A cold, wet spring didn’t keep the Maple Valley Farmers Market from growing again in its third season.

Market founder and board president Victoria Laise Jonas noted in an email interview that it drew more visitors this year than in the past during its 16 week run which ended Oct. 1.

“The beginning of our market season was tough for our regional farmers with the cold and wet spring growing season, so, our offerings of locally grown farm-based fruits and vegetables were slow to arrive at our market but picked up quickly by mid-July,” Jonas wrote. “This market season our total market sales were up and we experienced a significant attendance boos, from averaging 900 to 1,100 visitors per week for the past two years to a constant 1,350-plus every week of our market. And just to remind you, our market is only open four hours from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., so these numbers are pretty impressive especially for being a newer farmers market.”

Jonas attributes that success to how enthusiastically the Maple Valley community has embraced the market since it opened in 2009.

“I am proud that our market has become a destination point for many of our visitors,” Jonas wrote. “It offers the ambiance and a community gathering place that only a farmers market can offer up. For all of our vendors we have created a close bond to one another.”

The goal at the beginning of the season, Jonas said, was to diversify the offerings at the market and bring more farmers and vendors to the market.

“This season we had 80 different vendors at our market — which included 25 farmers, eight value added products, nine prepared food vendors and four young entrepreneurs — and 30 arts and crafts,” Jonas wrote. “This year we continued to have overwhelming support of our local business community as our sponsorships grew to 19. Many of our sponsors have been with us since day one. They believed in our vision of bringing a farmers market to our community and wanted to be a part of this wonderful community asset. Without their support, our market would not be what it is today.”

Jonas wrote that she plans to take a break from market related activities until February or March.

“Our goal is to continue to make our Maple Valley Farmers Market the best it can be for our vendors, customers and community,” she wrote. “I’m charged with ‘growing’ our market, so, I’ll be looking for more vendors to complement our existing market vendors. Another goal for next year is to recruit more local folks interested in volunteering.”

So far, the market has been quite an experience, Jonas said.

“Reflecting back, it’s hard to believe that we launched the idea of bringing our very own farmers market to Maple Valley over four years ago now,” she wrote. “And two weeks ago we just finished our 16 week run of our third market season. It’s true what folks say that time does fly by quickly the older we get.”

Anyone interested in serving as a volunteer for the market can contact Jonas at 425-463-6751 or email info@maplevalleyfarmersmarket.org.

More information on the market can be found on its profile on Facebook or at www.maplevalleyfarmersmarket.org.