City Market! the photo tour

This morning, we headed to the Des Moines Farmer's Market, known to Asher as the City Market (because farms have animals and tractors, and the City Market does not). Although I felt like a tourist (very rare in Des Moines), I decided to take a camera to put together a little photo tour. I know that many of you who read this are farmer's market fans, and I thought I would share a glimpse of the Des Moines version.

Here is the view up Court Avenue, with the market stretching all the way from the river to the courthouse (hidden in the chilly early morning fog, and further away than it looks). Due to the cold, the crowds were thin to start out the morning.

Sarah and Asher eating "pofferjies" (tiny Dutch pancakes, the size of a quarter) and strawberries.

One of the countless local vegetable booths

Iowa Sweet corn from the back of a truck, what else do you need?

The sun breaks through, revealing the skyline of Des Moines

Sarah, Asher, and the world's largest Dutch letter pastry (as far as I know)

Fourth St, one of several side streets the Farmer's Market spreads down

Sarah took this picture of belly dancers dancing in the middle of an intersection to "Staying Alive"

Me, the clearing blue sky and the biggest, best ciabatta in town.

*For the record, we bought the following items today:

• popcorn (the unpopped kind), from Colfax, IA
• 2 Dutch Letters, from Pella, IA
• fresh honey, from Lynville, IA
• two plates of pofferjies
• large grocery bag full of green chiles (for my chili verde), from somewhere in IA
• 1 very large ciabatta bread, from Des Moines.