For years, I dismissed farmers markets as little more than roadside produce stands — tables of fruits and vegetables, nothing more. I didn’t cook. I didn’t grocery shop. I didn’t care.
Then, a few years ago, I wandered into a local farmers market — and my view changed. There was honey, still sweet from the hive. Bread, warm and crusty. Homemade jelly. Even wine. But the real surprise wasn’t what was for sale. It was the atmosphere.
Farmers markets aren’t just about food. They are about people. Music drifts through the aisles. Vendors chat with regulars. Shoppers linger instead of rushing. It is part market, part gathering — and entirely its own experience.
At its heart, a farmers market is a place where producers sell directly to consumers. But “farmer” is a broad label, and that is the point. Alongside fresh produce, you will find plants, baked goods, prepared foods and more.
Some markets are small and unassuming. Others — like the one in downtown Des Moines — take over entire city blocks.
They are not permanent. They don’t last all year. And that’s exactly why they matter. Much like the Shamrock Shake I seem to seek out each spring, their short season makes them something to look forward to.
Farmers markets have been around for centuries, long before modern grocery stores reshaped how we shop. But, in recent decades, demand for fresh, local food has brought them back.
And for the grammar-minded: It is “farmers market,” not farmer’s or farmers’. The Associated Press keeps it clean — no possessive — so we do, too.
In this month’s cover story, we take you inside some of the farmers markets of Guthrie County and introduce you to the people who make them worth the trip.
Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Lake Panorama Times
641-332-2707
shane@gctimesnews.com