Marion Farmers' Market: Who is Selling Your Food? Part 2

Take a step behind the booth and meet the members of your Marion Farmers' Market.

Yesterday, we introduced you to

The other three vendors are just as interesting.

A 4-H project becomes an "un-Czeched" success

Further down the line of vendors you'll find Dylan Manternach, 17, selling the only baked goods that are available. Manternach is here on behalf of the Kettle House Bakery, which recently opened up a store in downtown Marion.

Manternach's wares include cinnamon rolls dripping with sugary frosting, bread and a donut-shaped creation with a creamy filling called a "kolache."

"First timers will usually try the cinnamon rolls," Manternach said. "Then if they like those, they'll try the kolache. Then they always get the kolaches."

The family started selling the tasty Czech dessert after Dylan's older sister started baking it as a 4-H project. Everyone liked the kolaches, so the family added them to their list of baked goods.

The Kettle House line of products have been at the Marion Farmers' Market since 1992, although you might have heard of them under their former name — CJ Benz.

26 years in the Marion market

Paul and Karen McClain might just be the longest-selling vendors at the Marion Farmers' Market. The pair has been selling since 1986, and farm 10 of their 12 acres of land in Vinton, Iowa.

Karen McClain said they got into business after Paul left his job at Wilson's Packing House. They now work 7 days a week, hitting multiple markets.

To avoid the heat, Karen and Paul will fieldwork in the mornings, then package and box the produce in the afternoons.

McClain said she was concerned when she learned the farmers' market might not be held in Marion this year because of heavy construction at the old location.

"The real thing that bothered me, when we thought we wouldn’t have the market, was not seeing people," McClain said. “I’ve seen kids grow up and bring their own kids. I’ve seen wives lose husbands and husbands lose wives. You develop relationships with your customers — you get to know them.”

Factory, to Classroom, to Market

Before Gary Knight sold produce at the Marion Farmers' Market, he taught at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids. Before that, he was a factory worker. As his career changed, he found himself drawn back to the farming days of his youth.

He began spending more and more time on his produce, and before long had gone full-time into farming.

But farming presented a whole new host of challenges. Knight had grown up on a dairy farm, and was certain he didn't want to milk cows again.

"No animals," he said.

He developed his vegetable farm over time. This past year, he planted corn earlier than he ever has — in March. He said the heat has ripened everything much faster than normal, which has been good for his sales.