Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-05-31
HITS for MR.
By Dorothy B. Waleski
Garden 4-SSS9

The time is long recognize Montgom
cry County unique only
of its kind and the awoman cooperative
the Montgomery Wonans Cooperative Market
In the "a of its existence the Farm Womans market has
become internationally story been told many
times in leading national magazines.
Here in its should
be underesimaed"
Ours the only farm womans cooperative market of its kind
in the world depression thrived through
economic recovery the great and the great BOOM
Il" is small enterprise things CO. business of
only 100000 year and only 60 active sellers
But guest book boasts the of visitors from all
the world SOberly country
omac from home and abroad saaped princesses
from Ind lady senator's from CeOn spent pleasant hours
the marke
I'VE do indeed find the world doorstep here 7155
Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda
I'm 1880 there drought in Montgomery County And
drought brought disaster to farm families Mortgages
foreclosed plumbing usting out leaking
pilng up
"A group of farm women feeling something
done appealed to the home agent
The home demonstration agent appealed
of the University of Maryland selling
Bethesda.
In good in the Federation
Women Clubs to the University Department Agcul
ure and to the fact that the nations capital drive
away our little venture such that incorporated
a cooperative.
by the of year employed a fulltine manager
and moved into present building rental basis and
became like think pleasant Washington
ton Two years later took a STEP
borrowed large sum from the Baltimore Bank for
tves and bought the property
Now building lock- stock and barrel; for the mort
gage burned years ago.
herea of
them and they make all decisions policy spite rapid
INFLAMMATION of Montgomery County and the problems
very successfully think to keep the
market a real farm market.
"ony bona fde farm members
only Montgomery County or any
the three adjoining Maryland counties sold
although bound together in cooperative operate
independent sellers goods
her sales collects her dspOses
at the end of the day. We to the
percent commission sales and So
AT the of the fiscal earnings
among the members in proportion the of
the
"The total sales for
for 10 amounted $13956 averaging
year
Combined sales of all the members all years
ket has been operating $4OOOOO million
lars turned back into Montgomery County
homes has modenzed Kitchens paid off mortgages and sent
youngsters to college s
This story by women themselves Their
description of their enough make mouth
Freshly baked bread cake cookies sausage peas
in spring, summer flowers, poultry eggs
Many hardpressed Washington hostess looking
for the unexpected deicac succuent rabbit country ham
feather light angel cake"
Miss Blanche 1851 led
that March the home demonstration mentioned Working
with her at first Miss Margaret McPhes food ntr
on specialist from the University of Maryland who helped set
standards for the markets products conducted training
to help the improve the quality of goods
On August D. 1892 Edyh Turner agent
to work with the farm group
there also eclipse of the day
Miss Turner through given a of
those early days of the farm market We
day she will sit down and deserves
As Miss Turner remembers it, the first day the
held house at display automobile
They invited all their friends
to offer and their products day.
The next day they opened business and the market
from the word
The tent which they later set the lot the
shopping center at Leland
being by 80 feet and place
Sawdu spread the ground and the first purchase
icebox that held 600 of Miss
this ice in her days which
and Saturday Sometimes she would drop off her front
bumper and splinter into thousand pieces
Since there water available, she
tie of hot scad
in the tent until December when
That fall relatively mild but there many
the going rugged Miss Turner keep supply
of overshoes and mens handy
keep warm was to keep moving
After renting for two the made the
and the $4,000 they borrowed this paid
years
Part of the of the market 'front.'
of good Mrs. Lillian Schelnger
pointed and she followed by WadsOrth,
Mrs Roger Shaw who stayed with them ii
ent manager, Mrs Kingsbury MatsOn.
Once appointed Miss Turner
active in the kept
activities during the years.
The university also has been deeply with
and still furnishes specialists quality
to nafpfaip tho hi