(Atlantic) This Thursday, September 10, is a great day to visit Produce in the Park, if you’re looking to learn about organizations supporting our community and ways you can be involved. Produce in the Park will host over 10 local organizations at the farmers market sharing information and volunteer opportunities.
Produce in the Park was one of 25 Cass County organizations selected to participate in the Iowa HHS – Volunteer Iowa Day of Service initiative, which provides each organization with up to $3,000 for completing training focused on building successful volunteer programs, and participating in a Day of Service project on or around September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance, designed to engage at least 50 community members. The initiative is coordinated by Volunteer Iowa and funded through AmeriCorps. For
On September 10, many organizations participating in the grant initiative will be at the farmers market sharing volunteer opportunities. For example, Produce in the Park will offer a card-writing and picture drawing activity for active U.S. military through Operation Support Our Troops. Additional
grant-participating organizations expected to attend the September 10 farmers market include Cass County Grow Another Row, the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, Atlantic Parks and Recreation, Nishna Valley Trails, and Cass County Conservation, among others. Grant funding awarded is
proportional to the number of community members who participate in each organization’s Day of Service event (up to 50), so the organizations are very grateful to each participant.
Produce in the Park will also host a number of organizations promoting mental health and wellness at the park on September 10. These organizations are also part of the Suicide Awareness Walk being held at the Atlantic City Park at 7:00 PM September 10, following the farmers market (which ends at 6:30). Organizations attending both the farmers market and the Suicide Awareness Walk are expected to include Zion, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Anonymous (SWINA), Cass County Extension, Thriving Families Alliance, Partnership for Progress, Healthy Cass County, Cass Health, and Firefly Moble Wellness Unit, which provides health screenings for children that include dental, lead (ages 0-5), vision, hearing, and adolescent depression screenings (ages 12+).
Randy Burk will be providing free live music at the park September 10. Food trucks at the market will include Firehouse Foods BBQ, Teeny Weeny Weiner Wagon ¼ lb all-beef hot dogs, and CoffeeGirl, serving fresh-squeezed lemonade and other beverages.
Local foods sold at the September 10 farmers market will include fresh produce (tomatoes, zucchini, onions, green beans, and cucumbers), as well as local meats (pork, lamb, beef, chicken), baked goods including desserts and sourdough bread, honey, eggs, and more. Crafts and other non-food items include candles and wax melts, bath and body products such as handmade soaps, leatherwork, jewelry, paintings, compost, and more.
Businesses and organizations supporting Produce in the Park as Annual Sponsors for the 2026-2027 season include the City of Atlantic, First Whitney Bank & Trust, Cass Health, Atlantic Hy-Vee, Cass County Tourism, the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, Gregg Young Chevrolet of Atlantic, and the Nishna Valley YMCA. Sponsors for the month of September include Care Initiatives Hospice.
Produce in the Park is held every Thursday evening in the Atlantic City Park from 4:30–6:30 PM from June through the end of September. All are welcome, and admission is free. The market accepts SNAP/EBT, SUN Bucks (Summer EBT available to children) and Double Up Food Bucks, which provide two-for-one produce coupons for any produce purchased at the farmers market with a SNAP/EBT or SUN Bucks card. Recipients of SUN Bucks are reminded that the funds expire 122 days after distribution. Produce in the Park is now accepting vendor and sponsor applications for the upcoming Holiday Market season, which begins with Boo-tique Market on Saturday, October 17. Applications can be completed online at www.ProduceInTheParkAtlanticIowa.com, and printed copies are available at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce (102 Chestnut St., Atlantic, IA 50022). Produce in the Park welcomes vendors selling handmade or homegrown products, including local foods and baked goods, crafts, art,
decorations, and plants.
For the latest information on all Produce in the Park markets, follow Produce in the Park on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ProduceInThePark) or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/produceintheparkatlanticia/). To sign up to Produce in the Park’s
newsletter, visit https://gmail.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=d5290b0b52af1fa68e64cc480&id=51502aed40.
