Fun place for apple-picking and buying delicious apple products (recommend the sparkling apple…read morecider and apple donuts). The orchard is huge, with plenty of room to roam and apple tree varieties to choose from, mostly honey crisp, but also crimson crisp, Jonagold, fuji, and gala. Admission is $5 per person and we paid $22 for a two-person you-pick peck. Which was more than enough for us! Cons: Parking was an issue (it was a weekend) with unclear traffic flow through the lot...and it became progressively more busy later in the day.

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.

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)

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!

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

Kroul Farm is an adorable farm that is free to the public. Having a 4 year old boy this was…read moreperfect. They had a pumpkin patch, Cows (my littles favorite), chickens, and a corn maze! We had a wonderful afternoon

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 stumbled on this orchard last year and was able to walk the trees and pick apples. Quick stop,…read morebasket of apples, a candle and happy service. Bringing my nephew back this year. Gem!

Non-pretentious down to earth apple orchard with a ton of apple varieties to chose from (including…read morethe pippen!!) Set off a county highway in rural mount vernon, this place exudes all that is quintessential to the fall apple picking tradition. As I've seen other orchards become increasingly commercialized over the years, the Big Apple Orchard steadily plods along remaining true to form. 100% recommend.

Allen's orchard is wonderful! So many activities for the kids, including hayrides and games. Many…read moreapple varieties to choose from. I highly recommend the Crimson Crisp apples! They are delicious!

This is a fun pick-your-own orchard with clearly marked varieties. The prices are fair and well,…read morethe produce is as fresh as you can ask for. We have also purchased some of their already picked apples. Some we chose were marked down as seconds, but when we got home and cut into them found they were flawless on the inside. We've made several stops there this year and look forward to stopping next season.

The dudes here are definitely on to something is there serving up some of the most bought meat and…read moreSausage we've ever had! They're housed in the same area as big boy Meats and they offer tons of different carnivorous options. The guys in the sausage Foundry specifically are obviously porcine Masters and it shows with the sorts of offerings they have. Their beer brats are solid and use beer from a local Brewery. Every week they have between 2 and 4 new varieties of brats. Most recently smoked sriracha, bacon and blue cheese and mushroom and Swiss graced our plates. It's really need to see how much pride these guys take in their work and how they are looking for new varieties and ways to push the envelope a little with something as simple as a sausage. This place and a big boy Meats or both places that you should check out and plan to come back on a regular basis. Also, try the Scotch eggs - they're legit!

A regular go to place for me. Delicious brats and a great selection of other meats. They have an…read moreever changing selection of specials that are interesting. I l9ve the maple bacon breakfast sausage and the bangers when they're available.