By J.R. Tidwell / Editor

Durbin Farms Market in Clanton hosted its annual ribbon-cutting event on June 15. According to owner Danny Jones, the ribbon cutting is a way to celebrate the beginning of the yearly peach season.

“We started (the ribbon cutting) about 10-12 years ago because it was the peach season kick off,” he said. “It’s the start of our year. That’s what Chilton County is known for. It’s letting people know who we are, what we are and what we have to offer. It is helping all the farmers and markets, not just Durbin Farms.”

Jones said Durbin Farms Market has been open in Chilton County for over 80 years now.

“Durbin Farms Market was started by Marvin Durbin in 1933,” Jones said. “He was on 31 Highway between Thorsby and Jemison. He had a fruit market. Around 1960, the governor told him that a major highway was going right here (where the market is now located), so he built Durbin Farms Market because he knew his business was tourism. He was a large peach and apple grower, and everything else. He did it all those years, and when he passed away, he didn’t have any children. I had the opportunity to come in and take it over. We still do the same thing — same farm, same everything.”

The turnout for the ribbon cutting was good, according to Jones. Visitors were able to both peruse the market’s wares, as well as sample different items available for purchase, including different fruits and ciders.

“We have everything,” Jones said. “We have the sandwich shop, ice cream, boutique, fruit market, [in] which I keep the best produce that you can possibly buy. All of the No. 1 peaches we pick every day come to this market for sale.”

While the market may host a ribbon cutting each June, the business is open for business year round.

“We only close two days a year: Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day,” Jones said. “People from New York to Miami want to know when our peach season gets started. The I-65 highway corridor from north to south is what we focus on. That’s what creates our business. We have a good bit of local trade, but it’s what happens on the highways that help all of these markets.”

Durbin Farms Market is located at 2130 Seventh Street S. The business is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week during the summer.

“We have different things, depending on the season,” Jones said. “We always have something. We cut up all of our overripe peaches ourselves, and that’s what we use in our peach cobblers and peach pies. We use what we have around here. We primarily want to use what we have to create the product for the customers to buy. We bake our own breads and slice our own meats. It’s all done here; it’s made to order. That makes us special. We make our own ice cream. We have around 24 different flavors right now. The flavors will change according to the season.”