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Niagara Falls
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Vendors happy to be back for a safe season at farmers’ market

Vendors were bundled up and ready Saturday morning to welcome customers at the first farmers' market at the Village for the 2021 season.

Market shoppers arrived early for colourful bouquets from Bartel farms, award-winning jams and jellies from Gryphon Ridge Highlands and fresh produce from vendors like Bee Inspired Farms.

Bill McMillan from Bee Inspired Farms said he was so excited that he could barely sleep the night before the market. “It’s like Christmas morning,” he said.

“I like getting out and selling our produce and meeting everybody. It’s the first market of the season so I get to see all of our customers again, so that’s very exciting.”

Safety measures in place for the market during the pandemic have made for a functional setup that makes customers and vendors feel safe, said Kim McQuhae of Gryphon Ridge Highlands.

“It’s really well-organized,” she said. “People can come through and there’s no crowding.”

Vendor tents are spaced six feet apart and each tent is 10 feet wide, which gives people a lot of space to move through the market, she said. Like last year, pedestrian traffic moves in one direction to ensure distancing.

“I think they’re doing a good job keeping everyone separated and they’ve got a nice flow through the farmers' market,” McMillan said.

McMillan encourages community members to come out for fresh produce in a safe environment.

“It’s definitely safe here, people should come out and support local,” he said.

“Everything’s organic. It’s better than the grocery store and we work a lot harder for it.”

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