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We put the mulch fabric down and then we plant our tomatoes about 6 feet apart with the cages
and then we mulch with either grass or shredded paper or whatever we have on hand. I'm Shelley
Squier and we have a stand at the Iowa City Farmer's Market. Our farm is called Squier
Squash and Donnelly Farms. We have a wide diversity of crops that we grow. We like to
specialize in certain things. You can buy anything from peaches to eggs from this University
of Iowa alumni and employee. I work at facilities Management at the University of Iowa. I've
worked there 28 years now. I actually started there right after college. I got my BBA at
the University of Iowa and I was enrolled in the MBA program and I decided to buy 51
acres out here in the middle of nowhere and start my farm, so I started that in 1999 and
the same time worked at facilities full time. Squier Squash and Donnelly Farms decided to
take a leap of faith and started participating in the farmers market as soon as their first
garden was planted. I actually started here the very first year we moved out to the property.
Mike kind of pushed me into it. We bought the land and we had a small garden plot and
he said let's do it. You've always wanted to do it and this is your opportunity, so
we started doing it. We grew a few things. Just the two of us try to do everything here.
We do what we can we'd like to do a lot more but we're very limited. With time and energy.
We do pretty well I think. Iowa City farmer's Market is on its 41st year and has expanded
greatly over the years. When it was started there were 13 vendors and one day a week just
for a couple of hours. Since then it has grown to as I said 150 vendors Saturday and 55 on
Wednesday and it is now 2 days a week 2 hours on Wednesdays and 4 hours on Saturdays. The
farmer's market is trying to appeal to the University community by attracting college
students. College students are something we are trying to pull into the market. I think
a lot of students maybe are intimidated they don't know about the market. We try to have
programs to peak their interest. Make the students want to come to the market. We have
our produce vendors naturally. We have a lot of baked goods. We have kettle corn. We have
a lot of arts and crafts. But actually the favorite part of the market is probably the
socializing. Socializing with the vendors and the people that are there. I think a lot
of people come for that reason. Well it's so fun to see the customers each week. We
have very loyal customers and that's our chance to see them each week and hear what they've
been up to. They like to talk about what we're growing and what we they are going to do with
it. It's definitely the community and the social aspect of the market. Iowa City I think
is far and beyond the best market in the area so I love it.