Farmers Market: Hiawatha, Iowa

Last weekend my husband and I decided to make the short trip from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Hiawatha, Iowa. We wanted to try out their farmers market, because we prefer buying locally grown produce and support organic farming as often as we can. Hiawatha's Farmers Market is held every Wednesday and Sunday in the parking lot of Guthridge Park. It was a jungle-hot morning. The sun was in full force and bringing heat up off the blacktop. It was a slightly miserable walk along the pavement.

When we first arrived we noticed a handful of signs lined up along the street alerting us to the availability of clams, lobsters and various seafood. This caused us both to raise our eyebrows. You just don't hear about seafood in Iowa. Granted we aren't seafood eaters, but hearing seafood and Iowa in the same sentence is not normal. Even if we were a fish eating people, we would have some misgivings about buying our seafood from a van. Upon further investigation, we found their website: www.seafoodiowa.com . Legitimate business it is, but I would rather get locally grown and locally prepared products from our farmers markets.

The Hiawatha Farmers Market has a small amount of vendors, some of which are regulars at the Noelridge Farmers Market in Cedar Rapids. For its size there is a lot of variety. There was locally grown produce, baked goods, plants and flowers. You can also grab some homemade salsa.

Tons of ripe-red tomatoes were the cause of a big line up of people. Onions looked to be a big seller as well. There were cucumbers, pickles, green beans and peppers too. If you were selling produce, you had customers.

One vendor we enjoyed seeing was the Last Hope Animal Rescue. They are an organization that brings animal awareness to Eastern Iowa. The people from Last Hope Animal Shelter were selling baked goods and gifts in a jar. All proceeds went to the upkeep of their organization.

Will we go back? I don't think that we will make an effort to return, but we will attend this market if we run out of vegetables between the markets we usually go to. The only reason I can really see ourselves going again is to see the Last Hope Animal Shelter. We believe in their cause and would like to support them.

The Hiawatha Farmers Market is held in Guthridge Park on 10th Avenue on Sundays: 11:00 AM to 3 PM and Wednesdays: 3:30-6:30.