By Fiona Stoner
Northside Farmers Market

I have been pondering the value the Northside Farmers Market brings to the community. How do we continue to thrive in an age of giant corporations buying other corporations that can sell us groceries online? What is it that compels us to get out of the house and make the trek to the market each Sunday?

There is something the online providers do not have and that is real contact with people. When I am at the market, I can have a conversation with vendors about the food they are selling; that access to the actual producer of the food I consume is remarkable and unique. We commiserate about a chilly morning or revel in a perfect sunny day. At the information booth I get a chance to check with customers and vendors who stop by for coffee or information, all the while being treated to live music that adds to the relaxed atmosphere of the day.

There is a sense of adventure in famers market shopping. You have an idea what you need for a meal, but you are also open to discovering something new. These next few months find us at the height of the summer season. The produce tables are full, and if you are up to the challenge, you might discover a unique variety of pepper or squash you have not tried before.

What motivates you to the journey to the market? We’d love to hear from you. Stop by the information booth or find us on Facebook (facebook.com/MadisonNFM) and let us know why the Northside Farmers Market is important to you.

The Double Dollars program continues throughout the season; recipients of SNAP can come to the information booth to access this additional benefit. The entire community can directly support the Double Dollars program by making a donation through Community Action Coalition’s website (npo.justgive.org/cacscw). Select Double Dollars from the program menu.

The Northside Farmers Market happens every Sunday, May 7‒Oct. 22, from 8:30 am‒12:30 pm at Northside TownCenter, 2817 N. Sherman Ave. Find us at the base of Willy Street Co-op parking lot, across from Warner Park. Our location makes it easy to get to by walking, bus, bicycle or car, with plenty of parking available.

Sign up for our newsletter (northsidefarmersmarket.org) and find us on Facebook (facebook.com/MadisonNFM) to join our page and receive updates as the season progresses.