By CHRISTINE BOATWRIGHT / Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO – The Montevallo’s Farmers Market in the heart of the city will begin June 4.

The market will be open every Monday afternoon from 3-6 p.m. through Aug. 6 in the parking lot behind Montevallo First Baptist Church.

“This year, the Winslett Farms is going to have grass-fed beef and free-range chickens. Joyce Darby will be back with organic grown vegetables and herbs as well as fresh eggs,” said Mary Lou Williams, president of the Montevallo Chamber of Commerce. “We have some great farmers from down in Chilton County that have been a part of our market.”

Other local farmers include Chilton County resident Daniel Farris, a student at the University of Montevallo; Cameron Strouss, the market’s co-manager; and Chris Knight and the Carver family.

“Our market has a faithful following. Our growers have told me at other markets they go they see a lot of shoppers, but they think of the Montevallo market as a market for buyers,” Williams said. “People come to our market to buy fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables, and this year, meat.”

Last year, the market was voted the eighth-leading farmers market in America’s Favorite Farmers Market in the boutique category. According to Williams’ farmers market blog, Montevallofarmersmarket.blogspot.com, more than 90,000 farmers market shoppers voted for more than 1,700 markets in American Farmland Trust’s third-annual contest.

The Montevallo dulcimer band and the Pea Ridge Senior Singers will perform during the season, as well as other musical groups.

“We’re excepting that tomatoes and cantaloupes will be ready sooner than last year. The warm weather and the rain have all been good to our farmers,” Williams said. “There will be red tomatoes soon. And peaches, oh my goodness. We have two peach vendors. We’ll see peaches at our first market.”

For more information about the market, search “Montevallo Farmers Market” on Facebook.