Going to the Market
Neither rain nor seasonly-limited produce kept people from the first downtown farmers’ market of the year in Des Moines on May 10, 2008. Rhubarb, a few leaves of spinach, some young garlic, greenhouse tomatoes, and a bit of asparagus from Polk City were the local fruits and vegetables for sale. One vendor clearly labeled out-of-state produce. There were plenty of bakeries, a few wineries, meat producers, and value-added agricultural businesses with booths. Most of the people I saw making purchases were waiting for warm food prepared for immediate consumption.
There are several residents of Des Moines who believe the best economic plan for the city would include no zoning laws. Seeing several signs with rules scattered around the market this year, I kept thinking about the idea that too much legal restriction leads to economic contraction. On the public side of the market, there are instructions on how dogs should behave and times when vendors must start and stop selling. On the business side of the market, there is a new application process that requires vendors to apply online and submit photographs of every type of item to be included with instructions that they cannot depart from that list at all. There may be good reasons for all of these attempts at control; nevertheless, they threaten to squeeze the vitality of experimentation out of the market.
One of the new cottage industries that made it onto this year’s vendor list is Beaverdale Confections Co. You can buy blocks of gourmet marshmallow, lollipops (marshmallows on a stick), and hot cocoa gift boxes. The Kahlua marshmallow was a well-balanced taste but there was competition between the smooth creaminess of the Kahlua and the granular chewiness of the marshmallow. The coconut and marshmallow combination offered uniformity in textures and sweetness. These are not the air-puffed marshmallows sold in most grocery stores.
Often what I find most useful about the downtown market is learning about the many non-profit and political events happening around the city. At the May 10th market, I picked up literature for Walk Now for Autism, talked with Rep. Leonard Boswell’s (D-3rd District) primary challenger, and learned more about Bike to Work Week.
Autism Speaks was founded in 2005 by the grandparents of a child with autism. The organization informs about, funds research into, and advocates on issues related to autism. The Iowa Walk Now for Autism fundraiser will take place June 7, 2008 in Gray’s Lake Park.
Ed Fallon was shaking hands and talking with voters so I took the opportunity for an impromptu interview. I asked him how the campaign was going. He replied, “good,” 
then talked about Boswell’s refusal to debate and linked that to democratic injustice. I asked Fallon if he thought Boswell’s campaign mailings and his own personal appearances did not satisfy democracy. The challenger said people want to see the two candidates side-by-side, answering the same issues.
Bike to Work Week Project Coordinator Tina Hadden said over 1600 people have registered, which is nearly 300 more than last year. Approximately 70% of the registrants are in the greater Des Moines area. Most of the remaining 30% are in the Iowa City-Cedar Rapids corridor. There are several events being held in Des Moines during the week, which officially runs from May 10th through the 16th. Hadden said the new Johnston trail allowed a bicyclist to miss beating a motorist by only a couple minutes on an annual race from Johnston to downtown Des Moines. Registering helps bicyclist activists to demonstrate support to elected officials for bicycle-friendly polices.
M.R. Field covers local events for AroundDesMoines.com.
Sunday, May 11th, is Mother’s Day. You can celebrate with a brunch at the 
Maria Burham and her husband, John, started 
Most dependent on the weather is the 
May Day as celebrated among American school children also means a day for baskets filled with flowers. I remember gathering lilacs and iris, putting them in a basket made out of construction paper, and leaving them on the porches of elderly neighbors. I still like to make these simple gifts to brighten someone’s day. In Hawaii, May Day is known as Lei Day.
Neither proponents nor opponents of the plan have yet convinced me how to vote. They both have good reasons why I should support them but neither side has presented strong reasons. The vocal proponents tend to be elected officials and court officials. The vocal opponents tend to be people favoring strict tax oversight. There is a need to update the courthouse facilities for the dignity of victims, witnesses, and the accused, as proponents argue. The county government should be held responsible for the number and timing of requests it makes to taxpayers for special projects, as opponents argue.
In the past week enough flowers have been in bloom and enough leaves have unfurled to make it seem like Spring is finally here to stay. Alas, spiders and other crawling things also have been spotted with increasing frequency. It won’t be long before the summer events season begins. Indeed, the list of activities for next weekend, the first in May, is growing long. This weekend, though, is relatively quiet.
Today, April 22, 2008, is Equal Pay Day. This date symbolizes how far into 2008 women must work, on average, to earn as much pay as men earned in 2007. Started by the National Committee on Pay Equity in 1996, 
Imagine a man makes $25 per calendar quarter but a woman makes only $20 and both started their jobs in January 1995. By December 1995, the man would have $100 but the woman would not have $100 until March 1996. By December 1996, the man would have another $100 but the woman would have to wait until June 1997 for hers. By the end of 2005, the man would have $1,100. The woman will still be working for that amount until December 2008. In real world terms, a man making $40,000 a year, which is close to the median Iowa income, would have $112,000 more than a woman making $32,000 a year over the course of the 14 years from January 1995 to December 2008. That difference creates a significant impact on the type of house that could be bought, the type of business that could be started, and the type of recreation that could be enjoyed.
Guest Writer: James G. Lindberg (Jim) is the 
Tuesday, April 22nd is Earth Day but area business districts are hoping to celebrate this weekend. Earth Day in the Junction will be held on Sunday, April 20, 2008, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. There will be opportunities to run a race, to walk through Brown Woods, and to drive a hybrid car. Historic Valley Junction in West Des Moines has additional 
