The first Niagara-on-the-Lake Farmers’ Market of the season saw a steady crowd on Saturday, said vendors.

The morning was filled with conversation, coffee and local vendors selling a variety of products like fresh veggies, plants, and gourmet butters and preserves, while local Niagara musician Corey Cruise entertained the crowd with mellow tunes.

Market coordinator Sharon Brinsmead-Taylor said there are a bunch of new vendors this year, offering a wide selection of local products, as the Market continues to grow.

A popular trend this year is micro-veggies — mainly different types of sprouts, which she said are “packed with nutrients.”

One of the new vendors selling micro-veggies is Bee Inspired Farms, started by NOTL residents Bill and Cherie McMillan last February.

All of the sprouts are grown in their home, in a dedicated “grow op” room Cherie said.

Some returning locals this year are Kim McQuhae, selling her award-winning Gryphon Ridge gourmet jams and preserves, and Bartel Family Farms, a vendor Brinsmead-Taylor said has supported the market since day one.

Another returning vendor is Lindsay’s Gourmet Compound Butter, which makes a series of flavour-packed butters, such as blue cheese chive or Latin spice.

Daniela Kovacevic, a regular market-goer, said all the new vendors were “wonderful,” and that everybody seemed to jive perfectly.

Joyce and Mike Higgs, owners of Plants and More, first-time vendors at the market, said the traffic was steady throughout the day, unlike other markets which they said typically have spikes in attendance times. They also said they were extremely impressed with the quality of the market, crediting Brinsmead-Taylor something truly local and unique.

Local resident Paul Staz, who was at the market with his son Graham, said he’s there every Saturday, and that it’s a perfect way to start off the weekend.

“I’ve got my coffee, music and people.”