Grow.Eat.Play is the branding used to identify local food producers and buyers and local businesses purchasing local food. It replaced the brand, Buy Fresh Buy Local in 2020.

“Local food is at the heart of so many of our favorite seasonal memories, from going to an apple orchard with our family to buying local honey for baking and visiting the local farmer’s market or a local farm like Hansen’s Dairy. We want people to Grow.Eat.Play with local food and make memories while supporting local producers” said Jodie Huegerich, UNI Local Food Program Manager. 

The website and social media has seasonal recommendations for experiencing local food in our region, including a searchable Local Food Directory with local farms, farmers markets, and businesses supporting local food. Search Grow for local producers, Eat for restaurants purchasing local food, Play for U-pick farms, farmers markets, apple orchards, and pumpkin patches. 

“Our region offers many treasures of local food and farm enterprises: fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, dairy products, eggs, locally raised meat, honey, as well as coffee, beer and wine. Our local farms are a great source of healthy food and community vitality. We’re so excited to share this resource with area residents” said Kamyar Enshayan, Director of the Center for Energy & Environmental Education. “

Check out the website https://cvfoodfarmnetwork.org/  and follow us on Facebook and Instagram (@CVRFFN and @cv_rffn). For questions, please contact Jodie Huegerich at jodie.huegerich@uni.edu or 319-273-7883.