The real estate adage — location, location, location — is equally important for the success of farmers markets, with several in the area changing sites this season in search of greener pastures.
A longtime farmers market held for decades at Noelridge Park in northeast Cedar Rapids is moving this year to the more centrally-located Bever Park, in the southeast quadrant.
Cathy Cropp-Scanlon, who manages the market for the city of Cedar Rapids, said 15 growers and other vendors had registered for the farmers market, which will be located at the entrance to Old MacDonald’s Farm, a free petting zoo featuring farm animals.
“We moved the market to Old MacDonald’s Farm in hopes of revitalizing it, both in number of vendors and customers,” Cropp-Scanlon said, noting Old MacDonald’s Farm averages 300 visitors per day, along with walkers, joggers and other park patrons. “The farm is much more accessible than the busy Noelridge corner (at the high-traffic Collins Road and Council Street) and we are able to tie in our programming with the market.”
The market operates separately from the large-scale Downtown Farmers Market in Cedar Rapids, featuring 200 vendors, with an average of 12,000 customers at each market.
That market will remain at its namesake site downtown, with opening day on May 25, but even newer farmers markets are in search of just the right spot.
Market Manager Jane Stevens said the Robins farmers market, in its second year, is moving from its inaugural Main Street location to South Troy Park.
The park offers increased green space, more parking, public restrooms and easy access from the Cedar Valley Nature Trail, Ms. Stevens noted, “all issues we struggled with at last year’s market location.”
“We believe the park is a much better fit for this wonderful community event,” she said.
In neighboring Benton County, the Belle Plaine farmers market is moving from its site in front of the Belle Plaine Area Museum to the parking lot of the Ice House, off of Highway 21, which organizers hope offers the potential for better turnout.
A similar situation is taking place in Fairfax, which is moving its Monday night markets next to its sports complex, at 625 Linn St., with the goal of more foot traffic.
Joe Kell, with the city’s Parks & Recreation Department, which operates the farmers market, said a previous site in the library parking lot drew some locals, but moving to an area of higher activity will hopefully attract more customers.
“They will naturally have more people because of that,” Kell said of customers for the 10 or so vendors who signed up to sell at this season’s markets.
Following are farmers markets in Johnson and Linn counties. See HomegrownIowan.com for a list of more than 50 markets in Eastern Iowa.
Johnson County
— Coralville, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, May 22 through Oct. 2, Iowa River Landing, south of 801 E. Second Ave.; Watts Group, (319) 338-4100. iowariverlanding.com/coralville-farmers-market
— Field to Family online market, cart open April 21 to Dec. 17, with orders taken 5 p.m. Sundays until noon Tuesdays. Pickup 3:30-6 p.m. Thursdays at warehouse behind Pepperwood Plaza, 1049 Hwy. 6, Iowa City; (319) 855-2649. fieldtofamily.org/online-farmers-market
— Iowa City, 7:30 a.m. to noon Saturdays, May 4 through Oct. 26, Chauncey Swan parking ramp, 415 E. Washington St.; Michelle Wiegand, (319) 356-5102. icgov.org/farmersmarket
— Shueyville, 4-6 p.m. Fridays, beginning in May, Secret Cellar, 1205 Curtis Bridge Rd. NE; secretcellarwines.com
— Solon, 4-6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, June 4 through September, Mushroom Park, Highway 1 and Main Street; Solon Parks & Rec, (319) 624-2499 or 319-624-3755. solonmarket@solon-iowa.com
— Swisher, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Thursdays, June 6 through Oct. 10 (no market July 4), downtown park next to City Hall; (319) 857-4539.
www.swisheria.org
Linn County
— Cedar Rapids Bever Park, 4-6 p.m. Wednesdays, June 5 through Sep. 25, Old MacDonald’s Farm entrance, 2700 Bever Ave. SE; Cathy Cropp-Scanlon, (319) 286-5699. www.cedar-rapids.org
— Cultivate Hope, 4-7 p.m. Thursdays, May 23 through Oct. 3, Matthew 25 Urban Farm, 437 G Ave. NW, Cedar Rapids; www.hub25.org/food/markets
— Downtown Cedar Rapids, 7:30 a.m. to noon May 25; June 1 & 15; July 6 & 20; Aug. 3 & 17 and Sep. 21. Market After Dark, 6:30-11 p.m. Aug. 24; Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, www.cedarrapids.org
— Center Point, 4-6 p.m. Wednesdays, June 5 through Sep. 25, Pizza Place parking lot, 126 Franklin St.; City Hall, (319) 849-1508.
— Central City, 4-6 p.m. Thursdays, June 6 through Sep. 26, Veterans Memorial Park, Fifth Street S.
— Fairfax, 4-6 p.m. Mondays, May 6 through mid-October, Sports Complex Park, 625 Linn St.; Joe Kell, jkell@cityoffairfax.org
— Hiawatha, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays, May 5 through Oct. 27, Guthridge Park parking lot, 10th Avenue; (319) 393-1515. www.hiawatha-iowa.com
— Marion, 8-11 a.m. Saturdays, May 4 through Sep. 28, Taube Park, 2200 31st St.; Marion Parks & Recreation, (319) 447-3590, www.cityofmarion.org
— Uptown Marion, 8 a.m. to noon June 8, July 13, Aug. 10 and Sep. 28, Seventh Avenue; Marion Chamber of Commerce, (319) 377-6316. www.marioncc.org
— NewBo City Market, weekly farm-to-plate specials and cooking classes featuring farmers market ingredients. Regular hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays, 1100 Third St. SE, Cedar Rapids;
www.newbocitymarket.org
— Palo, Main Street Market, 4-7 p.m. May 12 & 26; June 9 & 23; July 14 & 28; Aug. 11 & 25; Sep. 8 & 22 and Oct. 13, Clymer Park on Main Street; outlawdynamics@gmail.com
— Robins, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 11, June 15 & 29; July 13 & 27; Aug. 17 and Sep. 7 & 21, South Troy Park, 700 S. Troy Rd.
