Crenshaw County is home to a swap event, organized by local farmers. This past Saturday, Sardis Farm Swap held its monthly event, featuring wares hand-crafted or home-grown in the local area.

A farm swap is a small gathering, where farmers and hobbyists can sell or trade goods ranging from hand-made items, to live chickens and quail. 

“[The swap] just brings the community together, and you realize how we can help each other and just keep supporting our local hobbyists whether there are farmers or crafters,” said Hannah McVay, a co-organizer for the Sadris Farm Swap. “[People] get out just to get to know [their] neighbors and help each other out.

The Sardis Farm Swap just north of Luverne offers a large variety of goods being sold; including hand-made bouquets and stuffed animals, baked goods, honey, eggs, chickens and quail. 

The farm swap was organized by McVay Farm and Sadris Lumber, two local operations run by neighbors who wanted to bring these types of farm swaps closer to those living in Luverne. The farm swap has continued once a month since its beginning in March. 

“My husband [Justin Paige McVay] and the guy that owns this place, Brendon [Missildine], they just got to talking about wanting to have a local farm swap, because everywhere we had swaps, we would have to drive to another county, whether it’s 20 minutes away or an hour away,” McVay said. “We just wanted something more local. People that we know don’t want to drive so far, and it just kind of helps build our community up.” 

One of the vendors, Billy Schofield, sold honey he had collected from his own bees. Schofield had many jars filled with honey along his table at the farm swap. 

Schofield notes that the farm swap is a good way for local farmers and crafters to sell some of their products.

“I was thinking that this is just a very good setup up here, where I can sell some of my own and get some of my money back, because it does cost quite a bit to be in the honey business,” Schofield said. 

The next Sadris Farm Swap will be held on August 10 at Sadris Lumber, located at 14525 Montgomery Highway, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.