Not even construction can stop Iowa City’s seasonal Farmers’ Market.
The market begins for the summer today from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Chauncey Swan parking ramp. The market will run from 7:30 a.m. through noon on Saturdays and every Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m.The Farmers’ Market will run as it usually does, including most of the same vendors, said Juli Seydell Johnson, the director of Iowa City Parks and Recreation.
However, because of construction, the market will branch out to the east side of the parking ramp and in front of City Hall, Seydell Johnson said.
This season, according to a press release, there will be no plastic bags; instead, the vendors will give out 1,500 cloth bags beginning today until they run out. Once out of the free bags, there will be reusable totes on sale for $3.
Farmers’ Market customer Betsy Butcher said she is glad the market will sell bags because she always forgets hers. However, she is also glad the vendors will not hand out plastic bags to help minimize sustainable and agricultural problems.
Seydell Johnson noted that plastic bags are not completely banned, because it is OK for customers to reuse their plastic bags from home. She recommends that people bring their own bags and baskets to remain as sustainable as possible.
People who wish to pay using a debit or credit card can go to the information table to receive tokens of the same value after swiping their cards, according to a release.
The press release stated people that use electronic benefit transfer cards for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will receive a different type of token. For the shoppers who use these tokens, they will have the prices of the tokens matched through Double Up Food Bucks, a healthy food program throughout Iowa.
“All eligible vendors will accept the EBT/SNAP tokens, and all vendors will accept the credit/debit card tokens. Signs indicating which tokens are accepted by the vendors are displayed at each booth,” the press release said.
Also, if shoppers bike or walk to the market on Saturday, they will receive a $2 market bucks coupon that they may spend at any of the stands, according to a Farmers’ Market event page.
Many people are excited about the return of the market.
“I grew up with fresh vegetables in the summertime because my dad had a garden, so it was nice to have those fresh vegetables after I first moved here,” Butcher said. “I also like how they sell actual basil plants. It’s a great opportunity to branch out on your own.”
Shopper Kristen Berg said she likes the market because it is something different to do, and it is nice to be able to buy fresh produce. Although, she wishes there was more publicity for the event, so more people attend.
The market will end on the last week of October.