LOCAL NEWSSummer Farmers’ Market Coming to Niverville

Save yourself a trip to the city, residents of Niverville and surrounding area. The farmers’ market is coming to you this summer. 

June 15 marks the opening date of the first annual Niverville Farmers’ Market, held in the Heritage Centre parking lot. It will run every Friday from June to October.

“Niverville has never had a farmers’ market before and community members have had to drive to St. Norbert or elsewhere to support local, ethical, sustainable vendors,” says Noella Andres, staff member of the Heritage Centre. “Being able to bring this right to our community is something I, as a resident, have always wanted to see. To be able to walk down with the kids and have them each pick out a tasty treat or handmade item from a person they can get to know will always be something special, and I’m hoping that the rest of the community embraces it and makes it a weekly tradition.”

The market will open every Friday from 3:00–7:00 p.m., and like any great market it will feature local food producers and crafters. Fresh garden vegetables, meats, perogies, homemade chocolate, kombucha, honey, and syrups are some of the treats Andres says you can expect to find there. As well, artisans will be onsite selling jewellery, artwork, and handmade baby items. 

“We have a good handful of committed vendors who will be at the market consistently and a variety of vendors who have committed for certain dates,” Andres says. “We are so excited for the relationship these vendors will build with the community. We understand that certain times of the season yield better results for some vendors, so we are accepting new vendors as they come and hope to still have [more] vendors sign up over the next couple of weeks.”

While the vendors are all local, Andres says this means local to the region. There is, after all, a vast array of homespun producers and small businesses in the greater area who can provide a wide selection of products. Andres has already accepted vendors from New Bothwell, Rosenort, and other regional communities.

The goal of the farmers’ market is to become an extension of the Heritage Centre’s mandate to provide a community meeting place where people can rub shoulders with their neighbours and newcomers can get to know their community in a lively outdoor setting. With the Heritage Centre’s other amenities close by, families can make an event out of it, taking time to stroll through the Heritage Gardens, have a picnic, or enjoy dinner at Hespeler’s Cookhouse and Tavern when their shopping is done.

“The Niverville Heritage Centre is a wonderful location for this because it is such a pivotal part of the community, [and it already] hosts so many local events,” Andres says. “[The market will] also provide an opportunity for the campus residents to get outdoors and engage with local makers, perhaps inviting them to share stories and reminisce about when they used to farm and garden or take part in their own markets when they were younger.”