ROYAL CITY - Families for whom the recession has been hard on the wallet might do well to give Carolyn Bunch or Sharon Chesterman a call. They have a deal you may find hard to refuse.

Bunch and Chesterman are the go-to gals for the Royal City community garden. They have 22 plots to divvy up this year and hope to have them all assigned before planting time in May.

"It will be first-come, first-served," Chesterman said.

The community garden was launched in 2010. It was the brainchild of the SHOC organization, Royal Community Education and Grant/Adams Master Gardeners Foundation.

The garden was developed on Royal School District property, across Ahlers Road from the administration building. There were 20 plots of 12 by 12 feet last year.

"It's really, really nice," Chesterman said. "The drip irrigation system is already in. It's ready for families to use."

This year's garden will feature two 4-by-8-foot, 30-inch-high raised beds made of wood and filled with topsoil. They will be handicapped-accessible. 

Chesterman noted some of the families that participated last year were the Godoys, the Sotos, the Saucedas and the Montoyas. She said each family cared for its own plot of produce.

"You can raise a lot of vegetables on these plots," Chesterman said. "We encourage people who have a surplus to take the extra to the food bank to help other people."

Chesterman noted the Royal High FFA will have a plant sale at its greenhouse on May 7. It will give gardeners the plants they need and the opportunity to support the FFA.

According to Chesterman, the community garden was made possible by several entities and individuals. Most notable was the work of Robert Weber and Desert Rain Irrigation, who donated and installed a drip irrigation system. Royal High FFA members dug and filled the trenches.

The City of Royal City participated by not charging for the installation of a water meter. Northwest Wholesale, Inc. donated $500 toward the monthly water bill.

Frenchman Hills Quarry donated gravel. Royal Organics donated compost. The school district donated use of its tractor.

Sprays were donated by Saddle Mountain Supply, and fertilizers were donated by Simplot Grower Solutions.

Bunch can be reached at 346-2222, and Chesterman's phone number is 346-9482.