Enjoy Fresh Local Produce This Winter

Savoring a ripe, juicy garden tomato in the middle of winter seems far-fetched, especially when the ground in northern Iowa is generally frozen solid and covered with a white blanket of snow. Local stores ship in vegetables from warmer climates but they usually never taste quite like locally grown garden produce.

Del’s Garden Center’s 2025-2026 Winter Market is transforming this winter paradigm, and every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., November 15-February 28, they will be offering over 30 vegetable options for the public to purchase and later savor. 

“One of our biggest goals for the winter market is to provide people a reason to get out of their home in the winter. They can walk around in 70 degrees, get fresh food and enjoy different vendors,” said Del’s Garden Center’s General Manager Sean Sherrod. “We learned a lot this past year and look forward to offering the Winter Market to our customers again during our coldest months.”

It wasn’t an easy endeavor to create a Winter Market and understand where and when to plant produce. Through the help of a consultant, Sean said they gained valuable knowledge on what to plant and when to plant the produce.

“The information he passed on really saved us about three years of research, and then we didn’t have to learn some things the hard way. We weren’t completely starting from scratch,” he said.

Planning a Winter Market takes a team effort from the staff at Del’s Garden Center. The seeding takes place throughout the summer, some as early as late June, so produce is ready for harvest throughout the winter.

“A lot of notes were taken last year. For instance, our green beans were amazing the three weeks before our first market!” Sean exclaimed. “We planted them a little later this summer. Some of the first things we planted this summer included potatoes in June and then carrots in July.

They also learned that some vegetables preferred being by the vent and others didn’t. Some seedlings begin growing outside and are then transferred into the greenhouse before the cold months hit. Other vegetables need augmented light during the winter to help maintain growth.

“It has been really beneficial to our year-round staff and our facilities to keep them productive during our slower season, while also benefiting the community,” he added.

Some of the more popular vegetables last year were kohlrabi, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and sunflower sprouts. There will be over 33 varieties throughout the winter season, being available at the market at different points.

“Our goal is to provide extra produce for our staff and also give back to people in the community who have less access to fresh vegetables,” Sean said.

Besides the ability to purchase fresh lettuce, carrots, or broccoli, the warm greenhouses will also showcase over 20 vendors.

“We have 20 vendors already committed; our only requirement is the vendor creates locally sourced items,” Sean added. “Currently, we have everything from soaps, baked goods, beer, lotions, and smoothies. We are very pleased with the variety of options that will be available to our guests.”

There will also be a food truck and often other dining options available many of the Saturdays. During the holiday season, spruce tip classes will be available and Santa Claus will be visiting before Christmas. Watch Del’s Garden Center’s social media pages for special events like recitals and food occasions.

“We are really looking forward to our Saturdays and how we can bring the community together – we want to be a place where people want to be this winter,” Sean said.

More information can be found at delsgarden.com/winter-market/ or by calling (712) 262-4912.