Riverstone Farmers Market Dream Come True

BY YESS BRYCE

Riverstone is the new location for the Kootenai County Farmers’ Market, and it seems like it couldn’t be a better fit. If you haven’t been over to Riverstone yet, this is your gentle nudge to get yourself on down and check it out. This isn’t an advertisement, this is me sharing my passion and connection to farmers markets with you.

There is a certain amount of blood, sweat, and tears that make life worth living. The fruits of a day of hard labor, the burn of sunshine on your skin after a day spent outside. These are the sorts of days that our farmers, vendors and customers live for—taking every ounce of energy and turning it into something magical. Keeping balance is key, so much of life is about balance. Hard work, tenacity, and laughter are a few things I see the crew of KCFM sharing with their team and this town—a good balance.

Finding a place to take root is an issue most of us encounter at one point along our paths. Transplanting when already rooted, is also more challenging. But that is part of what makes the bounty of summer and growth so much more rewarding. The Kootenai County Farmers Market has been transplanted, and we are part of it.

I think one beautiful aspect of any farmers market is the unification. We can step back and look at the Market as a whole and see so very many humans working harmoniously. To create a place of entertainment, commerce, fun, and community. It’s like a dance, we prepare all day to have one evening a week spent together. Marveling over who made what, and how cool is that thingamabob, or this doohickey!! We can consider just how hard each individual person worked to build their booth up. Inventory doesn’t just happen. Yet all this ties together in a farmers market.

The farmers market is where each of us can share what we make with our hands. Like show and tell for grown-ups, we can spread a little joy the good old-fashioned way. There aren’t a lot of opportunities for adults to just play around and be silly these days. Maybe taking your kid for some donuts and a balloon animal from the clown at the market is just the medicine the doctor ordered!

Idaho winters are hard. We suffer through them as best we can, and if you’re anything like me, dreaming of summer is part of how we survive. The far-off distant memories of flower bouquets and wistful thoughts of the dampness of tomato leaves. The scent of hot pavement and kettle corn sizzling. I got myself through this winter remembering the farmers market and all the life it breathes into this town.

Riverstone holds the perfect layout, like it was designed with the KCFM group in mind long before the move was ever considered. With room to grow, you can expect to see new vendors, new products, and new fun events and still go find your trusted favorites too. Coeur d’Alene might feel too big some days, too full or too busy, but sitting down with a new tomato start and setting it in your garden, knowing that the family that grew it lives not too far away, is a great way to shrink things down.

This community holds a lot of creative citizens in its heart. Supporting the endless ways in which we all express ourselves is as easy as shopping at a local Market, and you certainly have an impressive selection to choose from. Shop local, support your town, and live a good life in the PNW.

You can find the The Kootenai County Farmers’ Market Wednesday evenings, from 4pm to 7 pm at Main St and Riverstone.