by Lynn Greene

Hit the farmers markets for your first real jolt of spring

 It’s my favorite time of the year — the farmers markets are opening this month. These local markets are important, nationwide outlets for agricultural producers to increase marketing opportunities, and they’ve never been more important.

Given the price of gas, food and everything else that gets shipped from here to there has gone up in price. By shopping your local markets, you’ll save money and get the freshest products. Not only that, you’ll be helping to support neighborhood businesses which is important for the local economy. It’s a win-win situation!

Nearly 3,000 farmers markets across the country offer consumers farm-fresh, affordable, convenient, and healthy products, such as fruits, vegetables, cheeses, herbs, flowers, baked goods, meat and plant and gardening materials.

Farmers markets serve as integral links between urban, suburban, and rural communities, affording farmers and their consumers the opportunity to interact. That’s actually my favorite part, since I do have my own garden. The popularity of farmers markets continues to rise, as more and more consumers discover the joys of shopping for unique ingredients from an assortment of interesting characters.

You’ll find everything from smoked fish to fresh eggs, and heirloom plants to locally grown perennials. The pleasure of discussing what you’re looking for with a farmer who may be able to procure it or grow it for you is immeasurable. My biggest problem is that, if I don’t set a timetable, I could be there all day yakking it up with the vendors.

If you feel like you’ve lost the art of lively conservation, ditch that TV and cell phone and go to a farmers market to get tuned back in. Cut out our listing of local markets so you’ll know where and when they’re held.

This week, look for honey, soap, fresh eggs and plant material. The asparagus, radishes, lettuces and green onions will be here before you know it.

Cooking with honey

It’s sweet, so you do need to make some adjustments if you want to use honey in a recipe, instead of sugar. Not only is honey up to twice as sweet as sugar, it contains almost 20 percent water, so you will need reduce the liquid called for in baked goods by about one-fifth. Use one-third to one-half the honey. For example, If a recipe calls for 1 cup sugar, use 1/2 cup honey. You’ll also need to reduce the baking temperature by 25 F, because honey burns at a lower temperature than sugar.

Honey is an excellent choice to use in salad dressings since its emulsifying qualities make it a perfect stabilizer.

French salad dressing

Makes 3-1/2 cups

1-1/2 cups salad oil (do not use olive oil)
3/4 cup catsup
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. paprika
salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bottle or tightly sealed jar and shake to incorporate. Do not use olive oil, because if you do stick it in the refrigerator, it will tend to solidify and turn cloudy. Canola or other vegetable oil works fine.

I make this in a near-empty catsup bottle, shake it up, then label it with a permanent marker and keep it on the counter. It’s my “house” dressing for tossed greens. If someone does grab it, thinking it is catsup, there’s no harm, because the flavor would be compatible to anything you’d put catsup on anyway.

• Beloit Farmers Market, Saturdays with a presale on May 17, 24 and 31 at the Third Street parking lot, downtown Beloit May 24. June through October market held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the 300 block of State Street, downtown Beloit. Contact Kathleen Braatz, (608) 365-0150, www.downtownbeloit.com
  
• Burlington Farmers Market, daily, through Nov. 24. from dawn to dusk. Monday through Friday, the market is located at Maryland Avenue and Highway 36, Burlington. On Saturday, the market is held adjacent to Wehmhoff Square, Washington Street, Burlington. (262) 763-3631
  
• Edgerton’s Henry Street Farmers Market, Thursdays, downtown Edgerton, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays, June 5 through Oct. 30. (608) 921-1601.
• Janesville Farmers Market, Saturdays, May 10 through Oct. 25, located between the 100 and 200 block of North Main Street, downtown Janesville. The market runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Contact Theresa Huber, (608) 758-9359, www.janesvillefarmersmarket.com.
• Lake Geneva Farmers Market every Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., through Oct. 16. Horticultural Hall, 330 Broad St., Lake Geneva. (262) 248-4416, www.lakegenevawi.com.
• Milton Country Market every, second Saturday, May through October from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine. at Goodrich Park, Highway 26 and High Street in Milton. (608) 868-6222.
• Mukwonago Farmers Market, every Wednesday, June 11 through Sept. 24, from noon to 6 p.m. in the parking lot at Tractor Supply, HIghway 83 and Bay View Road, Mukwonago. (262) 363-7758, www.mukwonagochamber.com.
• Rockford Farmers Market at Colonial Village Mall, Fridays May 9 through Oct. 31. Enter the mall at 1240 S. Alpine Road at the Newburg Road entrance in Rockford. Market runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (815) 398-3350.
• Walworth County Farmers Market, Saturdays, from 8 a.m. to noon through Oct. 18, on the Elkhorn town square, Highway 67 and Highway 11, downtown Elkhorn. Contact Peg Reedy, UW-Extension at (262) 741-4961.
• Whitewater Farmers Market, every Saturday, from 8 a.m. until sold out, through Nov. 1, Wal-Mart parking lot, 1362 West Main Street, Whitewater.

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