The Annual Farm Cycle event on Sunday, Sept. 15, featured four local farms in Johnson County. There were three different routes to participate in, and tickets sold out on the prior Friday.
Riders gathered at the Bike Library around 9:30 a.m. to have coffee and converse before setting off for the first stop at the Johnson County Historic Poor Farm. The first stop featured a beet and squash hash with tempeh and mushrooms topped with a fried egg and pickled veggies.
“Starting in 2017, the county adopted a tenure plan for the site, so we have really been growing the public amenities that are available,” Ilsa DeWald, Johnson County Food and Farm manager, said of the Historic Poor Farm. “Being a stop on Farm Cycle has allowed us to show that to the community and increase awareness about educational and community volunteering opportunities we have out here.”
After continuing toward the Calyx Creek Lavender Farm, temperatures began to rise as they set out on gravel roads. Chef Wendy Zimmerman prepared a farm-fresh salad with local cornbread and lavender butter for riders as they rolled in.
“It’s not just corn and beans, it’s not just veggies,” Calyx Creek Lavender Farm owner Taylor Getting said. “There is really unique herbs and spices that can be grown in Iowa. Lavender is gaining popularity.”
With sweat falling past handlebars, riders turned south and pedaled through downtown Oxford, Iowa. In the early afternoon, riders reached Blueyah Blueberry Farm and enjoyed a curried chicken salad with pita and kachumber salad prepared by chef Michael Brack.
“Most of the land in Iowa is privately owned, so you don’t have a chance to experience the really pretty acreages out here, and when we can open it up like this, even when it’s not blueberry season, it gives people an opportunity to have that experience,” Jenna Hammerich, co-owner of Blueyah Blueberry Farm, said.
The final stop of the day was at Black Diamond Meats, roughly 10 miles west of the Bike Library. Riders ate fresh lamb schwarma and kebab with sautéed veggies. Participants had the chance to talk with farmer Elsadig Ali and tour his garden where he grows vegetables, fruit, and sugar cane. Ali is originally from Sudan and, after moving to Egypt, immigrated to the United States in 2005. Ali has been living in the Iowa City area since 2014.
After returning back to the Bike Library, riders gathered to discuss their experiences and listen to live music. The SloMoBop band played as participants enjoyed refreshments from Wild Culture Kombucha.
“That’s like the number one goal, showcasing the best of Johnson County outside of our urban environment. There’s so many people in Johnson County that are doing really cool stuff. The farmers and chefs are so gracious in hosting us,” Audrey Wiedemeier, executive director of the Bike Library, said. “Almost all of the ingredients are made with local produce and local ingredients and I think that the more people really deeply understand where [their] food comes from, the more we can move away from this consumerist culture and really focus on what we are doing here in our community to make it a really rad place to live.”
