Bibb County Farmers Market

Farmers’ Market Plans Proceeding

By Helen Dunnavent, Bibb County Farmers Market

A group of Bibb County growers and buyers, along with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES), are continuing to meet to bring a Farmers’ Market back to Bibb County.  The choices of location have been narrowed down and the general date for opening is set.  But there is a lot more work to do.  The Bibb County Farmers’ Market needs your support!!

If you are a grower and would like a market for your produce, we want you!  Please contact Matt Hartzell, ACES Bibb County Coordinator, at 205-926-3117, to join our dedicated group of suppliers.  Hartzell and Administrative Assistant Vicki Sievering will help to maintain a list of growers in order to minimize duplication of produce.

On the other hand, if you are a consumer who enjoys farm fresh produce and the fun of meeting your neighbors at the market, we want you, too!  In order for the Market to succeed, we must have buyers to come and buy the produce that the farmers are growing.  Contact the Bibb County Extension office at 205-926-3117 and let them know what you would like to buy at a local market.

We have great plans for the Bibb County Farmers’ Market.  Although we will need to start small with at least 4 primary growers, we need many more occasional growers to bring in their over-abundance of crops.  No need to let your crops rot in the field or throw the extra in the garbage!  Bring them to the Market and make a little money.  All you need to do is contact the Extension office (926-3117) and make them aware of your intensions.  Eventually, we hope to add a craft section and maybe expand to include musical entertainment on occasion.

The Market will be located in an area where there is plenty of parking.  You will be able to browse the stands and tables or just run in and pick up a few tomatoes, melons, or whatever you need.  We plan to have beans, peas, corn, peaches, greens, turnips, squash, zucchini, and numerous other vegetables and fruits.  We have on our list of growers a certified organic grower.  This farmer plans to supply not only the usual vegetables but a variety of unusual editable items.

The Bibb County Farmers’ Market is intended to help Bibb County farmers; therefore, preference will be given to Bibb County growers over growers of the same product from other counties.  However, buyers from all over are welcome to come see what Bibb County has to offer.  Again, please call the Extension office at 205-926-3117 to add your name to the list of growers.  We plan to open in mid-June and continue weekly until the crops have diminished---most likely mid-late September or perhaps early October.

Other items that are under discussion include posting a notice in the Centreville Press each week that will list the primary produce that will be available that week at the Market. 

The next meeting of the Planning Committee will be held Thursday, February 5 at 5:00p.m. at the Bibb County Chamber of Commerce.  All interested growers and buyers are encouraged to attend.  We would like as much input into the final planning stages as possible. 

Also, the Alabama Farmers’ Market Authority will have a training seminar from 12:30-5 p.m. on Monday, February 9 at the Alabama Power Company Water Course Building in Clanton (Hwy 22).  We would like a large group from Bibb County to attend.  If needed, car-pool arrangements can be made at Thursday’s meeting.  See you there!