By Ronnie Hess
Madison Magazine
Special To Channel 3000

Cress Spring Garden

I go to Cress Spring for its breads, baked in a wood-fired oven. These are earnest, no-nonsense breads that are dense and chewy, and packed with so much good grain -- organic and milled on the farm -- they're almost a meal in themselves. Never heard of kamut and spelt? You'll find these grains in Cress Spring's loaves. The breads are naturally leavened from starters that use no commercial yeast. (Prices from about $2.50.)

The Flower Factory

David and Nancy Nedveck sell only perennials, which is why I can thank them every year my plants pop up. The Nedvecks have some 3,000 different varieties, including hostas, ornamental grasses and prairie plants, and lots of expertise which they are happy to share.

Prima Käse

Randy Krahenbuhl's cheeses are award-winners, making a name for themselves beyond the state. Market favorites include his Swiss, Dutch-style gouda and edam, and Danish havarti. But it's the gorgonzola that stole my heart when he introduced it last year. It's superbly melt-in-your-mouth creamy with a blue cheese kick. (Cheeses from about $3.50 per pound.)

Weston Antique Apples

The names alone of the Westons' apples are beautiful to savor -- Black Gilliflower, Cox's Orange Pippin, Ashmed's Kernel. They also taste divine. These are apples that time and most growers forgot. But the Westons saved them from extinction, happily for us. Summer apples include Gravenstein, Old Church and Milton. (Around $2 per pound.)

Cates Family Farm

The Cates' Angus beef is pasture-raised, fed a minimum of grain, then aged for two weeks after processing to bring out the meat's flavor. And since the animals aren't fed antibiotics or hormones nine months before the coup de grace, this is "natural" beef. Look for summer sausage, beef sticks and jerky, as well as a variety of frozen cuts. (About $5 per pound for summer sausage.)

The Edges

Never heard of emu, the ostrich-like bird from Australia that is being touted as better than beef? Well, there are dozens of emu farmers around Wisconsin, including the Edges, who have been at it since 1992. Look for their emu sticks and sausages. Emu's red meat is supposed to be higher in protein than beef, and with less fat. (Price: $6 per pound.)

Cross Country Orchids

Gerald King's moth orchids, or phalaenopsis, grow upright on a single stem. The moth-like flowers don't have much perfume but they're lovely to look at and bloom several months of the year. One plant can have as many as 35 blooms, according to King. (About $20 per plant.)

To continue reading, visit MadisonMagazine.com.