Grinnell Farmers Market begins it’s 2021 season on May 13th

GRINNELL – The Grinnell Farmers Market will begin the 2021 season on Thursday, May 13th from 3-6PM and Saturday, May 15th from 10AM – noon. The market is excited to welcome back many long time vendors with the addition of a number of new vendors for the 2021 season. Grinnell Farmers Market is organized by the Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce and is presented by Grinnell Mutual with additional partnerships with Grinnell College and UnityPoint Health – Grinnell Regional Medical Center.

Market Set Up

Market will again be held at the corner of 4th and Broad Street. Community members are again asked to avoid parking in those parking spaces after 1PM on Thursdays and after 6:30AM on Saturdays to allow vendors adequate time to set up for market. Vendors will have additional spacing between booths to help maintain distance between vendors and between customers. At least 3 hand sanitizing stations will be available for customer and vendor use at market. These stations will be located at the entrance and exit of the market along with one in the middle. All will have signage encouraging people to sanitize their hands when they enter and exit the market. Vendors are strongly encouraged to sanitize their hands frequently.

Market will continue to have a card reader available for those wishing to purchase tokens to use at the market. Debit/Credit tokens can be purchased to use as cash with all vendors at market. SNAP benefit tokens can be purchased with SNAP cards to use for qualifying products. The market will again be participating in the Double Up Food Bucks program for the 2021 season. Customers are able to earn DUFB when purchasing SNAP tokens or can bring the DUFB earned at Fareway and spend them with qualifying vendors. The card reader stand will be located in front of the Veteran’s Memorial Building. Please stop by the stand or call the chamber office with questions.

Participating Vendors

Below is a current list of participating vendors for the 2021 season. Application for Thursday part time vendors and Saturday full and part time vendors are still being accepted. The Grinnell Farmers Market is a 100% producer grown or made market, meaning that all items for sale must be entirely grown or made by the vendor or immediate family members in Iowa. To stay up to date on vendors, please visitwww.grinnellfarmersmarket.com Those interested in playing music or providing an educational or artistic activity at market should reach out to the Chamber to check availability. *denotes new vendor

Thursday Full Time Vendors:

• ●  B&J Vegetables: fruits, vegetables, black walnuts, freeze dried items
• ●  Beez Blooming Garden* & Beez Kettle Corn: cut flowers, build your own bouquet, freshpopped kettle corn, microgreens
• ●  Bread Tree Baking Co: baked goods including yeast breads, bars, cookies, muffins, scones, andiced teas and lemonades
• ●  Bunny Traxx Creations: Finished painted or glazed ceramics, scrubbies and kitchen items
• ●  Circle W Acres*: produce, baked goods (breads, pies, kolaches)
• ●  Compass Plant CSA: produce, fresh baked bread, heritage pork and chicken products, eggs
• ●  Dolezal Honey Bees: honey, beeswax, body products with honey or beeswax, soaps
• ●  Esther’s Place: sweet breads, pies, kolaches

• ●  Gary Weyrauch: Plants, concrete yard ornaments
• ●  Joe & Barb Imhoff: produce, baked goods (pies, crisps, breads), jellies
• ●  Kate’s Kitchen Creations: scones, breads, french macarons, english muffins, cookies, eggs
• ●  Lim’s Candies: candy, cookies, crochet items, wild mushrooms
• ●  Little Bud Farm*: fresh cut flowers
• ●  Lovely Little Things*: Jewelry, artwork, houseplants, fairy gardens, garden plants, soaps,candles, baked goods
• ●  Mamies Way Herbs*: homemade herbal products, salves, balms, and oilsSaturday Full Time Vendors:

• ●  B&J Vegetables: fruits, vegetables, black walnuts, freeze dried items
• ●  Beez Blooming Garden*: cut flowers, build your own bouquet, microgreens
• ●  Bunny Traxx Creations: Finished painted or glazed ceramics, scrubbies and kitchen items
• ●  Circle W Acres*: produce, baked goods (breads, pies, kolaches)
• ●  Compass Plant CSA: produce, fresh baked bread, heritage pork and chicken products, eggs
• ●  Gary Weyrauch: Plants, concrete yard ornaments
• ●  Iowa Prairie Bison*: bison meat, raised locally in Lynnville
• ●  Scenery Changes: earrings, bookmarks, knitted product, book page art. Self-published books(fantasy, sci-fi, poetry, speculative fiction)
• ●  Sweet Castle Soaps*: handmade bath bombs and decorative soapsPart TIme Vendors:

• ●  Angelic Scents & Gifts*: lip balm, shower steamers, roll ons, wax melts, bug spray, airfreshener, bug bite relief, foot soak
• ●  Lavender & Co*: Baked goods, plant seedlings
• ●  Seasonal Designs by David*: seasonal wreaths, patio tub arrangements, greeting cards
• ●  Soaring Creations: vegan soaps, lip balms, deodorants, body care products, resin art, live airplants on wood with resin, stone or crystal embellishmentsVendors will be required to abide by the following rules:

• ●  STAY HOME: if you or someone in your household are awaiting COVID test results, have had afever in the last 3 days, been ill, or are showing signs of respiratory illness (coughing andweezing).
• ●  Face Masks: Vendors will be required to properly wear masks or shields while interacting withother vendors or customers at market. Chamber staff will have disposable face masks availableto those who need them.
• ●  Use Hand Sanitizer/Wash: Vendors will be encouraged to use hand sanitizer or wash theirhands as frequently as possible during market.
• ●  Samples: Food samples will be allowed at the market. Samples must be individually packagedby the vendor and be handed to the customer by the vendor.
• ●  Point to Pick: Vendors will be able to decide if they’d like to implement a point to pick rule fortheir booth. Chamber staff will create signage and promote messaging to customers to check for signage or with vendors before touching products.Online MarketIn an effort to expand access to customers, an online option to order or shop the market products is again available for the 2021 market. Using the website, GrinnellToGo.com, each vendor may choose to make their own profile and list their products. Customers will be able to order products online and pay with a debit or credit card. Customers wishing to use SNAP, DUFB or Grinnell Grocery Vouchers will check the “pay at store” options.Customer ExpectationsWe have implemented the following customer expectations to help maintain safety of all market participants. We ask that customers abide by these expectations to the best of their ability.

• ●  STAY HOME: if you or someone in your household are awaiting COVID test results, have had a fever in the last 3 days, been ill, or are showing signs of respiratory illness (coughing and weezing).
• ●  Face Masks: Customers will be encouraged to properly wear masks or shields while attending the market.

• ●  Use Hand Sanitizer/Wash: There will be at least 3 hand sanitizing stations set up for the market. One on at the entrance, one in the middle of the vendors, and one as customers exit. All will have signage encouraging people to sanitize their hands when they enter and leave the market.
• ●  Maintain 6 Feet of Social Distance: Customers will be asked to maintain 6 feet of social distance when possible.
• ●  Point to Pick: Customers will be asked to check for signage or with vendors before touching products on tables.
• ●  Reusable Bags: will be encouraged at market this yearMarket managers and staff greatly appreciate the community’s patience and understanding as we all navigate an ever-changing situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to ensure our community has access to fresh, local foods and products, while maintaining a safe environment for our community and vendors. As we continue to navigate the pandemic, adjustments may be made to vendor and customer expectations.Those interested in applying to be a vendor or any area musicians interested in performing at the Grinnell Farmers Market can find more information at www.grinnellfarmersmarket.com or can contact the Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce, kendra@getintogrinnell.com or 641-236-6555. For the latest market information, make sure to follow the market on Facebook and Instagram at @grinnellfarmersmarketAbout the Grinnell Farmers MarketThe Grinnell Farmers Market is a 100% producer grown or made market, meaning that all items for sale must be entirely grown or made by the vendor or immediate family members. All items must be made or grown in Iowa. For non-food items, inputs may be purchased but the final product must be the vendor’s own creation; for example, a vendor may sell a knitted sweater if they purchase the yarn and then knit the sweater themselves. Vendors are responsible for filing state sales tax permits where applicable.About the Grinnell ChamberThe Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce is an independent, 501©6 non-profit organization focused on the Grinnell community. The mission of the Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce is to advance the economic development, vitality, and growth of the community. For more information on how to join the Chamber or get involved, please visit grinnellchamber.org or call 641-236-6555.