopped

1 large carrot, cut into thin strips

1 medium-sized purple daikon radish, cut into thin strips

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

Sesame seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk well. Let mixture stand while you pre pare the vegetables. Toss vegetables and cilantro in a large bowl. Add most of the dress ing and toss again.

Taste the salad and, if you like, add the rest of the dressing, then toss once more. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Lark Market

Photo

IS PLASTIC WASTE THE COST OF EATING?

STORY BY EMILY PAYNE AND DANIELLE NIERENBERG

About a year ago, a comedian—not a scientist or environmentalist—enlightened consumers about a product they use every day that is harmful to the planet.

“A lot less plastic winds up getting recycled than you might think,” John Oliver said on that particular episode of Last Week Tonight, which has now been viewed more than 4 million times. In the United States and Canada, less than 9 percent of plastics is recycled. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), packaging comprises the largest percent of U.S. plastic waste. Since the pandemic disrupted curbside pickup and put more emphasis on single-use products, especially in food service, these numbers have only worsened.

Consumers often see plastic food packaging as the cost of eating: tubs of salad greens; clear clamshells for berries; and even, pre-wrapped cucumbers and other produce.

And while many plastics are recyclable, they still end up in landfills, oceans and, ultimately, in our bodies.

Now, however, in an exciting wave of innovation, businesses and entrepreneurs are rethinking how to package food.

REALLY RECYCLED?

“Much food packaging is made from plastic, and most plastics are never recycled—though the plastics industry has long worked to convince us otherwise,” says Dianna Cohen, co-founder and CEO of the Plastic Pollution Coalition.

One-quarter of packaging reaching recycling facilities is contaminated and, thus, sent to landfills, the EPA estimates. Contamination can occur from contact with non-recyclables in

recycling bins or items that are not clean—the most common culprit is food residue.

Further, recycling facilities are often underfunded and over whelmed. In 2018, China stopped importing most plastic waste from both the U.S. and Canada. That ban upended recycling systems that relied on exports, and neither country has been successful in building a domestic recycling market.

For example, Stamford, Connecticut made $95,000 selling recyclables in 2017; after 2018, it paid $700,000 for removal.

And Bakersfield, California, earned $65 per ton from recyclables; it now pays $25 a ton to get rid of them.

The recycling system is also wrought with environmental injustice. “Recycling facilities are predominantly built in mar ginalized communities, in part due to the traditional invisibility of and bias against low-income communities of color and In digenous peoples,” says Nilda Mesa, director of urban sustain ability and equity planning at Columbia University’s Center for Sustainable Urban Development.

Amid pressure to transform the recycling system, experts are advocating for circularity in food packaging. Circular systems pre vent waste from reaching recycling facilities by implementing strat egies to reuse and repurpose plastics already created. A shift in this direction requires the food industry to rethink packaging materials and to consider what the reuse and disposal of plastics (eventually) would look like, especially for packaging that is compostable.

COMPOSTABLE IS COMPLICATED

Unilever and PepsiCo include compostable packaging as part of their strategies to reduce waste. Chipotle and Sweetgreen use compostable material for take-out meals.

Compostables are made of plant-based materials—corn, starch or sugarcane—unlike plastics derived from petroleum.

Compostable packaging isn’t always sustainable, though. With out the right infrastructure, pricing and awareness, compostables can contribute to the food packaging waste problem.

“Compostable is often referring to packaging that must be transported to an industrial composting facility—which it often isn’t, and just ends up in a landfill versus recycled,” says Emily Stucker, vice president of menu innovation and product integrity at Farmer’s Fridge.

This is, in part, because composting facilities are not available nationally. Mixing compostables into curbside bins can contami nate recycling streams. Throwing compostables in the trash gets them sent to landfills, where they emit methane.

When proper infrastructure and education are in place, pro cessing compost can be sustainable, especially given that munici palities pay for waste processing by weight.

“A municipality that can figure out how to minimize its organic waste stream will be saving funds over the long run, as well as cutting greenhouse gas emissions and producing material that will enrich soils… It’s a win all over,” says Mesa. But only if they can afford it.

“We would have loved to be in all compostable packaging from the beginning, but for a small company starting out, pricing for small runs and guaranteed shelf life for new products with un known velocity can be prohibitive,” says Logan Farley, chief operat ing officer at Brass Roots, a plant-based snack company based in New Orleans, Louisiana.

IF THE PRICE IS RIGHT

Food businesses consider pricing, shelf life and quality of pre sentation for packaging, and it’s been cheaper to choose plastic packaging. Brass Roots Founder Aaron Gailmor believes the tide is turning, however.

“Along with the innovation in more sustainable packaging, pric ing has come down dramatically, and it’s only a small premium to conventional or fossil fuel-based packaging now,” Gailmor says.

Ecovative’s technology upcycles farming and forestry byproducts through mycelium to create plastic-free and home-compostable prod ucts for the food, leather, beauty, foam and packaging industries.

Gailmor is hopeful that more options can be available at large scale as consumer demand rises.

“If you’d asked me two years ago, I wouldn’t have been as enthu siastic,” says Gailmor, “but I am very confident now.” Consumer demand drives innovation, lower prices and more sustainable op tions for small businesses like Brass Roots, but the onus can’t be only on eaters.

THE POWER OF PROCUREMENT

One powerful solution is for government and institutional pro curement practices to help reduce or eliminate plastic packaging.

“We can do this on an individual level and also need to support systems shifts, from our schools to our workplaces to policy and legislation,” says Cohen.

San Francisco, California, was one of the first cities to make a zero-waste commitment in 2003—it diverts 80 percent of its waste from landfills. Vendors use either compostable or recyclable contain ers, and every event must offer recycling and composting. The city also requires individuals and businesses to separate waste into recy clable, compostable and trash bins.

“Moving away from single-serve meals and snacks is probably the most impactful way to reduce packaging waste in an institutional setting,” says the Center for Good Food Purchasing, a nonprofit that aims to use procurement to build a more equitable food system.

According to the Center, buying bulk items can help institu tions reduce both packaging waste and food waste—a win for tight budgets, too.

For example, many elementary school districts are required to serve milk which is distributed in single-serve cartons. Students take a carton, drink some or none of it and throw it in the trash. But when the Austin Independent School District in Texas transitioned

“The real game changer will be when people buy less plastic, reuse what they have and minimize what goes in the trash and into recycling,”

to bulk milk, they reduced so much waste that it was able to transi tion to all organic milk for the same cost of single-serve cartons.

Other institutions are increasing demand for sustainable food services—within the Center’s partner institutions, there has been a more than 30 percent increase in environmentally sustainable pur chasing over the last few years.

LEADING THE WAY

Meanwhile, some of the largest industry players are tackling packaging and plastic waste internally.

In 2021, Driscoll’s diverted more than 10 million pounds of packaging from landfills. The company’s circular clamshell initiative requires packaging suppliers to incorporate recycled clamshells back into new clamshells.

Clover Sonoma released the first fully plant-based milk carton in 2022. Meanwhile, Danone aims to make every piece of packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.

This focus on waste reduction can drive investment in better sorting infrastructure, reducing widespread contamination and making recycling easier for all.

“Private industry has the opportunity to create the demand to kickstart or revive strong and stable recycling end markets for the circular economy, and we hope more brands and manufacturers will step up to the design and sourcing challenge,” says Camille Herrera, packaging development and sustainability manager at Driscoll’s.

More than 70 brands have committed to the One Step Closer to Zero Waste Packaging campaign, which launched in January 2022. It aims to improve infrastructure, labeling and the responsi bility of producers.

The campaign also supports the Break Free from Plastic Pollu tion Act. It mandates reduced production of a variety of materials, including plastic, and requires producers of packaging, containers and food service products to boost recycling and composting efforts.

Companies that fundamentally change the way they think about packaging, rather than simply swapping plastics for another singleuse material, can build true circularity.

“To make any kind of single-use packaging including composta bles, you’re using precise raw materials, energy and water,” says Anukampa Freedom Gupta-Fonner, co-founder and CEO of Spr ingEats.com, an online grocery store achieving zero-waste delivery from farm to table.

ZERO PACKAGING

The best way to reduce packaging waste, though, is by using no packaging at all.

Apeel makes plant-derived coatings that growers, suppliers and retailers use to keep produce fresh two to three times longer. And

NatureSeal coating combines vitamins, salts and minerals to extend the shelf life of sliced fruits for up to 28 days.

Meanwhile, Notpla aims to eliminate the need for single-use plastic bottles. Its condiments and water sachets are made from seaweed, which can be composted or actually eaten. And Sway’s seaweed packaging integrates seamlessly with existing machinery, eliminating the costs for manufacturers.

Gupta-Fonner’s waste-free delivery service aims to do the fun damental work of building a circular supply chain from the ground up. For her, waste is an issue of design. “Linear supply chains are not designed for this,” says Gupta-Fonner.

Designing the infrastructure for circularity—a system that in herently limits waste—can create an easy and affordable choice for all eaters.

PACKAGELESS EATING

There’s no silver bullet to solving the food packaging crisis. It’s complex and requires both top-down solutions and bottom-up changes by consumers and businesses.

“The real game changer will be when people buy less plastic, reuse what they have and minimize what goes in the trash and into recy cling,” says Mesa.

Cohen recommends prioritizing unpackaged food. Whole Foods, Sprouts and co-ops allow customers to purchase bulk food in reusable containers, while zero-waste shops are becoming more common across the country. And farmers’ markets offer a way to avoid plastics in grocery.

Kroger partnered with TerraCycle to test a reusable packaging program in 25 Fred Meyer stores. Customers will be able to pur chase products from brands like Arbor Teas, Nature’s Heart and Na ture’s Path in reusable containers that they can return to be cleaned and reused.

If unpackaged foods or reusable containers aren’t available, Co hen says to choose easily recyclable materials like paper, glass and metal. Consumers can also look for products with instructions on how to dispose of their packaging.

“If you want true systemic change, it means taking a stand against things that derail the broader conversation, just like you take a stand for the organizations that are actually solving the problem,” says Gup ta-Fonner.

There also is the need for a cultural shift. “When you acknowl edge that there are resources, natural elements and actually pieces of real life and habitats that went into making this packaging,” says Gupta-Fonner, “then reuse is compassion.”

Emily Payne is Food Tank’s copy editor, and Danielle Nierenberg is the president and co-founder of Food Tank.

THANK YOU TO OUR ADVERTISERS!

Please support the following businesses to experience the best local, seasonal and sustainable products and services in the region.

HOMECOMING

GROCERY STORES & FARMERS MARKETS

LARK MARKET

56 S. Main St, Janesville 608-563-1850 larkmarket.store

VIROQUA FOOD CO-OP

609 N Main St, Viroqua 608-637-7511 viroquafood.coop

WANDER PROVISIONS

128 S. Albany St., Spring Green wanderprovisions.com

WILLY STREET CO-OP

Willy East: 1221 Williamson St, Madison 608-251-6776

Willy West: 6825 University Ave, Middleton 608-284-7800

Willy North: 2817 N Sherman Ave, Madison 608-709-5445 willystreet.coop

BUSINESS & CONSUMER SERVICES

STATE BANK OF CROSS PLAINS

Locations across Dane and Rock counties sbcp.bank

UPSTART

Supported by WARF

614 Walnut Street, 13th Floor, Madison 608.960.9850

warf.org/programs-events/innovators-inves tors-and-researchers/upstart/

WDRT RADIO

91.9 FM | 311 S. Main Street, Viroqua 608-638-9378 WDRT.org

WELLNESS

CONSCIOUS PRACTICE

505 King St. Suite 218, LaCrosse monica@conscious-practice.com conscious-practice.com

JANGLE SOAPWORKS

134 E. Main St, Mount Horeb janglenaturalliving.com

LUMINOUS ROSE hello@luminousrosebeauty.com luminousrosebeauty.com TOURISM

OLBRICH BOTANICAL GARDENS

3330 Atwood Avenue, Madison olbrich.org

PAOLI MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION 6894 Paoli Rd, Belleville discoverpaoli.com

RICHLAND CENTER TOURISM

450 South Main St, Richland Center 608-630-2452 richlandcentertourism.com

SUNNIVA INN

120 N Grove St, Mt Horeb 608-437-4427 sunnivainn.com

TALIESIN

5607 County Road C, Spring Green communications@taliesinpreservation.org taliesinpreservation.org

VERNON COUNTY TOURISM vernoncounty.org

WORMFARM INSTITUTE - DTOUR

28 E. Main St., Reedsburg wormfarminstitute.org

KITCHEN & TABLETOP

GOOD DAY SHOP

1925 Monroe St #120, Madison 608-720-1116 gooddayshop.net

ISAAC’S ANTIQUES

132 E Main St, Mt Horeb 608-437-6151

MCFEE ON MAIN 400 E Main St, Mount Horeb 608-437-4663 mcfeeonmain.com

RED BARN AT GRIFF RUN 17639 Patch Hill Drive, Viola info@griffrun.com griffrun.com

FARMS & FOOD GOODS

DOUDLAH

FARMS 10339 N. Wilder Rd, Evansville info@doudlahfarms.com doudlahfarms.com

KEENE GARLIC 4027 Owl Creek Drive, Madison keene@keeneorganics.com keeneorganics.com

LANDMARK CREAMERY 6895 Paoli Rd, Belleville 608-848-1162 landmarkcreamery.com

MADISON CHOCOLATE COMPANY 729 Glenway St, Madison 608-286-1154 madisonchocolatecompany.com

MEADOWLARK FARM & COMMUNITY MILL 3630 Ridgevue Rd, Ridgeway team@meadowlarkmill.com meadowlarkorganics.com

RIEMER FAMILY FARM W2252 Riemer Rd, Brodhead 608-897-6295 riemerfamilyfarm.com

SQUASHINGTON FARM 1129 LaFollette Rd Mount Horeb (920) 422-1042 squashingtonfarm@gmail.com squashingtonfarm.com

FOOD, AGRICULTURAL & SUSTAINABILITY ORGANIZATIONS

FAIRSHARE CSA COALITION 303 S Paterson St, Suite 1B, Madison 608-226-0300 csacoaliton.org

FOOD & BEVERAGES

AMERICAN WINE PROJECT 802 Ridge St. Mineral Point americanwineproject.com

BAILEY’S RUN VINEYARD N8523 Klitzke Rd, New Glarus 608-496-1966 baileysrunvineyard.co

BANDIT TACOS & COFFEE 640 West Washington Ave, Madison info@bandit-tacos.com bandit-tacos.com

BRANDING IRON ROADHOUSE 132 S Main St, Lime Ridge brandingironrh.com

BRIX CIDER 119 S 2nd St, Mount Horeb 608-437-2749 brixcider.com

CAFE 43 43 High St, Mineral Point 608-987-6556 cafe43mp.com

THE COOPERS TAVERN 20 W Mifflin St, Madison 608-256-1600 thecooperstavern.com

EMMI ROTH CHEESE 657 2nd St, Monroe rothcheese.com

FAR BRETON BAKERY

Available at the Northside Farmers Market on Sundays 1865 Northport Dr, Madison farbretonbakery.com

FARM AND HEARTH WOODFIRED BISTRO 206 Center St, Wonewoc farmhearthbistro.com

FROMAGINATION 12 South Carroll St, Madison 608-255-2430 fromagination.com

FULL MILE BEER COMPANY 132 Market St, Sun Prairie info@fullmilebeercompany.com fullmilebeercompany.com

GIANT JONES BREWING 931 E Main St, Madison 608-620-5172 giantjones.com

GRUMPY TROLL 105 S 2nd St, Mount Horeb 608-437-2739 thegrumpytroll.com

242 N Lexington St, Spring Green homecomingspringgreen.com

I.D. DELAFIELD 415 Genesee St, Delafield 262-646-1620 iddelafield.com

ISLAND ORCHARD CIDER

12040 Garrett Bay Rd, Ellison Bay 920-854-3344 islandorchardcider.com

THE LAKELY 516 Galloway St, Eau Claire thelakely.com

LARK

60 S Main St, Janesville 608-563-1801 larkjanesville.com

LET’S SHINE COFFEE

815 Water Ave, Hillsboro 608-479-2041 letsshinecoffee.com

LOMBARDINO’S

2500 University Ave, Madison 608-238-1922 lombardinos.com

MADISON SOURDOUGH

916 Williamson St, Madison 608-442-8009 madisonsourdough.com

MIGRANTS

2601 West Beltline Hwy, Madison 608-630-8194 migrantsmadison.com

NESSALLA KOMBUCHA

3233 Garver Green, Madison 608-628-4250 nessalla.com

ORGANIC VALLEY

One Organic Way, La Farge 888-444-MILK contact.us@organicvalley.coop organicvalley.coop

PASTURE & PLENTY | P&P MAKESHOP

2433 Old University Ave, Madison 608-665-3770 pastureandplenty.com

Rude Brew Kombucha 1219 Sherman Ave, Suite 7153, Madison 608-354-5064 rudebrewkombucha.com

SALT AND TIPPLE

219 S Main St, Viroqua

SANDWICH BAR

54 S Main St, Janesville info@sandwichbarjanesville.com sandwichbarjanesville.com

SUNN CAFE

201 E Main St, Mount Horeb 608-437-7866 sunncafe.com

TELSAAN TEA

209 E Main St, Mount Horeb telsaan.com

TREMPEALEAU HOTEL

11332 Main St, Trempealeau 608-534-6898 trempealeauhotel.com

WILDWOOD CAFE

218 S Forrest St, Stoughton hello@wildwood-cafe.com wildwood-cafe.com

WOLLERSHEIM

7876 WI-188, Prairie Du Sac 608-643-6515 wollersheim.com

WONDERSTATE COFFEE

27 W Main St, Madison 608-283-9478

1201 S Main St, Viroqua 608-638-7701

117 Rittenhouse Ave, Bayfield 715-913-0330 wonderstatecoffee.com

PETS

THE PETINARY CLINIC

1014 Williamson St, Madison 608-255-1239 petinarymadisonwi.com

Fa Bounty Fresh for the Picking!

creekbedcountryfarmacy.com

F 11am-6pm

Su 11am-6pm

Tu-Th by appointment only Corn mazes, pumpkin patch, farm fresh apple cider donuts, Spookley the Square Pumpkin movie, full concessions, Back 40 play yard.

Epleg rden Orchard & Pumpkin Farm 2227 Fitchburg Rd, Fitchburg eplegaarden.com

Tu,W, Th 9am-1pm

F, Sa, Su 9am-5pm

PYO Raspberries, apples, pumpkin patch, fresh & hard cider, cider donuts, trails, tire swings.

Hermanson Pumpkin Patch 127 County Road N, Edgerton hermansonpumpkinpatch.com

M, Tu, Th 9am-5pm

F-Su 9am-6pm

Free admission, pick your own pumpkins, squash, Indian corn, decorative pumpkins, corn shocks.

Alpine Ridge Orchard 5610 Alpine Rd, Brooklyn, WI alpineridgeorchard.com

W, Th, F, Sa, Su 10am-6pm

Apples, apple cider donuts, corn maze, petting zoo, family friendly activities.

by Lauren LangtimLAST BITE

We love a good autumn rainbow of orange, gold, cream, blue and green pumpkins. Just outside Madison is Hermanson Pumpkin Patch, offering squash, corn, gourds, dried birdhouse gourds, corn shocks, straw bales, and of course, wagon rides. For more fall destinations, see Field Notes (p. 9).

Photo courtesy of Hermanson Pumpkin Patch