Vibrant florals, garden-fresh vegetables and homemade sour-dough bread take over downtown Ames every Saturday morning for six months.
The Ames Farmers’ Market invites a variety of students, Iowa residents and vendors alike to participate in this weekly tradition that is a sure sign of warm weather. From 8 a.m. (9 a.m. in October) until 12:30 p.m. every Saturday, various vendors sell their goods to shoppers and connect with the community. Throughout the season, 125 full-time, occasional and non-profit vendors set up their shops on Ames’ Main Street between Clark Avenue and Kellogg Avenue.
Molly Schlotfeldt, a fourth-year architecture student at Iowa State University, attended the farmers’ market this fall semester for the first time.
“I definitely wish I had visited sooner,” Schlotfeldt said. “I think it’s a great way for students to kind of get more comfortable in Ames and view it as more of a home and less of just a college town.”
The farmers’ market provides students not only the opportunity to visit and shop but also the potential to work with the vendors.
Emily Andersen, a senior in business analytics, works Saturday mornings at the Farm Story Meats stand.
Farm Story Meats has been attending the Ames Farmers’ Market since 2019. Owned by Ray and Jess Schmidt, who both work at Iowa State University, the business seeks to source its customers with high-quality local cuts.
Their shop is online only; however, they do attend both the Des Moines and Ames farmers’ markets, allowing them to sell some of their products in person and form relationships with their customers.
“We come to the farmers’ market to give back to our community,” Andersen said. “I love seeing the familiar faces every week.”
As visitors work their way down the street of smiling faces, with the hum of live music ringing in their ears, they will see a plethora of other local goods for sale.
Pocket Farm Bakery, based in Eldora, Iowa, has fresh, made-from-scratch loaves of bread, pretzel bites, bagels and even some pumpkins if you are looking to get a start on your Halloween carving.
Blueberry bourbon jam, along with various other unique flavors, can be found at Jammed With Love, a business based out of Boone, Iowa.
You can even pick up a fresh iced masala chai from Fresh Fusion to sip on as you browse the other vendors.
You are sure to stumble upon The Sweet Shoppe of Ames stand, an in-home cupcake shop based in Nevada, Iowa. Charlyn Mason, an Iowa native, runs the shop with her husband, Jeff, and has been attending the Ames Farmers’ Market for 12 years.
Mason enjoys coming to the farmers’ market because she gets to “watch people grow through the stages and age,” whether that be Iowa State students or some of the weekly regulars who are looking to get their sweet fix.
The farmers’ market not only connects the vendors with members of the community but also gives local business owners a chance to meet others with small businesses.
“I would say we are good buddies with our little vendor neighbors,” Mason said.
With the farmers’ market each week, there is an accompanying activity for the community to participate in. From pony rides to chili cook-offs to a visit from the Ames Public Library Bookmobile, there is sure to be something there for everyone.
Check out the Ames Farmers’ Market calendar for the rest of the year.
