Montgomery Farm Women’s Cooperative Market

The Montgomery Farm Women’s Market has been up and operating since 1932. Formed by seven pioneering women, the market still gives local farmers and chefs an opportunity to sell their goods.

If you’d like to try a little local produce and homemade food for yourself, just swing by the co-op. And for a ride there, call Affinity Airport Sedan! Our friendly, convenient car service can pick you up and drop you off for a lively day at the market!

The beginning

In 1930, the Great Depression, compounded by area drought, brought hard times to Montgomery County farmers. So farm women started looking ways to help support their families. Deciding to sell some of their produce and homemade goods to D.C.-area residents to earn extra income, several women began meeting to ready their items for market. For two years, the ladies consulted specialists in various aspects of agriculture to help standardize their goods.

The first sale finally took place in February 1932 in a vacant building in Bethesda. Nineteen women participated, selling produce, meats, desserts, and other homemade items. At the end of the day, almost everything had been sold. By June, the market started opening twice a week. And in 1935, the women of the Farm Women’s Market secured a $50,000 loan to purchase their own building. They’d completely paid it off by 1945.

The market today

Today, after operating for over 80 years, the Montgomery Farm Women’s Cooperative Market is in the same building that those women bought decades ago. Open Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., shoppers still flock to the Wisconsin Avenue market for fresh foods and homemade delights. Food trucks, wine tastings, food writers, and celebrity chefs – in addition to all of the market’s regular vendors – are all popular draws that keep visitors excited and coming back for more.

But don’t take our word for it. Come experience the Montgomery Farm Women’s Market for yourself. And for a ride after you’ve finished a fun-filled day of shopping, just call Affinity. We’d love to pick you up!