New vendors, old favourites returning to NOTL farmers market

A cherished seasonal meeting spot for locals and travellers alike resumes with the opening day of The Farmers Market at The Village, Saturday, May 25.

“We have a really exciting Farmers Market year coming up,” said Brianne Hawley, who is helping new market coordinator, Sandra Neufeld, get the market up and running.

In its 18th season, the Farmers Market offers 19 different vendors, some of whom will be there weekly, while others will offer their wares on different Saturdays throughout the season.

Come for a coffee and scone, buy your dinner greens and browse the artisans’ stands.

New at the market this year will be Lakeshore Road's Lowkey Farmstead, operated by flower farmers Erin Rolanty and Carter Snow. They will offer eggs, plants and flowers (potted or fresh-cut), herbs and dried flowers.

Sillastial Farms is also a new vendor, offering preserves and seasonal fruit and vegetables. The Good Ground Natural Farm out of Lincoln will also be selling vegetables.

This will be Daylily Bob’s first time at the market. He will offer potted plants.

The Purple Perk Coffee Truck will be caffeinating visitors several times during the summer. Sweets and Swirls will continue to provide pies, scones, quiche and cookies and Tamu Tamu will sell fresh bread and breakfast food.

“And some of our favourites are returning as well,” said Hawley. Al’s Fresh Produce, Cheese Secrets, Bartel Farms, Gryphon Ridge Highlands, and Knelson Family Homestead, which offers grass fed and grass-finished beef, pasture-raised pork and organic raised meat birds.

Artisan Savuti, who works directly with world-class artisans, will be selling jewelry sourced from Africa. The Hive - Nurturing the Creative Self, offers health and beauty products and Clare Cameron’s Township of Niagara will have a spot to sell made-in-Canada screen-printed T-shirts and sweatshirts.

“We still have space for vendors if anybody wants to join us this summer,” Hawley said. Vendor applications can be found at  www.marketatthevillage.com.

Parking shouldn’t be a problem despite the construction on the corner, said Hawley, who pointed out that there is ample parking space behind Shoppers Drug Mart.

“We're really excited to welcome everybody back and we're looking forward to bringing you fresh local products,” said Hawley.

The market is open Saturdays, May 25 until Oct. 5, at The Village in Niagara-on-the-Lake, 111 Garrison Village Drive. The market will be operating between the hours of 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.