Local Guide: Groceries, Produce, & Farmers Markets

Local Guide: Groceries, Produce, & Farmers Markets

It's market season! Connect with neighbors, enjoy fresh produce, and show support for local growers. To get started, we've compiled a list of markets, community offerings, and sustainability-minded farmers within the Cedar Rapids Metro.

Additionally, in response to the rising cost of living and the deepening of wealth disparities in the United States, we encourage you to read "Food Justice is a Community Responsibility," engage in mutual aid efforts, and distribute resources to community nourishments here, here, and here. Wondering how to talk to littles about food insecurity? Check out this book list. 

Interested in growing your own food? Check out our gardening guide here. 

Need help paying for food? Apply for SNAP benefits here, discover which farmers markets & farm stands partner with SNAP benefits here, and learn about further assistance programs here, here, and here. Need more immediate support? Explore HACAP's interactive food pantry map here.

 

Markets Happening in May


Community Offerings:

Feed Iowa First: Grows & distributes *FREE,* fresh, & culturally relevant produce to our community. Find their Veggie Van schedule and information on food pantry partners here.   –Cedar Rapids

Cultivate Hope Corner Store (CHCS): Open to Everyone! CHCS is a non-profit grocery store on a mission to increase food security and express care for local & sustainably-grown food. Check out their *FREE* produce section and Pay-it-Forward process. –Cedar Rapids

Community Resource Cabinet: Find *FREE,* 24/7, unregulated access to basic needs including food, clothing, hygiene products, shoes & more! Located on the corner of 1st and 13th across the street from Coe College (1271 1st Ave SE). Support the cabinet by donating canned soups with pull tabs, tuna, canned fruit and veggies, microwavable meals, protein bars & other non-perishable items. Learn more about fundraising efforts here.  –Cedar Rapids

Cedar Rapids Anti-Cap Club: *NEW in 2025!* Engage in an online directory of folks willing to trade, barter, and share goods & services with one another. Plus, stay tuned for skill-share events and community gatherings centered in solidarity, care and justice work. –Cedar Rapids

Share a Row: Join the Linn County Master Gardeners on their mission to increase food access by growing extra produce this season & donating it to local food banks. Sign up to donate here. Drop offs can be made at partnering locations across the metro. –Cedar Rapids, Marion, Hiawatha

 

Grocery Stores:

New Pioneer Food Co-op: Locally grown & community owned. Every Day is Earth Day at New Pi! Your place to shop produce, house cut & cured meats, seafood, hearth breads & house-made meals. –Cedar Rapids, Coralville, Iowa City

Cultivate Hope Corner Store (CHCS): Open to Everyone! CHCS is a non-profit grocery store offering a variety of fresh and affordable grocery staples, including produce, dairy, meat, and dry goods. On a mission to increase food security and express care for local, sustainably-grown food, CHCS offers a *FREE* produce section and Pay-it-Forward process. –Cedar Rapids

 

Local Farmers & Farm Shops:

Bass Family Farms: Stewarded by 'Farmer Chris,' Bass Farms is a chemical-free produce farm dedicated to community & healthful living. Find flowers, fresh veggies, ice cream & specialty goods at their shop, plus enjoy a host of outdoor activities. –Mount Vernon

Black Earth Gardens: Stewarded by Mari, Black Earth Gardens is a small-scale, regenerative farm that specializes in growing vegetables, herbs, and fruits of cultural importance to the Black and African Diaspora communities in Eastern Iowa. Their work emphasizes dismantling food apartheid and expanding food sovereignty locally.  –Cedar Rapids

Four Acre Farms: Stewarded by Maggie & Rich, Four Acre Farms is a small-scale, chemical-free farm dedicated to sustainable practices. Find their fresh produce and homemade goodies at various markets in the metro this May through September. –Alburnett

Indian Creek Nature Center (ICNC): Shop eggs, produce & honey from Etzel Sugar Grove Farm at the Creekside shop! ICNC is on a mission to nurture sustainable living, regenerative agriculture and ecological diversity within the metro. –Cedar Rapids

Rhubarb Botanicals: Stewarded by Emma & Jeremy, Rhubarb Botanicals is a Certified Organic farm dedicated to regenerative agriculture and community well-being. They grow over 150 varieties of medicinal and culinary herbs, flowers & perennial shrubs, and raise sheep on pasture. Shop their fresh flowers & apothecary products online, during their farm stand hours, and at various farmers markets in the metro. Plus, check out their farm store every Thursday & Saturday! –Mount Vernon

Wilson's Orchard & Farm: Family-owned & operated since 1980, Wilson's Orchard is a u-pick fruit & vegetable farm, bakery, and market on a mission to develop local, ethical and regenerative food systems in our community. Learn more about their sustainability initiative here. –Iowa City

 

Find a Market in the Metro:

  • Cedar Rapids Downtown Farmers Market: Select Saturdays in May through September from 7:30 AM - Noon.
  • Old MacDonald's Farmers Market: Wednesdays from 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM at Bever Park in Cedar Rapids from June 3rd through September 23rd.
  • Uptown Marion Market: Held the second Saturday of June, July & August, and the last Saturday of September from 8:00 AM - Noon.
  • Marion Farmers Market: Weekly Saturday market from 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM starting May 2nd through September 26th at Willowood Park. 
  • Hiawatha Farmers Market: Weekly Sunday market in May through October from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM at Guthridge Park.
  • Farmers Market at Rhubarb Botanicals Flower Farm (Mount Vernon): *NEW in 2025!* Shop and support local farmers and food at Rhubarb Botanicals Flower Farm (previously Morning Glory Farm). Expect to find local produce, fresh cut flowers, plant starts, local meats, herbal products, coffee, bread, baked goods, and prepared food every Thursdays from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM and Saturday from 9:00 AM - Noon.

 

Additional Resources:

  • Discover Iowa foods & farms and explore what's in season with Choose Iowa's interactive map and seasonality guide. 
  • Use Field to Family's Local Food Explorer to find Iowa City/Cedar Rapids products and producers. 
  • Explore a plethora of resources related to spending smart & eating smart here. These include recipes, budgeting tools, tips on reducing food waste, and more!
  • Learn about seasonal change and climate resilience through the stories of Iowa land stewards by navigating WFAN's Digital StoryMap & Ecological Calendar. This is one of the coolest collections I've found!!
  • Want a copy of our Iowa Seasonal Produce Guide? Access it here. 
  • Interested in garden based books or low-waste recipes? Explore our bookshelf here.
  • Need some earth loving kitchen accessories? Check out our Kitchen & Food Essentials collection here. 

 

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