Looking for something fresh?

Ames offers three different farmers’ market locations to buy fresh and original produce.

“Freshness is what makes us different from the grocery stores. Most of our food is clean from insecticides,” said Dick Martin, president of the North Grand Farmers’ Market. “We have a whole variety of stuff to offer.”

Dick DeMoss, treasurer of the North Grand Farmers’ Market, said there are 31 vendors right now at the North Grand Farmers’ Market.

“We may get a little larger over time, but we definitely won’t get any smaller,” DeMoss said.

Norine Black, coordinator of the Ames Farmers’ Market, said they have anywhere from 20 to 40 vendors depending on the day and time of season.

Both the Ames Farmers’ Market and the North Grand Farmers’ Market are nonprofit organizations that provide food from local growers within Story County and the surrounding areas.

“At the grocery store, the food is usually shipped in from out of state and may be up a week old by the time it is placed on the shelves,” Black said.

DeMoss said everything at the market is a superior product to anything at the grocery store.

“It’s all local. It’s all fresh,” DeMoss said.

Martin said one of the main points as a vendor is to meet the customers.

Both markets provide a variety of foods, such as fruits, vegetables, homemade pies, pastries, eggs and jams, as well as other items such as furniture, jewelry, homemade crafts, sculptures, flowers and pottery.

“We have one lady who does just about any craft on order,” Black said.

Martin said the North Grand Farmers’ Market offers Oriental vegetables.

Other than cash, North Grand accepts personal checks and some of the vendors accept credit cards and food stamps and WIC stamps. The Ames Farmers’ Market will only accept cash, personal checks and WIC stamps.

Last winter, the Ames Farmers’ Market opened a location at Reiman Gardens, 1407 Elwood Drive.

“It is still an ongoing market,” Black said. “It’s smaller, but it’s growing.”

Gloria Weirda, vendor at the North Grand Farmers’ Market, said she has been selling at the market for about five years.

“I sell homemade soap, hand lotion and beaded jewelry,” Weirda said.

She said her jewelry is one-of-a-kind and the prices of her body products are better and cheaper than anything one is likely to find in a store.

“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity to buy fresh, market-quality miscellaneous items and things you generally wouldn’t find anywhere else,” Weirda said.