About Our Farm
We’re a small family farm located in the village of Arena about 30 miles west of Madison, on Hwy 14.
During an Ojibwe Pipe Ceremony held on a neighboring farm we learned that a Native American (called Singing Fawn) lived and cultivated crops on our property. We settled on the name of Singing Fawn Gardens for our seasonal business of selling produce at the Dane County Farmers’ Market.
I (Jim) am a retired teacher, so I am able to apply my strong background in biodynamics and organic agriculture to our farming practices.
Our family’s passion for these practices motivates us to go the extra mile in producing the highest quality products for our family, friends, and customers to enjoy.
Our Team
Jim, Tom, Alex, Anthony, and Brady
Quality Soil
The soil is vital to us at Singing Fawn Gardens. When we maintain good soil, veggies and fruit full of nutrition and flavor will follow.
Our History
Jim first started selling at the Dane County Farmers’ Market back in 1987. Fast forward to getting married and starting a family which includes four boys (Tom, Alex, Anthony, and Brady).
Since farming was in Jim’s blood (he grew up on a farm in rural Stoughton) and dirt was under his fingernails, the family decided to continue the tradition of selling produce at the Dane County Farmers’ Market.
They’ve been selling at the Dane County Farmers’ Market for over 32 years. Perhaps you’ve even purchased from them under the red tent, just off State Street, in front of the Wisconsin State Capitol.
Our Farming Practices
No “Cides”
All of our vegetables, fruits, herbs, plants, and flowers are FREE of "cides." No fungicides, no insecticides, and no herbicides. (We DON’T even use the organically approved ones).
Quality Soil
We farm according to the belief that healthy, delicious food is directly linked to the health of the soil that produces it. Healthy soil is teeming with microorganisms and organic matter.
Our soil is managed using various ecological, spiritual, and esoteric concepts derived from the agricultural lectures of Rudolf Steiner.
We believe we can take the benefits of organic practices much, much further. A radish is not a radish is not a radish. At Singing Fawn Gardens, it's the soil, not the produce, that we focus on, because we know that if we maintain good soil, veggies, fruits, and herbs full of nutrition and flavor will follow.
Freshness
We also strive to keep the time between harvest and distribution as short as possible to ensure that our produce is consumed at or very near its peak of freshness.
Transparency and Education
We believe in transparency and education. We invite our customers to ask us how and why we do things the way we do (we will caution you here, when Jim starts talking about biodynamics, get ready for a lecture 101 style!). We're always happy to have customers, friends, or travelers stop by our farm to take a look at our practices.
A Love for Food
Finally, we want you to know that we love to eat, whether at home alone or with people we care about. We love food, we have a passion for agriculture, and we work hard to produce good food for ourselves and our customers.
Our Crops: Produce, Herbs, Plants, and Flowers
Available options
We raise a diverse range of about 25 different types of vegetables (and numerous varieties within those types), 6 different types of fruits, 11 different types of herbs, 3 different types of plants, and 3 different types of flowers.
Harvest season
The majority of our harvest season runs from May until September. Although, we do have some vegetables and gourds available in October and November.
Specialty items
→ Morels - The kind you’d typically find in a James Beard award winning restaurant delivered to you fresh.
→ Strawberries - The kind that are naturally sweet & finger licking good. They are often gone before you can add them to your dessert.
→ Microgreens - From the ‘cannot live without’ garnish on your favorite foods to the antioxidant and nutritious packed punch your diet needs. See what our greens can do for you.
→ Sungold Tomatoes - Level up your salads and your secret pasta sauce with our fresh, plump, and juicy tomatoes.
FAQs
Do you have a question we can answer? Please go to this page for a more detailed list of common questions and answers. Or please contact us.
Any questions? Connect with your farmer.