What’s in Season in Des Moines

What is in season in Des Moines. and what to order when the market changes.

Spring

{'item': "Downtown Farmers' Market opening", 'months': ['May'], 'description': "The Downtown Farmers' Market reopens in early May after the winter pause, drawing a celebratory crowd to Court Avenue. Early spring offerings are Iowa", 'where_to_find': "Downtown Farmers' Market, Court Avenue"}
{'item': 'Morel mushrooms', 'months': ['April', 'May'], 'description': "Iowa morel season runs April through May; local foragers supply restaurants including HoQ, Harbinger and Alba with the state's most prized wild ingredient.", 'where_to_find': "HoQ, Harbinger, Alba, Downtown Farmers' Market"}
{'item': 'Pella tulip season and Jaarsma Bakery Dutch pastries', 'months': ['April', 'May'], 'description': "Pella holds its annual Tulip Time festival (typically early May) when tulips across the Dutch-settled town are in full bloom. Jaarsma Bakery's Dutch letter", 'where_to_find': 'Jaarsma Bakery, Pella (45 min from Des Moines)'}
{'item': 'Iowa asparagus', 'months': ['April', 'May'], 'description': 'Local Iowa asparagus appears at the farmers market from April and features on spring menus at farm-to-table restaurants. HoQ typically runs an', 'where_to_find': "Downtown Farmers' Market, HoQ, Harbinger"}

{'item': 'Iowa sweet corn', 'months': ['July', 'August'], 'description': "Iowa grows some of the finest sweet corn in the world, and July-August corn at the Downtown Farmers' Market is a genuine food event. Freshly picked ears from", 'where_to_find': "Downtown Farmers' Market, farm stands, restaurant seasonal specials"}
{'item': 'Iowa State Fair food on a stick', 'months': ['August'], 'description': 'The 11-day Iowa State Fair in August is the concentrated peak of Iowa food culture. The pork chop on a stick, corn dog and annually introduced novelty items', 'where_to_find': 'Iowa State Fair, E 30th St and E University Ave'}
{'item': 'World Food and Music Festival', 'months': ['August'], 'description': 'A three-day late-August festival in Western Gateway Park with 56 food vendors from 23 countries. Admission to the food areas is free; the concentrated global', 'where_to_find': 'Western Gateway Park, downtown Des Moines'}
{'item': 'Iowa heirloom tomatoes', 'months': ['July', 'August', 'September'], 'description': "Peak Iowa tomato season from July through early September brings heirloom varieties to the Downtown Farmers' Market. Restaurants including HoQ, Harbinger and", 'where_to_find': "Downtown Farmers' Market, HoQ, Harbinger, Alba"}

{'item': 'Iowa apple season', 'months': ['September', 'October'], 'description': 'Iowa apple orchards supply the farmers market from late August through October with fresh-press cider, pie apples and dessert varieties. La Mie Bakery and', 'where_to_find': "Downtown Farmers' Market (through late October), La Mie Bakery, Scenic Route Bakery"}
{'item': 'Hessen Haus Oktoberfest', 'months': ['September', 'October'], 'description': "The German bierhalle runs its Oktoberfest celebration across three weekends from mid-September, the city's largest recurring food and drink event.", 'where_to_find': 'Hessen Haus, 101 SW 4th St'}
{'item': 'Iowa squash and root vegetables', 'months': ['October', 'November'], 'description': 'The autumn farmers market (October sessions, earlier close at 12:00) brings butternut squash, delicata, acorn squash, sweet potatoes and root vegetables from', 'where_to_find': "Downtown Farmers' Market (through October), Harbinger, HoQ, Alba"}

{'item': 'Iowa pork and braised meats', 'months': ['December', 'January', 'February'], 'description': "Winter menus in Des Moines lean into Iowa's dominant agricultural product: pork. Slow-braised pork shoulder, house-cured charcuterie and pork-centric dishes", 'where_to_find': 'Aposto, Table 128, Harbinger, Latin King'}
{'item': 'Holiday season at Gateway Market', 'months': ['November', 'December'], 'description': "Gateway Market's specialty food selection expands substantially for the November-December holiday season, with an enlarged cheese counter, local charcuterie", 'where_to_find': 'Gateway Market, 2002 Woodland Ave'}
{'item': 'Winter baking at La Mie and Scenic Route', 'months': ['November', 'December', 'January', 'February'], 'description': 'Both La Mie Bakery and Scenic Route Bakery run expanded holiday and winter baking programmes with seasonal spiced pastries, holiday breads and celebration', 'where_to_find': 'La Mie Bakery, 841 42nd St; Scenic Route Bakery, 350 E Locust St'}