•  School on the Square.  Friends of the DCFM volunteers work with the UW Dietetics and Nutrition Club and market vendors to sponsor food and market products related programs for children and adults. Activities range from transplanting seedlings to making musical instruments with gourds, making edible jewelry from baby veggies and taking a sunflower quiz.

•  Children’s Activities.  Friends of the DCFM organize educational and entertaining events at the Market relating to where food comes from. Planting, tasting, learning about seeds, and growing are all part of the fun.

•  Adult Activities.  Friends of the DCFM works with community organizations and market vendors to demonstrate and provide information and recipes on subjects such as over-wintering rosemary plants, composting, using the different parts of sunflower plants and making herb flavored vinegars.

•  Food Tastings.  Friends of the DCFM works with Madison Herb Society, market vendors and area chefs to provide free samples and recipes featuring DCFM vendor products.

•  Farm Fresh Atlas.  Working with REAP Food Group, Center for Integrated Agriculture, and the Dane County Farmers’ Market, Friends of the DCFM works to provide this free guide listing farms and food-related businesses that sell their goods directly to customers in southern Wisconsin. Friends' volunteers distribute the Atlas at the early spring outdoor markets on the Square. The Atlas is available at the DCFM Information Booth until the supply runs out and at any of the locations listed here.

•  New Programs for the Summer of 2008..  Friends of DCFM will begin a market tour program and a Food Share participation program during the 2008 outdoor market season.

•  School on the Square at Monona Terrace.  Friends of the DCFM works with market vendors to spotlight winter market products with information, food tastings and recipes.

•  Food Donations.  Friends of the DCFM works with the Community Action Coalition to sponsor a Food Drive between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This is an exceptional opportunity to supply local food pantries with fresh market produce during the winter months.

•  Reuse – Recycle.  Friends of the DCFM sells canvas shopping bags to encourage the reuse of containers for market produce. To buy a Friends' shopping bag by mail print this Shopping Bag Order Form, fill it out completely and mail to Friends at the address on the form.

(To view (and print) the Shopping Bag Order Form, you must have Adobe Reader installed on your computer. Adobe Reader is available as a free download.)

In addition, Friends collects and resells cookbooks to encourage the reuse of recipe sources among the Market community.

•  Encourage children and adults to think about how the food they eat gets to their fork.

•  Increase the community's nutrition and food-preparation knowledge by demonstrating techniques, providing recipes and giving out information about the benefits of consuming locally produced fruits, vegetables, herbs, meats, cheeses, fish and bakery.

•  Provide opportunities for food from the market to be donated to food pantries, charities and those in need. Provide opportunities for everyone in the community to be a part of the sustainable, local food movement.