Tents from the Dane County Farmers’ Market made their first appearances of the season on Saturday, April 20.

Despite the below-average temperature, customers crowded the square for the first outdoor market of the year. Although several vendor spots remain vacant this early in the season, the market still offered a variety of products. Food for sale included rainbow trout, jams, pastries, bread, cheese curds, sausage, organic beef, sauerkraut, spices and herbs, to name a few. This early in the season, the produce selection is limited to frost-sweetened spinach and one table of tomatoes.

Non-edible products included candles, paintings, jewelry, pottery, flowers and canvas bags. A variety of musicians performed for the market crowds, ranging from reed instruments to a brass band to a gentleman in a kilt playing the bagpipes.

According to the official website, www.dcfm.org, the Dane County Farmers’ Market is “reported to be the largest producer-only farmers’ market in the country. All items are produced by the vendors behind the tables.” Locals and visitors alike enjoy the experience of shopping at this bustling outdoor market.

Among the most popular vendors is Stella’s Bakery, known for its hot and spicy cheese bread. Customers crowd the booth, waiting in anticipation for the warmest batch of $8 loaves.

One familiar sight at the Dane County Farmers’ Market is the tie-dyed canopy of Ernie’s Kettle Corn. Ernie’s Kettle Corn is run by Stoughton resident Ernie Kremme, a retired teacher. He happily greeted his customers as they watched him fill a bag with warm, fresh kettle corn straight from the cauldron. Customers can buy a small bag for $3 or a large bag for $6, and can choose to have their bag left open for immediate snacking, or sealed and saved for later. Kremme joked, “It’s five bucks extra for a twist tie, you know.”

In addition to traditional kettle corn, Ernie’s Kettle Corn offered cheese, caramel and confetti corn. Confetti corn is a mixture of several  different colored kernels, each color with a corresponding flavor. Kremme said, “They’re regular flavors. Yellow is banana; red is strawberry. Kids love them.”

Kremme said that, since joining the Dane County Farmers’ Market in 2002, “I’ve been on almost every corner here.” This year, Ernie’s Kettle Corn can be found at the intersection of Wisconsin Ave and Mifflin St.

As the temperature rises, more vendors will attend, and more types of meat, cheese, produce and pastries will become available. The Dane County Farmers’ Market is a can’t-miss event for anyone visiting or living in the Madison area over the summer.

Regional vendors will set up shop on the Capitol Square every Saturday through Nov. 9, from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. The market also convenes every Wednesday on the 200 block of Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. through Nov. 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.