The Ames Main Street Farmers’ Market was held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday in downtown Ames. The market’s last day of the season will be Oct 27th. Read about the vendors’ experiences below:

Name: Elaine Huls

Company: Meow Acres

What do you sell? Produce and jellies

How long have you being doing this for? 10 years

What is your favorite part of what you do? It depends on the day. When it is 100 degrees I would rather be in the house playing with the jelly then outside in the garden.

What is one thing you would like to see in the future for the farmers’ market? This is a great market. We have done other markets, and this one has nice people and nice vendors. It is just a great market.

Name: Kira Standfest

Company: Heartland Herbals

What do you sell? Herbal salves and body care products

How long have you being doing this for? This is my first year at the market, but I have been making [the products] for about a year now.

What is your favorite part of what you do? I love to be able to meet the people and talk to customers and potential customers.

What is one thing you would like to see in the future for the farmers’ market? Nothing I can think of, it is a really great time here.

Name: Ashley Recknor

Company: Purple Ribbon Beef

What do you sell? A high quality beef product that is corn fed with no added hormones. We have beef sticks, summer sausage, ground beef, burgers and more. If there is any beef product you want, we have it.

How long have you being doing this for? This is our third year at market, but we have been raising cattle my entire life. We are in the fourth generation of having cattle.

What is your favorite part of what you do? I really like being able to talk to the consumer from this standpoint at the market. Whether that be the opportunity to educate them, how to cook it or why we do what we do.

What is one thing you would like to see in the future for the farmers’ market? I think the Ames Farmers’ Market has done a really great job of hosting it and putting it on. It is great that it is a family event. I don’t think there is one particular thing, but maybe just seeing more people come out.

Name: Valerie Williams

Company: Daily Dish Pottery

What do you sell? I sell functional and pretty pottery. Pottery you can use everyday.

How long have you being doing this for? I have been selling at the farmers’ market for two years.

What is your favorite part of what you do? I love to make and form bowls.

What is one thing you would like to see in the future for the farmers’ market? It would probably be nice to have an attraction every week, like the one time we had pony rides. It could bring more people out here.

Name: Shelley Jaspering

Company: Just Sitting Around Making Headbands

What do you sell? I sew things like headbands and bandannas mostly.

How long have you being doing this for? I have been sewing for 10 years, but I have only been doing the market for the last couple years.

What is your favorite part of what you do? The dogs that I get to see here

What is one thing you would like to see in the future for the farmers’ market? More vendors will bring more people, so maybe just more variety.

 Name: Tom Wilson

Company: Remnant Hills Farm

What do you sell? We raise pastured-based livestock. We have lamb, pork, eggs, and more. We raise everything on the farm.

How long have you being doing this for? We started in the winter of 2014 and then market season of 2015 was our first time here.

What is your favorite part of what you do? It is always nice during the market season to talk to the customers. It is nice to have those conversations with customers to see what they like.

What is one thing you would like to see in the future for the farmers’ market? I think I would like to see a refocus on the actual farmers and producers. It has been more focused on the entertainment part of the market, which kind of hurts the overall goal.

Name: Charlyn Mason

Company: The Sweet Shoppe of Ames

What do you sell? At the farmers’ market we always sell cupcakes and take specialty orders.

How long have you being doing this for? We have been at the market for almost 6 years.

What is your favorite part of what you do? I am a kindergarten teacher, so this is a whole different arena for me, and I like that. My first week here I went home and I noticed my face hurt so much from smiling.

What is one thing you would like to see in the future for the farmers’ market? I still think that some people still just do not know about it. This year definitely has not had as many people come as usual.

Name: Mark Bowers and Diane Johnson

Company: Barrelly Conscious

What do you sell? Wine barrel furniture, rocks and jewelry.

How long have you being doing this for? We have been making it for 5 years, and we have been involved at the Ames market for 4 years.

What is your favorite part of what you do? The people because it really creates a nice atmosphere down here. It makes it really fun and we get to meet people from all over the world.

What is one thing you would like to see in the future for the farmers’ market? It would be nice to see it grow larger and get more vendors involved. We could use more of Main Street to have more booths, and that may bring more people.