The Montgomery Curb Market is a landmark in the Capital City and the oldest farmer’s market in Alabama. In its present location since 1947, next to Cramton Bowl, the cooperative is comprised of approximately 30 members. It began in the early 1920s under a shade tree where the county courthouse now stands. It was a way for farm wives to make a little money from surplus eggs, milk and vegetables. Open year-round on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, the Curb Market is now filled with green wooden frame booths displaying piles of fresh tomatoes, butterbeans and in-season fruits and vegetables. There are rows of cakes, cookies and biscuits along with jars of jelly, honey, camp stew and preserves. You’ll also find flowers, organic produce, chutney and salsa, hand-made soaps and lotions. They also have seasonal items like pumpkins, firewood, fat-wood (Lighter Knot), and wreaths and trees during Christmas!
It’s a simple, age-old partnership, with multi-generational farming families feeding their neighbors. Not only will you find fresh produce, flowers, and jams, but you’ll meet and talk with the people who feed Alabama. Want to know when the tomatoes you’re eyeing were picked, or where they were grown? Ask the farmer. He, or she, is standing in front of you. Are these peaches from Chilton County? And, what about the squash? What’s the best way to cook it? Unless you grow your own produce, the most direct route from field to table passes through the Curb Market. The Montgomery Curb Market is not only a landmark; it is a tradition among many Montgomery area families and a way of life for the vendors. The Curb Market is located at 104 Madison Avenue.
