10 Iowa Amish Markets And Farm Stands Worth Adding To Your Weekend Plans
Forget packed malls and endless checkout lines. Some of Iowa’s best shopping experiences begin with a gravel road. Looking for produce that was picked this morning?
Homemade pies that still smell like the oven? Or handcrafted goods made with the kind of care that’s hard to find these days?
That’s exactly what Iowa’s Amish markets and farm stands deliver.
Every stop has its own personality, from shelves stocked with jams and fresh-baked bread to colorful gardens, local cheeses, and furniture built to last for generations.
The hardest part isn’t finding something to love. It’s figuring out how you’ll fit it all in your car.
If your ideal weekend includes great food, friendly faces, and a slower pace, these Amish markets and farm stands deserve a spot on your itinerary.
1. Stringtown Grocery
Walking into Stringtown Grocery feels like unlocking a secret level in the world of food shopping. Located at 2254 540th St SW, Kalona, IA 52247, this small Amish store is the kind of place where you show up for one thing and leave with twelve.
The shelves are stacked with bulk rye berries, raw almonds, oatmeal, and more wheat flour varieties than most bakeries stock.
Homemade noodles and pasta sit next to jars of apple butter and fruit preserves that look like they belong in a farmhouse painting.
Candy lovers, prepare yourself. The selection of bulk candies and popcorn flavors here is genuinely impressive.
Beyond the pantry staples, you will also find farm-fresh eggs, canning jars, pots, pans, and specialty baking supplies like ClearJel and dry pectin.
Smoked horseradish cheese, cheddar, and cheese curds round out the fridge section beautifully. Prices stay wonderfully low, which makes it nearly impossible to leave without a full basket.
Stringtown Grocery is proof that the best shopping experiences do not require a fancy storefront.
2. Golden Delight Bakery & Gifts
Some bakeries make good bread. Golden Delight Bakery and Gifts makes the kind of bread you think about on the drive home.
Tucked along 2289 Johnson-Washington Rd SW, Kalona, IA 52247, this charming spot combines rustic wooden shelves, handmade crafts, and baked goods that deserve their own fan club.
The caramel pecan rolls and cinnamon buns are the obvious crowd favorites, but do not sleep on the half-moon pies.
For something savory, the onion dill bread and bacon garlic cheese bread are genuinely next-level. Pair either one with a cup of their complimentary coffee, which rotates through daily flavored options, and you have yourself a perfect morning.
Homemade jams, jellies, bulk foods, and unique gift items round out the shelves nicely. The bakery runs Monday through Saturday from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM and takes an annual winter break, reopening on the first Saturday of March.
Plan accordingly, because showing up to a closed door here would be a genuine tragedy for your taste buds.
3. Amish Country Store
Right on the edge of southern Iowa, the Amish Country Store pulls double duty as both a fantastic shop and an official Iowa Welcome Center.
At 109 S Spruce Dr, Lamoni, IA 50140, this timber-scented storefront greets you with shelves full of Amish-made jams, jellies, and honey that taste like they were bottled straight from a summer afternoon.
Beyond the pantry goods, the store carries hand-stitched aprons, woven baskets, and heirloom quilts that showcase serious craftsmanship. The brightly painted barn quilts sourced from local Amish artisans are a particular highlight worth pausing over.
Spice enthusiasts will appreciate the wide variety of jars lined up in neat, colorful rows.
Natural handmade lotions and soaps crafted from time-honored recipes add a thoughtful touch to the gift selection. Fresh cheese curds, homemade spreads, and butters make the food section genuinely worth exploring.
The overall atmosphere here feels calm, intentional, and unhurried in the best possible way. It is the kind of stop that turns a quick errand into a full afternoon of pleasant discovery.
4. Dutchman’s Store
Dutchman’s Store is not just a shop. It is an entire block-sized adventure that takes at least two visits to fully appreciate.
Located at 14999 Hwy 2, Cantril, IA 52542, this beloved Midwest institution has been running since 1985 and moved into an expanded building in 2024 that gives it even more room to be spectacular.
The deli section alone is worth the drive, offering cheeses and meats sliced fresh to order alongside locally sourced honey and homemade jams.
Bulk spices, canning supplies, and organic Einkorn flour line the shelves for serious home cooks. Craft-roasted coffee adds a lovely bonus to the pantry haul.
Beyond food, Dutchman’s carries fabrics, kitchenware, footwear, sporting goods, books, clothing, and home decorations. It is the kind of store where you come in for cheese and walk out with a new hobby.
The variety here is so genuinely impressive that regulars make it a monthly pilgrimage.
Dutchman’s Store is the rare place that actually delivers on the promise of having something for everyone.
5. Paint Creek Amish Bulk Store And Bakery
Northeastern Iowa has a lot of quiet beauty, but Paint Creek Amish Bulk Store and Bakery might be its most delicious secret.
Sitting at 1338 Paint Creek Dr, Waterville, IA 52170, this bakery produces fresh bread in traditional wood-fired ovens that give every loaf a depth of flavor you simply cannot replicate at home. The 7-grain bread has become something of a legend among regular visitors.
Cinnamon rolls, buns, pies, and cookies round out the baked goods selection, and the bulk section holds an impressive range of spices, nuts, gelatins, and baking supplies.
Cookbooks and health supplements also make an appearance on the shelves, which keeps things interesting for curious browsers.
One important heads-up: the bakery sells out early on busy weekends. Showing up at noon hoping for a fresh loaf is a gamble you probably do not want to take.
Calling ahead or arriving in the morning is the smart move. The store operates during daylight hours only, which gives the whole experience a wonderfully old-fashioned rhythm.
Good things here genuinely reward the early riser.
6. Country Variety
Country Variety in Montour is the kind of place that makes you immediately reconsider your weekend plans in the best way.
Open since 2020 at 3230 Hwy T47, Montour, IA 50173, this Amish bakery has quietly become one of the most talked-about sweet stops in central Iowa. Raspberry cream cheese rolls and raspberry kolaches have earned devoted fans who plan entire road trips around them.
Friday and Saturday bring fresh donuts into the mix, which feels like a reward for making it to the end of the week. On the savory side, bacon, egg, and cheese bread loaves offer a satisfying counterbalance to all the sweetness.
Bulk foods, spices, flours, gifts, fabric, and wind chimes fill the rest of the shelves with variety that lives up to the store’s name.
The homemade candy selection deserves special recognition. Peanut butter balls, cashew crunch, turtles, and English toffee are made with generations of Amish tradition behind them.
Country Variety is not just a bakery stop on a country road. It is a full sensory experience that rural Iowa delivers better than almost anywhere else.
7. 150 Discount Store
Not every great Amish market is about artisan bread and handmade quilts. Sometimes it is about walking out with a cart full of quality groceries at prices that make your wallet genuinely happy.
The 150 Discount Store at 1664 150th St, Hazleton, IA 50641, has built a loyal following by keeping things straightforward and stocking shelves with serious intention.
Surplus food, paper products, health and beauty items, and general merchandise pack the aisles in a way that rewards patient browsing.
Bulk baking ingredients, canned goods, frozen foods, case lots, and preserves cover the pantry basics thoroughly. Overstocked items rotate in regularly, which means there is almost always something unexpected to discover at a genuinely competitive price.
Shelves get restocked daily, keeping the inventory fresh and the shopping experience dynamic for repeat visitors.
The store runs Monday through Saturday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, giving you a solid window to explore. The 150 Discount Store is the kind of no-frills operation that earns its devoted regulars through consistency, value, and the quiet confidence of a store that knows exactly what it is doing.
8. Southern Iowa Produce Auction
Produce auctions are a whole different category of food experience, and the Southern Iowa Produce Auction delivers that energy in full.
Set at 19141 Ice Ave, Bloomfield, IA 52537, this bustling marketplace runs every Tuesday and Friday at 10:00 AM from April through October, bringing together growers from within a 100-mile radius for a genuinely lively event.
While wholesale buyers like stores and roadside stands are the primary audience, individual shoppers are absolutely welcome.
Smaller lots are always available, making it a fantastic destination for anyone looking to stock up for canning or freezing. The variety of fresh, locally grown produce changes week to week depending on what the season brings in.
Baked goods also make regular appearances alongside the vegetables, adding a sweet dimension to an already exciting outing.
The auction operates as a collaborative effort by local shareholders, creating a marketplace that directly supports the farming community. Showing up here on a Tuesday morning with a cooler in your trunk is one of the smartest food decisions you can make all summer long.
9. Lamoni Produce Auction
Established in 2009 by a group of local Amish farmers, the Lamoni Produce Auction has grown into something far bigger than its origins suggest.
Located at 13495 300th St, Lamoni, IA 50140, this auction draws produce from farms across south-central Iowa and northern Missouri, creating a diverse and reliable seasonal marketplace that keeps shoppers coming back.
Spring sales feature hanging baskets, potted flowers, and outdoor furniture that can transform any porch into a showstopper.
As summer rolls in, the tables fill with kohlrabi, tomatoes, black raspberries, beets, zucchini, cabbage, and sweet corn in quantities that make bulk buying feel like pure joy. Eggs and bakery items sell in smaller lots for individual shoppers who want something a little more manageable.
A retail table during each sale offers pre-priced items for convenient browsing without the auction pressure. Fall brings a special Pumpkin Day event, while an annual Amish Furniture Auction showcases homemade furniture, crafts, and quilts that reflect incredible skill.
The Lamoni Produce Auction is not just a shopping trip. It is a seasonal ritual worth marking on your calendar every single year.
10. Cedar Valley Produce Auction
Since 2001, the Cedar Valley Produce Auction has grown into one of the most impressive agricultural marketplaces in the entire state.
At 18072 Addison Ave, Elma, IA 50628, this public auction sells over three million dollars in locally grown goods each year, with ninety percent of that produce grown within twenty miles of the site.
That is about as local as it gets.
Spring kicks things off with flowers, including flats and hanging baskets, before summer shifts the focus to a full parade of tomatoes, cantaloupes, green beans, and an enormous variety of other vegetables.
September brings a pumpkin sale that is basically a fall decoration dream come true, alongside seasonal decor that makes the drive out feel completely worth it.
Auctions run on Mondays at noon and on Wednesdays and Fridays at 10:00 AM, from mid-April through October. T
he lively atmosphere of a real working auction connects the hard work of local farmers directly to the people who appreciate it most. Cedar Valley is where fresh food, community spirit, and the thrill of a good bid all meet in one unforgettable place.
So, which Iowa market is going on your list first?