The Des Moines Farmers Market

I spent less than 24 hours in Des Moines this weekend for a bridal shower but still managed to make it to the first farmer's market of the year. (Exciting, since it's one of the things I'll miss most about Des Moines this summer.)

It was a dreary, drizzly day but there was still quite a crowd. The Des Moines Farmer's Market is quite an event, even when the weather isn't too great.

It's a bit early in the season for much produce, but there were quite a few stands selling asparagus, a few green onions, even a bit of rhubarb. Of course, there were also a few vendors selling every type of produce from peaches to giant red and green peppers—but if people buying all that produce think it was Iowa-grown this time of year, they're crazy.

There were plenty of vendors selling ethnic food and baked goods. More handmade items too—yard decorations, jewelry, art, you name it. Of course there were plenty of great Iowa wineries there offering samples. Cheese, coffee, gourmet dog treats. It's all there.

Even though you couldn't get much fresh produce yet, there were more vendors selling plants and flowers than I remember from past years. Big blooms, herbs, veggies just waiting to be planted—you name it. I decided it probably wasn't in my best interest to haul a bunch of plants four and a half hours back home though, so I passed on buying any.

What I did buy, however, was a snack. It was a tough choice—you can get fabulous breakfast burritos and breakfast pizza. But this week I opted for one of my absolute favorites—a papusa.

You know what? I was going to write about papusas right here. But I've decided they deserve an ode all their own. So stay tuned ...