Field to Family will launch its 2025 weekly Online Market on Sunday, April 20, with an in-person Market Kick-off event later that week.
Online ordering begins at 5 p.m. on April 20 and will remain open until noon on Tuesday, April 22. Customers can pick up their orders on Thursday, April 24, from 3:30 to 6 p.m., with weekly ordering and pickup continuing throughout the season, a release stated.
The opening week will feature a special in-person Market Kick-off and open house event at Field to Family’s warehouse in Iowa City’s South District, 1049 Highway 6. The event runs from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 24, and invites community members to meet its vendors and team members.
“This family-friendly event will feature interactive activities for kids, fun educational booths about healthy food and where food comes from, and local farmers sharing their knowledge. Plus, for one day only, customers will have the chance to add select products to their order in person,” the release stated.
Shoppers can browse offerings from more than 30 local producers at orders.fieldtofamily.org. Available items include plant starts, eggs, produce, baked goods, mushrooms and other value-added products that change with the season.
“Most of our producer partners have been deeply affected by the recent announcements of the USDA local food program cuts.“ said Michelle Kenyon, executive director of Field to Family. “More than ever before, this is the time to choose local food. Producers were informed that these programs would continue back in October 2024 and have been preparing ever since with infrastructure improvements, seed and other supply purchases to ensure that they would meet the demand. With the sudden and unexpected cancellation of those programs, farmers will have a gap to fill and our online market is one way the community can show support.”
Online ordering opens each Sunday at 5 p.m. and closes Tuesdays at noon. Orders can be picked up Thursdays at the Field to Family warehouse, located along the mural at Pepperwood Plaza. Customers are directed to enter the alley off Broadway Street heading north, then proceed behind the building to the blue garage door, exiting onto Cross Park Road.
To improve accessibility, the Online Market is available in six languages – English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Arabic and Swahili – and accepts SNAP benefits. Field to Family also participates in the Double Up Food Bucks program, which has increased its match from $10 to $15 for 2025. Qualifying customers can now receive $15 in fresh fruits and vegetables when they spend $15 on produce.
As the season progresses, Field to Family expects a growing variety of seasonal items to become available weekly, the release stated. The organization continues to expand its producer network and product offerings.
In 2024, Field to Family partnered with 100 local producers and supplied food to 44 school districts, 24 food access sites, and a growing number of institutions and businesses. The Online Market runs weekly from Earth Day to the Winter Solstice, with monthly distribution continuing through the winter.
Dates to remember:
April 20: Weekly online market begins at 5 p.m.
April 22: Online market ordering closes at noon
April 24: Open House from 4:30-6 p.m. at Field to Family’s warehouse, 1049 Highway 6 in Iowa City. Order pick-up will be available as well from 3:30-6 p.m.
