Local Food Guide
Your guide to local food in the Cedar Valley
The UNI Local Food Program strengthens the local and regional food system by supporting farmers and food businesses across Black Hawk County and surrounding counties. We help producers connect with wholesale buyers, such as food hubs, restaurants, grocery stores, caterers, and schools, and with individual customers who want to buy fresh, local food.
Each year, we publish the Cedar Valley Local Food Guide to make it easier for our community to find and support local food. On this page, you’ll find the printable guide, an interactive online map hosted through Market Maker, and information about Grow. Eat. Play., our region‑specific marketing initiative that replaced Buy Fresh Buy Local and continues to elevate Iowa‑grown food and the people who produce it.
2026 Cedar Valley Local Food Guide
Find information about local food in the Cedar Valley!
This guide highlights local food growers & producers, shops & restaurants that are using local food, and events and opportunities to get involved in the local food community.
Cedar Valley Online Local Food Guide
Our online Cedar Valley Local Food Guide can now be found on Iowa Market Maker. This allows our farmers, farmers markets, and businesses to create a single profile to connect with the UNI Local Food Program and other statewide partners such as Choose Iowa, Healthy Harvest of North Iowa, Iowa Farm to School and Early Care, Iowa Food Hub, and Practical Farmers of Iowa.
Cedar Valley Online Local Food Guide
Contact jodie.huegerich@uni.edu for directions on how to create your profile on Market Maker and get affiliated with the UNI Local Food Program.
The Grow. Eat. Play. campaign is a flexible, region-specific marketing initiative designed to boost the reach and success of our region’s local food producers, with a strong focus on supporting direct-to-consumer markets.
Grow. Eat. Play. is about coming together to support local food in our communities. We invite you to become a member, help strengthen this work, and enjoy a few perks as a member. Since replacing the Buy Fresh Buy Local brand in 2020, Grow. Eat. Play. has been embraced across multiple Iowa regions, driving a shift toward a thriving culture of local food.
Grow. Eat. Play. is more than a campaign; it’s a celebration of local culture, a community effort, and a powerful step toward a resilient food future.
Our Goals:
Empower Eaters to Embrace Local
Grow. Eat. Play. fosters a culture that values local food, creating a community-wide understanding of its importance, benefits, and unique qualities.
Expand Your Reach
This campaign is for everyone - not just foodies. We aim to bring everyone into the local food movement, making it accessible, engaging, and impactful for every eater.
Celebrate Local Food Diversity
Iowa offers an extraordinary range of local foods, from fresh produce and pasture raised meats to handcrafted goods and unique dishes from small, passionate eateries. Grow. Eat. Play. highlights this diversity to inspire and connect with more consumers.
Equip Producers with Tools for Success
We support farmers and local food entrepreneurs by providing targeted tools and guidance that strengthen customer relationships, build brand presence, and help them grow within the local food movement.
Grow. Eat. Play. Member Guidelines, Criteria, and Benefits →
Grow
- Plan and Plant a Home Garden - Learn more about our Garden in Every Lot program and how you could get a garden installed in your yard for free.
- Find local foods near you - You can find farmers and local producers in our local food directory.
- Check out this Seasonal Guide to Locally Grown Produce to learn what's good for pickin' throughout the year.
Eat
- Support businesses that purchase and use local products. You can find grocers, coffee shops, restaurants, and caterers that purchase and use local products.
- Learn more about our Veggie Voucher program and other Nutrition Assistance Programs available for local food purchases.
- Try a new recipe from our partners at Healthy Harvest at North Iowa. You can get the same great local ingredients in the Cedar Valley area!
- Join us each February for our Farm to Fork Dinner. We gather to network, meet local producers & enjoy a local food meal. Check our upcoming events calendar for more information.
Play
Find farmers markets and agritourism farms, farm stores, apple orchards, pumpkin patches, events, and more!
Get involved with local foods and attend local food events! Check our upcoming events calendar for information about the Farm to Fork Dinner, UNI Local Food Festival, and more!
Grow
- Plan and Plant a Home Garden - Learn more about our Garden in Every Lot program and how you could get a garden installed in your yard for free.
- Find local foods near you - You can find farmers and local producers in our local food directory.
- Check out this Seasonal Guide to Locally Grown Produce to learn what's good for pickin' throughout the year.
Eat
- Support businesses that purchase and use local products. You can find grocers, coffee shops, restaurants, and caterers that purchase and use local products.
- Learn more about our Veggie Voucher program and other Nutrition Assistance Programs available for local food purchases.
- Try a new recipe from our partners at Healthy Harvest at North Iowa. You can get the same great local ingredients in the Cedar Valley area!
- Join us each February for our Farm to Fork Dinner. We gather to network, meet local producers & enjoy a local food meal. Check our upcoming events calendar for more information.
Play
Find farmers markets and agritourism farms, farm stores, apple orchards, pumpkin patches, events, and more!
Get involved with local foods and attend local food events! Check our upcoming events calendar for information about the Farm to Fork Dinner, UNI Local Food Festival, and more!