Market Watch: Southern Sweetie Pies at The Curb Market

WORDS Katie Lindgren  PHOTO Luke Lindgren

I don’t know about you, but October marks the start of my favorite time of year.  The leaves are changing, the air is crisp, and many of my favorite fall traditions have begun.   Many people believe that when the weather changes and summer has come to a close, all the farmers markets have closed.  I am happy to tell you that is not the case.  Just because many of our favorite summertime vegetables are no longer in season does not mean that markets are closing up for the winter.  At the Montgomery Curb Market and Fairview Farmers Market there are still a lot of great things happening.  From now until Christmas, we will be taking a closer look at some of the vendors at the Montgomery Curb Market.  It is a covered building, all the walls open up, and the booths are defiantly old-fashioned. This place is a gem, and stepping inside has an air of stepping back in time.  If you have never visited the Montgomery Curb Market, take the time to stop by.  It’s very fun.  The market is located at 1004 Madison Ave, in historic downtown Montgomery.  It is open year round on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, from 6am - 2pm. 

I have to admit, I have a special interest in this market because I have a booth there.  I love gardening and I truly appreciate the hard work that goes into it.  But no matter how good my intentions are I cannot concoct the perfect tomato.  I love meeting farmers, too.  There is something about knowing where your food comes from, how it is grown and handled, that makes you feel better about eating.  Maybe it is all in my mind, but I swear it tastes better, too.  Southern Sweetie Pies (owned by myself, Katie Lindgren) specializes in Fried Pies.  Growing up my family always had fried pies at Thanksgiving.  I wanted to share that love with other people so I began making them.  I am new to the market and so far it has been a great experience.  I focus on made from scratch pies with seasonal fillings, and I hand make every single one of them.  When possible I try to buy my produce from farmers at the Montgomery Curb Market.  Every Saturday during fall I have apple, pumpkin, and sweet potato Sweetie Pies, and also bake blueberry, cherry, and peach during the spring and summer months.  Sometimes I get adventurous and try different fillings, but these are the six essential flavors that I make.
 
For updates and news you can find Southern Sweetie Pies on Facebook or on Instagram @SouthernSweetiePies.  Starting this month I will begin taking orders for Thanksgiving and Christmas at SouthernSweetiePies@gmail.com.

The Market Watch: Farewell To Summer

A Farewell To Summer at Eastchase Farmers Market

WORDS Katie Lindgren  PHOTOS Jon Kohn

Oakview Farms This grain farm, based out of Wetumpka, Alabama, grinds their grain with an electric stone grinder at a slow rate, which produces a fine, delicate product.  They do not de-germinate their grains, so all the whole grain is fresh from the field, ground, packaged, and ready for use (store in the freezer as it does not have a shelf life). On market days, Oakview Farms sells whole wheat flour, cornmeal, grits, pancake mix, all-purpose flour, oats, hydroponic lettuce, and homegrown honey. Oakview Farms has a retail store on-site in Wetumpka, open Thursday, Friday, Saturday 9am - 4pm. www.oakviewfarms.com

Aunt Beez Delicious Desserts Brenda Sonner, the owner of Aunt Beez Delicious Desserts, is from Montgomery, and the creator of Pie Sauce.  According to Ms. Sonner, “It’s not a jam or a jelly.  It has less sugar, is thickened differently, and the result is a much fresher fruit taste.  It’s a great alternative to the gelatin goo found on grocery store shelves to make pies.”  This does make a delicious pie: simply pour into a pie shell and you have yourself a dessert.  Pie Sauce can also be used in breads, muffins, cakes and cookies.  Ms. Sonner sent me home with a fruit filled cupcake, and wow, it was delicious.  Aunt Beez’s Delicious Desserts will be all over the Southeast for holiday market shows.  auntbeez.com

Leo Vazquez Leo is from Tallassee, Alabama.  His booth is a colorful array of delicious homegrown vegetables.  From tomatoes and peppers to watermelon and cantaloupe, the Vazquez’s grow a little bit of everything.  It’s a 5-acre family farm run primarily by Mr. and Mrs. Vazquez.  They have a booth three days a week in Auburn and Opelika, and is at East Chase Farmers Market on Saturdays.

Leatherwood Nursery Elizabeth and Eric Leatherwood have a nursery in Shorter, Alabama with  a greenhouse operation where selling perennials, annuals, and ground covers.  The Leatherwoods strive to form relationships with their customers to make sure they get quality plants that fit the customers needs. While they don’t do landscaping, they do focus on container planting.  They will even  grow specific plants for customers. www.leatherwoodnursery.com

Bulger Creek Farm Kyle and Melanie Payne are the owners of Bulger Creek Farm, where they make local goat cheese made 100% with milk produced on-site .  Founded in 1998 on 80 acres near Notasulga, Alabama, the farm focuses on quality over volume, promising “no outside milk or curd will ever be used at this farm,” and turning out fromage blanc chèvre, goat cheesecakes, and goat milk.  You can catch Bulger Creek Farm on Saturday mornings through November at the Columbus  Market, or find their products in Montgomery at Health Wise Foods. www.bulgercreekfarm.com