Royal City debuts farmers' market

ROYAL CITY — If longtime Royal City resident Sharon Chesterman has her way, the first farmers' market held in her town won't be the last.

Chesterman said participants in the Horizons community leadership program are spearheading efforts for a one-time farmers' market, taking place Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Lions Park parking lot in Royal City.

"It may be so successful we'll want to do it again, but as far as we know, it's just once," Chesterman said.

Royal City is one of 23 Horizon communities in the state and one of 162 in the northern-tier United States. The program is funded by the Northwest Area Foundation to bring change to small communities. Northern Moses Lake, Mattawa, Warden and Ritzville are other Columbia Basin Horizon communities.

"There are so many people around here who grow produce and fruit and have a garden," Chesterman explained. "Some of the growers take their products to farmers' markets in outlying communities, and we thought maybe we'd try one in our little community."

Besides needing vendors to provide items, buyers for the event are needed, Chesterman said.

"That's my bigger concern, really," she said. "We know the producers produce and take their things; now can we do something that will be supported by local community members?"

Following the market, also at the park, at 6 p.m. there is a community potluck picnic.

"I hope people in the community will come out and want to meet their neighbors and maybe people who live across town from them," Chesterman said. "When I think of the Royal City community, I think of the school district boundaries, which is a very long ways."

At 7 p.m., an informational meeting about Neighborhood Watch takes place at the park.

Several housing programs have already adopted the Neighborhood Watch program, Chesterman said.

"We would like to extend it into the rest of our community," she said.

She hasn't been able to track down information whether there are Neighborhood Watch programs for rural areas, but with ongoing copper wire thefts and the like, Chesterman believes the topic is something of interest for rural residents.

Chesterman would like to see both the Hispanic and Caucasian cultures of the town come together for the event.

"We want to make our community better and stronger," she said. "We want to support our businesses, the people who live here, families and education. We have very, very lofty goals, I guess."