Middlebrook's concept for Fridays at the Farm began in summer 2020, right in the thick of the pandemic. Restaurant closures and various lockdowns meant people cooped up inside were longing for activities outside their own four walls. The Middlebrook Farm and nearby Agrihood development was in a unique position to host concerts outside, where folks could spread out in the vast, open-air expanse of the property.

The events have evolved, and this year’s series is set for 4:30-7:30 p.m. every Friday (except July 4) through Sept. 26. If you go, you’ll find local food trucks, farmers market vendors with fresh produce grown on-site and even a gaga ball pit for the kiddos. You can also whet your whistle at the Middlebrook Mercantile Wine Wagon. Admission is free.

Five summers in, the weekly gatherings have caught on, especially among city slickers looking for an easy escape to the country. Some nights attract up to 600 visitors, spread out on blankets and lawn chairs.

PepperHarrow Farms, Winterset

Adam and Jenn O’Neal have cultivated a bucolic paradise over their 20-acre flower farm in Madison County. Meadows of lavender, dahlias, roses, sunflowers and more rise around the main farmhouse. The couple also grows herbs like fennel, chives and oregano. It’s hard to imagine a more perfect setting for a special meal.

This summer they’re offering a five-course al fresco dinner on June 27, catered by Tangerine Food Co. You’ll have a table to yourself surrounded by the flora of your choice, surrounded by two acres of lavender.

For something more laid-back, the farm hosts evening tours, when guests can enjoy charcuterie and watch the sun set over the fields. Later on, artisan pizza nights are set for Sept. 13 and Oct. 4

Wallace Centers of Iowa, Orient

When the historic Wallace House in Sherman Hill started hosting Thursday dinners about 10 years ago, the resurgence of farm-to-table meals was still relatively new. But guests were quick to embrace the idea, and farm-to-table concepts filled restaurant menus over the next decade. That’s exactly what the centers set out to do: “to connect Iowa’s food, land and people.”

Pizza on the Prairie started in much the same way at the Wallace Farm in Orient, where Vice President Henry A. Wallace was born. In 2019, a “pizza farm” sprung up with a brick oven to bake pies topped with ingredients grown right on the farm. Whatever isn’t grown on site is typically sourced from other Iowa producers like Milton Creamery and Graziano Brothers. House-made sides and desserts are also crafted from farm produce. This year’s series runs 5-9 p.m. every Friday (except July 4) through Sept. 26. Reservations open a few weeks ahead of each event.

During the pizza nights on Fridays, guests can walk the prairie paths to see Iowa-made artwork and get a sense of where their pizza came from. Signs explain the site’s history, the Wallace family’s legacy and their worldwide impact on agriculture.

This article has been updated from the original version, which published in 2024.