If there is one thing to be said for Midwest living, it’s that we produce some of the best farmer’s markets. Luckily enough, that season is back among us.

Rolling into it’s 2nd week of the season starting tomorrow, May 11th, is the start of the season for the downtown farmer’s market. Considered one of the largest markets in Iowa with nearly 200 vendors from 47 Iowa Counties, you can find Iowa raised pork, beef, poultry, lamb eggs, fish, as well as baked goods, cheese, preserves, and flowers. But the market isn’t just about what you can buy there. It’s about going for the experience. Absorbing all the sights, and more importantly, the smells you can only get from fresh food. Or you can walk around and simply get inspiration for dinner.

The Des Moines Downtown markets runs Saturday mornings from 7am – noon, downtown in the Court Avenue district. Visit the Des Moines Farmer’s Market website for more information.

If Saturdays don’t work for you, then maybe Thursdays over in Valley Junction might. Open 4pm-8pm on Thursdays, the Valley Junction Farmer’s Market isn’t quite as large as the downtown one.  But with over 100 vendors featuring fresh produce, baked goods, plants and flowers, arts and crafts and prepared foods it’s not small either.

And by no means are those the only two farmer’s markets in Des Moines.  A lot of the surrounding suburbs host their own farmer’s markets as well.  Just one more great thing about living in Iowa!

With the last of the Farmer’s Markets done with for the season you might be feeling a bit dismayed without your weekly supply of locally grown vegetables, fruits, and meat. Well, one of the advantages to living in a bigger city such as Des Moines is the availability of products and services that you would be unable to find elsewhere. One area where Des Moines shines in this department is in the health food and organic  market. Whether you’re looking for healthy, organic, vegan, or even just locally grown foods, you can find what you need here in Des Moines.

Although the Fall Farmer’s Markets may be done with for the year, there are still a few dates you can mark onyour calendar.  That’s because the third weekend in November and December mark the return of the Winter Farmer’s market.  For those of you that don’t want to break out your calendar that’s going to be November 18th & 19th, as well as December 16th & 17th.  The weekends before Thanksgiving and Christmas.  The Winter Market does a fabulous job of creating an ambiance that portrays the harvest, winter, and the holiday season in general while still providing ample locally grown food products.  More information can be found on the Des Moines Winter Market’s website.

If the winter markets are too long to wait, then in the mean time there are plenty of local grocery stores and co-ops that can provide you with your fix of of fresh produce and organic foods.  Trader Joe’s has a cult following across the nation, and after stopping in there, you’ll find out it’s for a good reason.  If you’re looking for someplace a little closer to downtown then you might be interested in checking out the Gateway Market which is located on Martin Luther King Parkway on the west side of downtown. Or check out Campbell’s Nutrition which has two locations, one in Urbandale and one in Des Moines near Drake University.  They sell local produce, organic groceries, gluten-free products, vitamins and supplements at each location. If you want to continue supporting local farmers you can actually order food from them at the Iowa Food Coop.  Just put in your food order online and then once a month stop into either their retail location in Merle Hay Mall, or their other pick-up locations in Ankeny and West Des Moines.

And if that’s not enough for you, Whole Foods announced they are coming to Des Moines.  They will be moving into the Water Tower Place in West Des Moines, with plans to open  in the spring of 2012.

One of the great things about Des Moines is the rich history of culture that permeates the city year in and year out.  Every year there are certain events that you can look forward to and expect to happen, and each year it seems as though new fun events also spring up.  Unfortunately for some of those events the time is nearly gone to enjoy them.  Here are just a couple of things with a limited time left to enjoy.

Saturday Farmer’s Market

This Saturday the 28th marks the last day for the fall Farmer’s Market.  This has been running since 1976 and has gotten bigger and bigger every year. This means you have one last chance to grab fresh meat, fresh fruits and vegetables, or hand-made items from any of the 200+ vendors.  If you haven’t made it out to check out the Farmer’s Market and experience the culture that lives and thrives there this is your last chance of the season.  However if you do miss it, have no fear, there are two Winter Market’s on November 18th and December 16th.  For more information on what can be found there check out their Winter Market website.

East Village Sunday Bazaar

One of the new events that sprung up this year was the East Village Bazaar.  Held noon-4pm on Sundays this is the last weekend to enjoy it as it ends on the 31st.  This is an excellent opportunity to check out Des Moines’ very own East Village.  Not only do a majority of stores stay open during the event, but the East Village will also play host to food vendors and live music, not to mention all the outdoor vendors selling vintage clothing, accessories, and home decor.  For more information on what they have to offer check out the East Village website.