For Wilson’s Orchard’s Paul Rasch, apples have always been a way of life. He grew up in the commercial apple business and Michigan, and today owns the Solon, Iowa orchard with his wife, Sara Goering. Rasch said the appeal of growing apples comes from their versatility and health benefits, but also from the power of […]
When COVID-19 first had people panic shopping and stockpiling meat earlier this year, farmer T.D. Hollub started getting emails. His farm’s current CSA customers were glad they had a secure source of food coming their way, and others wanted in, too. “It’s so nice to know where your food comes from, and it’s really nice […]
PRESS RELEASE from IDALS: Decorah and Iowa City Farmers Markets, Iowa Food Cooperative and Iowa State University Extension in Wapello County receive grants to help connect consumers to local producers DES MOINES, Iowa (Aug. 14, 2020) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is awarding $3,000 grants to four farmers […]
When COVID-19 first had people panic shopping and stockpiling meat earlier this year, farmer T.D. Hollub started getting emails. His farm’s current CSA customers were glad they had a secure source of food coming their way, and others wanted in, too. “It’s so nice to know where your food comes from, and it’s really nice […]
The University of Iowa’s commitment to sourcing local produce creates a powerful connection between local farmers and the students and personnel the university feeds every day, a connection that benefits all involved. University of Iowa chefs cite freshness and quality among their reasons for buying local. Scholars receive nutritious meals to fuel their minds and […]
Though Mary and Vernon Zahradnik raised livestock for decades, they always dreamed of direct marketing their products. Hence, they “retired” into apples, planting the first trees in their orchard in 2003 and racing to get veggies in the ground when a spot in the Iowa City Farmers Market suddenly opened to them the next spring. […]
Rick Lopata of Lopata Farms says people who buy his sweet corn often tell him it’s the best they’ve ever had. But if those shoppers ever buy from his parents at Betty’s Fresh Produce, they might have a hard time picking a winner. Lopata Farms and Betty’s Fresh Produce are essentially the same farm by […]
Field to Family loves doing exactly what our name suggests: connecting local families with the fields, foods and farmers around them. Nothing makes us happier than seeing local farm products turned into delicious treats and the joy of people playing together in the kitchen. That’s why we asked Eastern Iowans to show us some local […]
Do you represent an institution in Johnson or Linn County Iowa that prepares and serves food to hundreds of community members daily? If so, read on to learn how the Field to Family Food Hub can help procure more sustainable, healthy and high-quality local ingredients for your kitchen. What is a “food hub?” A food […]
For Friendly Farm’s David Braverman, growing tomatoes is a lifetime labor of love. “I grew up growing heirloom tomatoes, actually,” the Iowa City farmer said. “As far as I recall, we have sold some kind of tomatoes my whole life.” Braverman’s father started the farm in the late 1960s, and though David didn’t always expect […]