May 01, 2024

Swap Meet isn't all about selling stuff for Fontanelle couple, it's about people too

By CALEB NELSON

Barney and Mara Zimmerline look over their items at the Early Wheels of Iowa Swap Meet Sept. 11-13 at the Adair County Fairgrounds. The Fontanelle couple say they've been setting up at the swap meet for over 20 years. (Photo by)

GREENFIELD — It's a longstanding tradition that a dedicated, large crowd comes out for the Early Wheels of Iowa Swap Meet the second weekend in September here in Greenfield.

Officials with the organization, which mainly exists to promote and participate in the auto restoration world, say that the event is in its 58th year. The swap meet features cars, parts and much more.

An official with Early Wheels of Iowa told the Free Press ahead of this year's event that the swap meet has been held in Greenfield for approximately 30 years, and for many of those years, Barney and Mara Zimmerline have been vendors. Now, their son Jade is a vendor of his own.

The Zimmerlines, from Fontanelle, enjoying finding all sorts of items that will be of interest to swap meet attendees. In terms of the theme of cars, parts and much more, the Zimmerlines certainly fall into the "and more" caption.

"We've got some license plates, oil cans, hay trolleys," Barney said, showing a hay trolley, which is an apparatus primarily used in days gone by to hoist hay from the wagon to the hay loft. "I just sold a Standard Oil can for 80 bucks. I bought it down in Creston."

"It's just fun to find stuff. Sometimes you buy it, then sell it and make a lot of money. Sometimes you lose a little," Mara said. "We do it together, and that's really kind of how we met, by seeing each other at auctions. He'd bring Jade with him and have Jade carry my stuff, smile at me and get my attention."

The Zimmerlines say that the swap meet community is much like a family. They have repeat customers from year to year that they know and enjoy seeing. Many of the vendors at Greenfield's swap meet also attend flea markets in What Cheer in eastern Iowa. The next one is October 2-4.

"It's not all about selling stuff, it's about the people too. There are people we see at What Cheer, people we see here and people we see at auctions all around. From way down there to here, it's all people who know each other," Mara said, pointing down the row of vendors. "Now Jade's over there and we've got seven lots all together."

The swap meet crowd is a dedicated bunch, too, Barney said. Many years, Greenfield's swap meet experiences wet, muddy conditions, and this year was no different.

"It's either hotter than heck or it's raining, but one year we did [darn] good in the rain," Barney said. "We haven't done too bad today."