This was a most lovely orchard experience from start to finish. I began with a visit inside the…read morefarm market, which had fresh apples; frozen applesauce and pies; chilled apple cider + cans of their alcoholic ciders; and merchandise + gifts. Make your way to the register, and you can purchase donuts and turnovers as well as your u-pick bags. I made my apple turnover ala mode, which was worthwhile, and savored it outside overlooking the orchard. So picturesque! After my apple treat, I was ready to pick and made my way to the orchard. Expect some hill climbing and pretty scenery between the apple trees and flower fields. I imagine the trek could be more challenging for families with young ones. Wilson's boasts 100 varieties of apples, one of the reasons I visited the orchard in the first place. At the end of September, I filled my bags with two varieties I had never heard of, which was fun. The rows were well-marked with the apples that were ready for picking as well as the name of the variety. More importantly, the apples were delicious. Overall, I'm very happy I spent a morning here, and I imagine just about anyone else will feel similarly.

Tried to go to the Thursday tasting room. It was not a good experience…read more On arrival, there is no host to greet you, but also no sign explaining that you should seat yourself. Eventually, we figured it out. After sitting down, we waited nearly 15 minutes for any service. Nobody so much as brought water. When a server finally arrived, she told us that they were out of all food items on the menu. It was not yet 6:30, at a venue that advertises dinner service until 8:00. Poor service. A very poorly managed front of house. And, unfortunately, also a hilariously ill managed kitchen than cannot plan for a 2.5 hour dinner service. We hired a sitter and paid for a two way car ride, with nothing to show for it but a glass of water that arrived very slowly. On the other hand, they do a great job on social media. There isn't much doubt where their priorities lie.

Sometimes you want free, wholesome family fun…read more Kroul Farm is a hidden gem of a pumpkin patch just a dozen miles down the road from Wilson's Apple Orchard. They've got chickens, bunnies and cows, OH MY! Fun photo ops and a corn maze. All free of charge. There are big pumpkins and small pumpkins, white ones and even warty ones. Mums. Squash. Knick knacks. Treats. Everything you'd expect and want! We got our decent sized pumpkin for $6. We had a blast of distanced, outdoor fun. I am ashamed as a Iowa City native that I had never set foot on this farm. (Only enjoyed it virtually earlier this spring.) This will be our go-to pumpkin getting spot for years to come!

Have only gotten firewood from here twice and is a super easy process. Will be trying the market…read morethey have soon

We loved our morning at Bass Farms! It wasn't super crowded and had activities for all ages. It was…read moreperfect for our 22 month old. The tractor ride was the highlight for him, followed by soccer billiards. The pumpkins are already picked, so after you do all of the activities, you don't have to lug a pumpkin from the field. They're also priced by size, not weight.

Ever since discovering this family farm about three years ago, we enjoy stopping whenever we can…read more On a long drive home from Green Bay, I was thrilled to find they were open until 9 pm (shorter hours in the fall/winter). We were able to satisfy our craving for Chocolate Shop Ice Cream and I found one of my favorite protein bars I haven't found elsewhere. Hubby got his favorite popcorn and another jar of jam. We are now signed up for their rewards program which gives us 10% off. This would be a great place to take our grandkids- just wish it was closer!

This is a small family friendly farmers/ fresh air market with multiple vendors selling fresh…read morevegetables such as tomatoes, asparagus, and rhubarb, along with small bakers selling fresh homemade breads, and pastries, along with fresh jellies and jams and of course, local honey. In addition, there's a woodcarver making whimsical signs for the front of your home and Lawn. There are prepared food vendors such as breakfast sandwiches and seasoned jerk chicken and pork. The vendors are friendly and eager to convince you their products are the freshest and best. It's in an open air parking lot with plenty of walking space for pedestrians along with their furry friends. There's plenty of parking in the parking lots as well as along the street. It's a great early morning Sunday adventure. The market is seasonal, May through October, and only open from 10 AM and not before, until 1 PM on SUNDAY.

Updated to add - since my review only a few short weeks ago, the market has gone to the dogs! Ive…read morenow seen 2-3 vendors each weekend offering holistic treats and services for pups. We've also seen a variety of new vendors including wine and kombucha! This weekend there was also live music. I very much recommend this market. We're getting to know the vendors a little bit and everyone is so friendly. The quality of produce is great and we've definitely found some go to booths. (Special acknowledgements: Rehberg's Pork, HP Meats, Deranged Chicken, Jammin Jerry's Jam, and The Salsa Guy)

Great you pick orchard farm in corridor area! They also sell jams and jellies made from the farm…read moreproduce. Sign up for their emails to remind you when things are ready to pick or pick up! They do also pick items as well if you don't want to do you pick option. Chestnuts, paw paws, Asian pears, pears, peaches, Aronia berries, apples, etc. and you can find them on facebook.

You will ask yourself how I can write a mostly negative review of one of the best Farmer's Market…read morearound and still give it 4 stars. So I will explain. The Downtown Farmer's Market is a outstanding venue and is one of the largest in the nation and probably in the state. I have been involved with it every since it first started both as a buyer and as a concessioner. Over the years the market has expanded to extend for many city blocks and attracts vendors from miles around. The downtown market is not a true Farmer's Market in that it allows non-food vendors as well. You will see people selling everything from jewelry to candles; food sellers from local restaurants, wine, clothing, local charities, entertainers, and so on. Among all the vendors are actual produce sellers. A list of most vendors can be found on the Downtown Market website. It is a huge and fabulous Saturday event. And yet I prefer to skip it in favor of other Farmer's Markets which are smaller and more produce oriented for the following reasons. 1. It is VERY crowded. Attendance is high (easily topping 16,000 per Saturday morning) and the jostling and shoving can be overwhelming at times. You will find a lot to purchase but you will leave exhausted. 2. It has become so big that you will find it difficult to find the vendors you really want to buy from among the 220 + vendors. We are talking about 11 streets here and no printed map to guide you. 3. The crowding is aggravated by carts and strollers making it difficult for challenged walkers to navigate. I recommend that seniors try the smaller markets instead. 4. The organizers still have not learned to ban dog walkers. You will have to dodge leases, the infrequent dog fight, and other canine problems. Just think a minute. What would you think if you saw people walking the aisles of the local supermarket with a dog? What we have in the Cedar Rapids Downtown Market is a great market that has gotten a bit too big and needs to be trimmed down. I am a long-time fan of Farmer's Markets and have attended them for many years, long before the downtown market even existed, but my preference is for the smaller markets, which I visit once a week religiously. The downtown market is only an occasional thing.

First off, lets call it what it is people, it's a french market, not a farmers market…read more Supposedly one of the largest 'farmers' markets in the Midwest, and I'd believe it. At least 8 blocks of produce, meat, baked goods, jewelry, crafts, and street food vendors. I didn't check *every* produce vendor but the ones I did notice were all from Iowa. I wish I had a cooler big enough to bring some organic free range chickens raised in Iowa all the way home to Chicago. It's a pity this market is only every other weekend. By 8:30 the streets were packed and a few vendors were running out of green beans and cherries already. Only open till noon so get up early and wander around downtown Cedar Rapids before all the good stuff is gone!

I've made a few trips to this market over the past several years and I am routinely disappointed…read more Crammed into the Taube Park parking lot, to access the few vendors available, you're dodging car traffic as well as the crowds. It's a weird layout with booths in the lot and the rest down the walkway to the pavilion. (There is a sprawling green area but someone decided to put pedestrians in the way of traffic in the tiniest lot possible?!) My biggest gripe though is the lack of produce... at the FARMERS market. I saw maybe two meat vendors, a honey stand, and someone's grandma selling their nasty home baked goods, while the remaining booths were occupied by the library and random crafters with yard signs and home decor. I'm not against the crafters per se, but they have their own fairs and markets all year round. I feel strongly that farmers markets are an important community resource for farmers and residents alike so this seems like a huge disservice on the organizers' part (particularly so in this economic climate). Until they sort that out, I will continue to skip this market in favor of Hiawatha's market an extra 10 minutes across town where they have actual produce and foodstuffs for sale.

I had heard Wright Touch Catering & Bake Shoppe had fantastic bread pudding and it would be worth…read morechecking out sooner than later. I was happy to find the small shop in the early afternoon on a warm Saturday. The sweet, understated smell that enveloped me when I walked in confirmed I was at the right place. As I arrived later in the day and was only looking for a sweet treat (or two), I was fine with the limited selection of cupcakes and cookies in the up front case. There may have been more available to me if I asked. The person that came out from the back was very kind and offered a free sample of the bread pudding they had that day: cinnamon roll. The small bites of the sample (warm, gooey, cinnamon with frosting) convinced me to get a full size. Wright Touch also had a cupcake flavors of vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, red velvet, and mint chocolate in the case and I choose the mint chocolate. All the cupcakes have a filling in the middle. Both the bread pudding and cupcake were great. The cake and frosting were dense and not too sweet. The bread pudding was everything you would hope for from a cinnamon roll and then some: soft, sweet, and chewy. Tasted homemade and I have no notes. I would highly recommend checking out Wright Touch for a sweet treat or bread pudding. I can't wait to go back!

Our company has the best experience with Wright Touch. The Sandwiches, soups and salads are…read moreterrific. They are always on time and the presentation is superb! Highly recommend!