Despite the unseasonably cool weather, those who ventured out on Saturday would have been thrilled to see the Rossland Community Farmers Market at the bottom of Queen St.
The community market made its debut on May 14, with almost 20 vendors selling fresh grown vegetables, plants and flowers, homemade foods, clothing and arts and crafts.
The community market is filling the void left by the award winning Rossland Mountain Market that closed down last July after 12 years of sourcing home-grown vegetables and plants, freshly made foods, and wonderful arts and crafts from local growers and artisans.
“There’s a small team of volunteers that are putting it back together,” said organizer Jenny Dueck. “So we started with this event and in June we will start with our weekly market.”
Dueck says she is pleased with the volunteers who stepped up to form a steering committee to revive the market, and the ongoing support from market goers.
“The turnout has been really encouraging actually,” said Dueck. “I was most worried about this market just because we knew the weather was going to be terrible and it snowed this week and it is a little too early for Rossland this year.”
The committee also organized the Holiday Community Market that saw almost 600 people attend the Miners Hall venue over the December weekend.
“We had a line up out the door almost the entire time, so that was really, really encouraging, and we’ve had an incredible community response.”
Beginning in June, the community farmers market will meet every Wednesday at the bottom of Queen St. and continue throughout the summer until the Harvest Festival in September.
“We have a nice amount of drop-ins and then we have some regular vendors, but we are always open to more vendors,” said Dueck. “We have a bit more space too. If it gets to a point we need to expand into the parking lot, the city is going to let us do that as well.”
Dueck says the steering committee is also interested in getting live music/entertainment and youth content to accompany the vendors to make it more family friendly, and possibly spruce the area up with planters and picnic tables.
“It’s a work in progress, just kind of gearing up now,” said Dueck. “We are really excited, and the feedback from the community support has been so, so, so great.”
The buy it, make it, grow it community market is one of more than 145 members of the B.C. Farmers’ Market Association.
The Rossland Community Farmers Market is scheduled to go every Wednesday from 2 to 5:30 p.m. at Queen St. and Columbia Ave.
To reserve a spot, interested in volunteering or simply have a question, email: rosslandcommunityfarmersmarket@gmail.com