The Crenshaw County Farmers Market is back for the summer at the Emmett C. Strickland Pavilion, helping provide access to fresh produce to area residents.

Around 2018, Live Well Alabama launched the farmers market with the help of a volunteer manager. In 2021, the market moved to its current location at the Emmett C. Strickland Pavilion, where the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) Crenshaw County office partners with Live Well Alabama to organize the effort.

“We want to support local agriculture [and] we want to encourage people to come out and purchase local produce from our vendors,” said SNAP-Ed Extension Agent Kristen Sanders. “That has been one of our goals when we started the farmers market back up was trying to ensure we get more families involved…” 

This year, the farmers market offerings included sourdough bread, baked sweets, fresh fruit and vegetables and embroidered items. 

“Its important for the people to be able to come out and buy fresh produce because its so much fresher than what you get at the grocery store,” said Michelle Evans of Evans Farms. “It helps us and it helps the people too.” 

Some of the stands at the farmers market accept Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) cards through a program for Alabama seniors that provides a $50 benefit card for purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables.

Additionally, Live Well Alabama gave away “veggie bucks: to children who took part in a game or activity at their stand. The prizes – sponsored by the Crenshaw County Farmers Federation – can be used to purchase fruits or vegetables from a local vendor. 

“Before we started [the farmers market] back up, we had seniors who were applying for these [SFMNP] vouchers but didn’t have anywhere to go to use the vouchers, and they were having to travel out of the county,” Sanders said. “Some [seniors] are not able to or do not have the capabilities to travel out of the county, whether its vehicle restrictions or mobility issues; we wanted to make sure we had something locally that they can come to and actually use their vouchers without having to travel an extensive distance to do so.” 

Live Well Alabama hosted recipe demonstrations for their Tasty Tidbit vegetables: summer squash and green beans.

The next Crenshaw County Farmers Market will be held June 9 from 3 – 6 p.m., and will continue every Monday throughout the summer. 

“We like to see everybody come out and sit down and have conversations, its just a good way to get everybody out and be part of the community,” said Amanda Evans, the Crenshaw County Extension Director. “We thank all of our vendors for coming out and helping make this possible. Without them there’s no need in having it, so we really do appreciate all of them coming out and setting up each week.”