By Lori M. Quiller
If you’ve traveled U.S. Highway 231 a few miles south of Montgomery in Pike Road, you’re probably familiar with SweetCreek Farms.
The sight and smell of the wood smokers in front of the market beckon passing motorists who can stop and stretch and enjoy some tasty barbecue dishes, including pulled pork sliders and pecan-smoked barbecue sandwiches.
But the café offers other fresh sandwiches, including a Cuban (pulled pork, ham, Wickles pickles and provolone cheese), chicken salad and grilled pimento cheese. There’s a selection of salads and a soup of the day, plus camp stew and such specials as smoked chicken and St. Louis-style ribs.
And it wouldn’t be “sweet” without dessert. Enjoy some homemade cookies, ice cream or a big serving of peach cobbler at one of the special craftsman tables made from reclaimed wood, or on the porch in one of the rocking chairs.
But SweetCreek, which is served by Dixie Electric Cooperative, is more than a restaurant. The barn-style market offers a bounty of fresh picked, Alabama-grown fruits and vegetables as well as a host of handmade crafts and other goodies from local artisans, such as woodworkings, soaps, lotions and ironworks. And it has both entertainment and education for the little ones.
“We consider SweetCreek an agritourism destination,” says owner Reed Ingram. “When families stop here, they can come into the restaurant for a homemade ice cream cone, then go outside and see the goats, chickens, rabbits and peacocks in the petting zoo. Certain times of the year kids can go out into the field, and we’ll have a hayride set up to tour our crops.
“We want people to know we grow these products here in Alabama, and the closer they are to you, the better they are for you. This is a fun place, and we want them to enjoy themselves while they’re here. They can relax and watch the windmill turn, smell what’s on the smoker and take a minute to slow down.”
Ingram and his wife Karen opened SweetCreek Farms in March 2016 in part to address the need for fresh, healthy food in the area, but to also show support for Alabama’s food growers.
“I wanted to make the farm and the table come together in the produce we sell and also by bringing the farm to the table in our restaurant as well. I think we have been compromising our products in Alabama because we have great farmers but just not enough farmers. Our farmers are getting older and the industry is changing. Our younger generation isn’t growing up and saying ‘When I grow up, I want to be a farmer,’” Ingram added.
Ingram also sells plants and, even if you don’t have a green thumb yourself, he and his staff can help you start your own backyard garden.
“Just one acre can create a lot of produce. We sell plants and encourage them how to grow their own produce. We don’t have classes, but when someone buys something from us, we offer advice by telling them how to keep it healthy for the best yield,” Ingram says.
SweetCreek Farms has grown in the past couple of years from 10 employees to 70, and Ingram insists that teamwork is the fabric that holds everything together. Most of the employees who work at the farm are experiencing their first job, so Ingram celebrates that with them by taking their photo when he hands them their first paycheck.
“Everyone here works together really well,” Ingram says. “All of the kids learn how to grow produce, they get on a lawn mower and mow grass, pull weeds, help plant crops, and help harvest. I feel like God has put us here for a reason, to not only be a mentor to these kids but also teach them a work ethic and about one of Alabama’s greatest industries.”
Worth the Drive: Sweet Creek Farm Market from AREA on Vimeo.
Sweet Creek Farm Market
85 Meriwether Rd
Pike Road, Alabama 36064
(334) 280-3276
