Daniel L.
Yelp
This Farmers Market is located in Downtown Des Moines in the historic Court District. I've been hearing so much about this Famers Market ever since I moved to Iowa. It's been described to me as a massive outdoor market that stretches block after blocks and one of the biggest in the country. Several friends have cautiously described its magnitude as "overwhelming" and not even the Farmers Markets I've visited in the past can come close to this. Based on their website, this market started in 1976 with 15 vendors and 200 shoppers that since have grown to more than 200 vendors and 18,000 shoppers per weekend. This year, there was a record of over 30,000 visitors at the first opening. This Farmers Market is open every Saturday from May through October every year.
I never thought of myself as someone who is easily overwhelmed, but this market was so dispersed it took us over 3 hours to walk from one end to another. In her review, fellow Yelper Janet E estimated this market to take up at least 8 blocks as it covered multiple streets and major intersections. Hands down, this was bigger than most of the shopping malls and street fairs I've ever been to. There was something there for everyone as vendors sold exciting arrays of Meat and Cheese, Produce, Food, Craft, Pastries, Flowers, and Street Entertainment.
One of the most striking things about this market was the number of vendors that were selling meat and cheese. This is a big meat and dairy state so it was easy to find steaks with a variety of fancy seasonings, German and Polish sausages, beef jerky, and other kinds of meat that were either hormone-free, smoked, grilled, pastured, or flax fed. One can buy all kinds of steaks, burgers and patties to cook at home, and there were also vendors that carry an assortment of chicken, pork, lamb, turkey and elk. Several vendors also carried pasture raised eggs which I wished I had bought a dozen to bring home.
I was surprised to see several vendors that carried Asian produce where one can find bitter melon, watercress, basil, bok choy, and other types of herbs. This market also carried a range of produce that included corn, carrots, peppers, kale, eggplant, tomatoes, mushrooms, cabbage, onion, garlic, squash, and much more. All were locally grown where some were organic but majority of them were chemical free. We also had the chance to sample an assortment of seasonal fruits such as watermelon, raspberries, peaches, plums, pears, strawberries, and apples. There were also several places that were selling homemade jams and jellies, salsa, olive oil, and barbeque sauces.
I wished they have more outdoor barbeques. I also did not see any food trucks around even though few do visibly roam the streets of Des Moines. Some of the cuisines I saw included Amish, Bosnian, Chinese, German, Hmong, Indian, Mexican, Salvadoran, and Middle Eastern. There was a place that specializes in breakfast burritos and there were a number of coffee and beer stands. The food seems to lean on the expensive side with plenty of deep fried options. Hopefully by next summer I'll have more to report on some of the cuisines that I still need to try.
Many people here seemed to be big on dessert so the number of pastry places was incredible. Pies, pies, whoopee pies, angel cakes, bacon dipped chocolates, breads, cupcakes, bread puddings, cinnamon rolls, red and black raspberry rolls, cookies, and cinnamon roasted almonds, cashews, and pecans--to name a few. Surprisingly, I was able to get a cup of taro boba which they called bubble tea here.The texture of the boba was decent but I wasn't too fond of the powdery milky taste.
There were several flower stands, and those that were selling jewelries and crafts. The size of the sunflowers and dahlias were humongous, and there was a place for people to buy plants for the home. To add to the festivity, there were street performers such as balloon artists, evangelists, belly dancers, and bands that performed at opposite ends of streets and intersections.
Some vendors accept credit cards and the ones I visited were very knowledgeable and easy to talk to. Everything was locally grown so it was a great way to support local businesses while I gained a perspective about a very important part of the economy in the state. The atmosphere was vibrant, festive and friendly with lots of teens, young professionals, the elderly, and families with small children bursting everywhere. Best of all was the cleanliness and organizational layout that kept things orderly without feeling cramped or isolated.
If there are areas to improve, it would be more table and chairs at designated places for people to hang out. I also wished similar types of vendors could be group together in the same area instead of having to run into them at random. There's nothing quite like this Farmers Market. I will definitely be back.
