Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

As rain poured down late Friday afternoon, local farmers brought freshly picked squash, green beans, peaches, zucchini, cucumbers and green plums to sell at the first Jemison Farmers Market.

The market kicked off on Friday from 3-6 p.m. in the parking lot near the Jemison Fire Department under a pavilion with a few local vendors selling their items to the community.

Jared Mixon and his wife Wendy had the idea to start a farmers market in Chilton County after seeing Calera’s local market.

Mixon said he realized a lot of communities throughout Alabama had local farmers markets and wanted to bring one to Chilton County.

“We have a lot of fruit stands in our area but we don’t really have any farmers markets,” Mixon said. “This market is unique in that you have to grow it yourself or your family has to and all of the produce has to be grown in Chilton County.”

Mixon brought cucumbers, zucchini, potatoes, green beans and squash to the market on Friday but said he will have corn, watermelons, okra and peas as the season continues.

Boozer Farms in Thorsby brought fresh peaches and patty pan squash among other vegetables to sale on Friday.

Sonya Boozer said her family has been in the agricultural business for a long time and she goes around to different farmers markets selling the produce for the family business.

“Peaches put my four children through college,” Boozer said.

Boozer said everything has been delayed due to cooler spring temperatures and the peaches were at least 10 days later than usual.

“We usually have our first picking of peaches on May 26 but this year it was about 10 days after that we picked our first batch,” Boozer said.

Although Mixon wants to keep the market small at the beginning, he hopes the community will come out and support the local farmers as they bring their fresh produce each week.

Mixon plans for the market to be open every Friday rain or shine unless there is a thunderstorm.

“We are going to have a lot of different things coming up throughout the season,” Mixon said. “I hope to have a local honey vendor and some berry vendors,” Mixon said.

Mixon said he is also interested in finding vendors who make pies or homemade dressings for the market as well.

For more information about the Jemison Farmers Market, contact Mixon at (205) 389-2315.

Print Friendly