History Lesson
Dubbed the season of alternative location, our time at the Montgomery Farm Women's Cooperative Market and public parking lots is ending in a few weeks. Love it or hate it, the fact is vendors nestled into new spots and continued to do what we’ve always done. Over the years, Central Farm Markets has made a number of location changes—for growth, road work, construction, and the Bethesda Row Arts Festival. Our latest host location, however, has stood on the same location for 90 years. The one-story steel-and wood-frame structure at the center of the Sunday market was constructed in c. 1932 when nineteen women set up small stands of meat, baked goods, vegetables, jams and jellies in a vacant store.
This Saturday Montgomery Farm Women's Cooperative Market will mark their 90th anniversary with a Harvest Celebration from 10am to 2pm.
During my research on the history of MFWCM I came across this gem from Preservation Maryland:
“Opening day on February 4, 1932 in an old store at Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda proved a tremendous success. Despite shifting to several temporary locations over the spring and summer of that year, the market continued to grow.”
Looks like Central Farm Market hasn’t been the only one to move their markets. Some things never change.
Over the summer market customers traveled to Morocco, their social media filled with visits to markets that had operated for hundreds of years along the ancient trade routes. I loved seeing those markets and vendors in another part of the world. The narrow spaces around the Cooperative building offered a bit of ancient market vibe compared to expansive openness of the usual parking lot.
As the months dragged on at the Wisconsin Avenue location I began to tease out the history between the two markets. Central Farm Markets co-founder, Mitch Berliner began his career in the food business fresh out of college as a vendor at the Cooperative. Annie Kelly of Kiparoo Farm was there, too, at the same time. That gives you an idea of the lifelong relationships that happen among market vendors. Currently Plant Masters, Stoneyman Gourmet, and Simply Delicious Desserts have a spot in both markets.
Some of the vendors at the Cooperative have been in their spot for generations with one’s great grandmother procuring her location in the market in 1935. In a 2008 Edible Chesapeake article written by a loyal patron of both markets and Bethesda resident, Drew Faulkner chronicled the foundation for the opening of the Women’s Cooperative.
The USDA, Montgomery County, and University of Maryland Extension Service got together and spent two years with The Council of Home Demonstration Clubs training women how to produce and market food from their farms for sale during the Depression as a way to earn extra money. Despite being turned down by multiple banks to purchase the property on Wisconsin Avenue, once funded the Cooperative paid back the note in only a few years. So impressed by the success of the market agricultural agents from all over the world visited.
As I have read through the history of the market as well as its future here’s what I learned. Bethesda was once considered rural, like where I live now. Watching the cranes erect new buildings in the Georgetown Blvd. and Arlington area from my spot each Sunday as well as driving down Wisconsin through the tall buildings these last few months I can’t wrap my head around the fact there were farms here less than a hundred years ago. Before the post war era of industrialized agriculture and grocery stores, food was produced and sold locally much like the farmers markets of today. They sold produce, meat, poultry, eggs, and preserved foods like tomato sauce, pickles, sauerkraut, flowers, herbs, soaps, and home goods much like myself and fellow vendors do today.
The second thing I learned is that I’m way behind the markets of yore fashion scene. Back in the day those Farm Women did market and their work in long white dresses and high heels! I think I’ll stick with my overalls and a pair of boots.