Miss mom’s homemade apple pie? Yearning for some fresh seasonal asparagus or rhubarb? Wanting to check out some of the local entertainment?

The Ames Farmers’ Market will have all of this and more at the Ames Downtown Farmers’ Market and the North Grand Mall farmers’ market.

The Ames Downtown Farmers’ Market has found a new location and time this summer. It will be held on Clark Avenue in between Fifth and Sixth Street across from Ames City Hall from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. every Thursday. It begins Thursday.

The Ames Farmers’ Market at North Grand Mall will continue to be held from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday at North Grand Mall.

Ames Farmer’s Market President Joe Lynch said vendors will be selling crafts, baked goods, rhubarb, asparagus and salad greens, among other things. Customers will be able to enjoy local entertainment while they shop.

“The freshness of our produce is something that you can’t get at a store,” Lynch said.

The motto “to be true to the local economy” holds fast — all vendors at the market are Ames residents, and the entertainers are all from Story County.

In order to sell products at the Ames Farmers’ Market, a person or group must register to be a vendor.

Vendors must live in or around Ames and add value to an agriculture product, produce their own product or make a craft or baked good, Lynch said.

Many vendors rely on the items they sell at the Ames Farmers’ Market as a primary or extra source of income, Lynch said.

“No one is doing it for fun. It is a serious business,” he said.

Aside from business, the Ames Farmers’ Market will also be entertaining customers and vendors with live entertainment and exhibits.

Entertainment will begin June 3 at the Ames Downtown Farmers’ Market and Saturday at North Grand Mall.

It will include music encompassing rock ‘n’ roll, opera and folk, performances by local dance companies and exhibits of local artists’ work.

The Ames Farmers’ Market will also add an international perspective by holding an International Day in September that will feature tastes of international food, music and programs for children.

Children will also be included in the activities, with professional storytellers and Ames Public Library volunteers reading stories. There will also be activities that involve artists with disabilities sharing their art with children.

Open mike times are also being featured the third Thursday of every month to celebrate local talent and appeal to all ages, Anderson said.

Grand openings will be held Saturday at the North Grand Mall and June 3 at the Downtown Ames Farmers’ Market. They will feature vendors, music, and exhibits.