Whether you are cooking at home or enjoying a meal out on the town, the 2009 Southern Wisconsin Farm Fresh Atlas can steer you to local, sustainably grown food. The 2009 edition will be available for free in Madison and across southern Wisconsin beginning April 18.

The 2009 atlas lists 103 farms and 45 farmers’ markets as well as 27 restaurants and retail businesses that offer local food on their menus. It also lists local organizations that promote sustainable agriculture. All vendors listed have pledged to protect land and water resources, treat animals with care and respect and provide safe conditions for workers.

The 2009 atlas is not only the biggest ever—it’s also the most beautiful. It includes work by the artist collaborative artsTribe, whose members worked with vendors at the Dane County Farmers Market to create art incorporating vegetables, grasses and even beeswax from their farms.

The atlas is a collaborative project of the REAP Food Group, the Dane County Farmers’ Market, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems and the Friends of the Dane County Farmers’ Market. Heartland Credit Union underwrote the project.

The atlas will be available at the Dane County Farmers’ Market information booth at the top of State Street as well as other farmers’ markets, public libraries, farms, food co-ops and other area businesses. To see a list of distribution sites or download an electronic copy, go to www.reapfoodgroup.org.

If you are interested in distributing copies of the 2009 Southern Wisconsin Farm Fresh Atlas, or would like more information about this resource, please contact Miriam Grunes at (608) 310-7836 or miriamg@reapfoodgroup.org

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