Born “out of necessity” in March 2020, online farmers’ market Madison Farmers Unite continues going strong despite the fact that other markets have reopened for in-person shopping, says operations manager Louie Lettenmair. “We have a core group of customers who like the convenience of knowing exactly what is available and knowing that it will be available when they come to pick it up.”
Mary White, owner of Honey Bee Bakery, had the idea to start the online market when it became clear that the COVID-19 pandemic would be shutting down in-person markets. She recruited several friends including Todd Carr of Pecatonica Valley Farms, Kari and Joe Landis of Fungi Farmers, and Wendy Landau of Small Potato Farm; they became the founding members of Madison Farmers Unite.
“Mary gathered us and we collectively brainstormed a name, a plan and a solution,” says Kari Landis. “With a truckload of fresh perishable food we all had to move relatively quickly. [With the] uncertainty and not hopeful that indoor and outdoor markets were going to be open, we needed to reconnect with our farmers’ market customers and let them know where they could get our fresh local goods.”
While Madison Farmers Unite initially offered produce, baked goods, meat and mushrooms from the founding member’s businesses, the online store has since expanded to include a wide variety of items including cheeses, tortillas, pickles, preserves and coffee. The ever-expanding vendor list includes Bushel and Peck’s, Meadowlark Organics, Origin Breads, Savory Accents and Snug Haven Farm. “We extended our offerings through our connections with other market vendors,” says Landau. “We now have the best of the things you’d find at the farmers’ market. Our group has evolved.”
Madison Farmers Unite has a user-friendly website with items divided into produce, eggs and dairy, mushrooms, bakery, meats and specialty. Orders placed by 7 p.m. Thursday are available for curbside pickup on Saturday morning at one of four sites around the Madison area: at Honey Bee’s commercial kitchen just off County Highway CV near the airport; Bradbury’s Coffee, 127 N. Hamilton St.; Lakeside Street Coffee House, 402 W. Lakeside St.; and in Verona at (n +1) Cafe and Rocket Bicycle, 507 Bruce St.
By the end of July 2022, Madison Farmers’ Unite had processed about 7,850 orders. While Lettenmair says that sales do drop off during summer months with the reopening of other farmers’ markets, there is room for them all to “co-exist.” He also notes that Madison Farmers Unite has its advantages. “Farmers like it because they know what they have sold by Thursday and it’s not a guessing game of what to bring or how much to bring,” Lettenmair says.
And the convenience of pre-placed orders continues to be appealing to customers, says Kari Landis. “Some folks prefer the easy curbside service where they can buy in bulk, support local farms and businesses weekly, all without unstrapping the kids and [having] the dog in tow.”
