Victoria Laise-Jonas became emotional the first time she saw the Web site for the Maple Valley Farmer’s Market Jan. 22.
It was one of the many pieces falling into place for the market’s steering committee, which formed last summer with an eye to starting the weekly market this summer, including approval for $10,000 in seed money from the Maple Valley City Council on Jan. 20.
“We’re just very pleased,” Jonas said. “We’re just well on our way.”
But they will still need volunteers and vendors, like farmers, producers, artisans and craftsmen, to fill the stalls June 20 at Rock Creek Elementary, the first ever market.
Each vendor will have a 10-foot-by-10-foot space.
“There’s potential for a lot of stalls,” Jonas said. “We’re hoping to start off with 15 to 20.”
Vendor fees will be a minimum $20 per day or 6 percent of gross sales if it exceeds $20.
Patty Davis, a member of the committee, said relative to other farmer’s markets in the immediate area, the Maple Valley market will be $15 below the others. It will also be one of only a handful of Saturday markets which will also add to the appeal to vendors.
Davis and Kim Emmons, also on the committee, gave a presentation to the Maple Valley City Council Jan. 20.
“It was very well received,” Emmons said. “There’s been talk of starting a farmer’s market for about five years now so they’re pretty excited.”
The council is not the only local entity enthusiastic about partnering with the committee to get the farmer’s market off the ground.
After a meeting with Mike Maryanksi, superintendent of the Tahoma School District, steering committee member Mary Jane Glaser said that has been a critical partnership to develop for the market’s success.
“I really believe that the superintendent is clearly behind this project,” Glaser said. “He sees the benefit for the community but he also sees the benefit for the school district.”
Plus the market will provide opportunities for Tahoma students to participate, as well, including clubs like the Future Farmers of America, DECA, among others. There will also be a rotating stall offered free to student and community groups to use for providing information or fundraising sales.
And having it at Rock Creek is “wildly convenient.”
“It’s across the street from the Legacy Site which the city owns and will likely develop at some time,” Davis said. “At some point perhaps we could move it across the street. That would be great to be on city property. And we’ll have plenty of parking.”
Jonas said the high visibility of being at Rock Creek, which is right off Maple Valley Highway about half a mile north of Four Corners, can only contribute to the market’s success.
There’s still much work to do between now and the first market Saturday, but Jonas is confident in the groundswell of support that is building in the community.
“What’s exciting is we are creating history in Maple Valley,” Jonas said. “It’s not a possibility that there will be a farmer’s market here, we’re going to have a farmer’s market in Maple Valley.”
