Field to Family will launch its 2022 Online Market with a new schedule following two successful seasons. Residents can expect locally grown foods from 28 local growers for the first week. Online ordering starts Monday May 2, 2022 at 8 AM and closes noon on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 and weekly thereafter for Thursday pick […]
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2022 Online Farmers Market F.A.Q.
Everything you need to know about the 2022 Online Farmers Market Season What is Field to Family’s Online Market? Field to Family is a nonprofit committed to food systems education and access to healthy and local foods. We see the online market as an opportunity for customers to take home a deeper understanding of […]
Online Farmers Market Distribution Press Release
Iowa City-area shoppers continue to have the opportunity to purchase local food and farm products online with contact-free pickup in November 2021 through Field to Family’s Online Farmers Market. Field to Family’s second Online Farmers Market season continues to operate a successful venture by drive thru and delivery means. The last drive thru option […]
Echollective Farm Grows for Change
At Echollective Farm, responsible farming means prioritizing the ecosystem and community alike. “So often, the conversation can go far in either direction and not include the other,” said farmer Molly Schintler. To nourish the planet, Echollective uses organic farming practices and intentional conservation methods. They promote biodiversity by cultivating a robust crop rotation and leaving […]
DIY Hydroponic Garden for Farm to School
A few years back, home daycare provider Anita Schaefer bought an “Aerogarden” with a Farm to ECE Grant. These indoor, hydroponic gardens are a great way to start seeds and grow things like herbs indoors, but they can be pricey. A colleague wondered aloud if there was a way to make a bigger, cheaper version […]
Farm to Early Care: Seed Starting Comparison Activity
Daycare provider Anita Schaefer loves bringing the garden into her at-home daycare. One of her favorite activities for little ones is a seed starting comparison activity. Kiddos as young as 18 months are able to plant seeds in cups of soil and watch them grow. Slightly older kids are able to guess which seeds will […]
Sustainable Farming Practices Explained
What the hay are cover crops? What’s the difference between produce that’s Certified Organic or organically grown? Scroll through to learn more about some common sustainable farming practices in Iowa. Want to learn more about your favorite farmers’ practices? Check out the producer page on our online storefront for more information about our […]
Beekeeping and the Seasons
A beekeeper’s secret to a bountiful hive: tuning into nature’s seasonal cues. Paying close attention to things like solstice dates, bud bursts and even animal calls can help beekeepers not only produce more honey (yum!) but cultivate abundant bee populations. West Des Moines beekeeper Julia McGuire is on a mission to better understand phenology, the […]
The Food Supply Chain: Local vs. Conventional
Where does your food come from? Over a third of global greenhouse gas emissions come from food systems, according to the United Nations FAO. It’s almost impossible to create a truly carbon-neutral plate, but some options are less impactful than others. Food grown and consumed locally has the benefit of travelling far fewer miles […]
Salt Fork Farms
For Salt Fork Farms’ Eric Menzel, studying small-scale food production in graduate school wasn’t enough; he wanted in on the action. So in addition to getting his master’s in sustainable agriculture, he got himself some hens. “Chickens are kind of the easiest thing to start doing,” he said. “You don’t really need to know a […]