Our Vision

1 1/3 Acre residence and community sourced market garden, apiary, demonstration, teaching, and U-pick it gardens.

Mission Statement:

Strengthening Community through learning, use, and teaching of Art, Soil, Plants and Sustainable Practices.

Palenquito

A Palenque is a holding post. It's a place to tie up your horse and a place to hang your hat. To us Palenque also means a refuge from storm and a place to call home. Palenquito is, affectionately, the name we give our home, gardens, school, etc. Located on 1 1/3 acre of what was once considered the bread basket of Sanpete County. This little oasis is located in the unincorporated township of Chester. In a community that struggles regularly with drought but boasts a natural stream, Oak Creek, which is fed throughout the summer to irrigate surrounding fields and livestock. The original owner, David Candland, was the founder of Chester and though the home has seen plenty of changes over the years, we're proud to continue the legacy he started through homesteading 140 years ago. This small strip on the highway was a booming farming town after he proved up the first 160 acre corner of Chester beginning in 1874.

When we moved to the property in December of 2016, it was a sad, uninhabitable house. We put a lot into rebuilding the portions of the house that were damaged by years of misuse and vandalism. These efforts renewed the historical aspects of the houses interior. Now we seek to give the outside of the home the same care and attention. We hope to add cultural value and a unique presence building up to the following:

• Palenquito Gardeners Market, a community sourced market stand situated on the highway. 
• Market Garden
• U-pick raspberries and apples
• Pollinator Habitat
• Sustainable Seed Library
• Blended naturalized ornamental landscape and  demonstration garden
• Art studio
• Small scale production greenhouse for spring vegetable starts
• Teaching and Event pavilion/ Air B&B

We are a family enterprise with deep roots in both Sanpete County and South American culture. We seek to bring the best of what we love to Palenquito through our love of 'la Pacha Mama' and all she offers. This historic corner of Sanpete will serve our community and beautify it for present and future generations. We will be a resource for the community for local food and culture, using the things we love: We strive to grow food, make art, and better our habitat and environment through responsible stewardship. All through our little gardeners market Palenquito.

Strategy for Success:

We envision returning to the homesteading staple of self sufficiency; providing for our own from our own, encompassing the local community. Currently the closest grocery store for all surrounding towns is 15 to 25 miles away in Mt. Pleasant. Locals know that eventually you'll see everyone in there because everyone eventually has to stop in. We seek to add richness to the local food climate by giving people from Chester, Spring City, Wales, Moroni, Ephraim, and Fountain Green among others an alternative to eat fresh, in season vegetables, produced here in the valley using sustainable practices. Change doesn't happen in one season of growing, so we intend to let people know we are here before we put all of our energies into producing vegetables. We've already identified a few artisans and successful gardeners who we'd like to invite to contribute including producers of local cheese, artisan bread, soaps, sheeps milk and honey along with successful vegetable gardeners.

Palenquito Gardeners Market is located in the center of Sanpete County at an important crossroads in a visible location. But even so, Sanpete is made up of small communities where much of the population has lived here for many generations and word of mouth governs spending habits and activities, based on long held relationships and communities. Our goal is not only to create a successful business but to become part of a greater community by establishing a permanent presence. Though the location is visible, there are many paths to take to get from point A to point B within the valley and many businesses fail because no one knows they are their until they're gone. Because we are a family operation with small children and a lot of work to do in our own 'proving up' efforts, it will be key to take it slow and steady. What we have to offer will be useful and interesting and represent our vision. Signage, visible to passing cars, will clearly state what we have to offer. To open up our store we'll offer vegetable starts and seeds, soon followed by greens, carrots and early harvested produce. We'll also offer other plant related items such as essential oils, gardening tools, hand salves and locally produced soaps. We'll open up our doors to sell on the honor system beginning mid May of 2019.