By Lisa Lucas, Associate Research Specialist for Metrics + Indicators for Impact, University of Wisconsin–Madison

I was very excited to be able to attend and present at the Maine Federation of Farmers’ Markets (MFFM) 2017 Annual Convention yesterday, January 29. The convention was held at Kennebec Valley Community College–Alfond Campus north of Waterville, Maine. I was invited to attend along with my supervisor, Dr. Alfonso Morales of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, by MFFM’s Executive Director Leigh Hallett, whom we worked with on a project this past year.

I loved being back in Maine. I lived in Maine briefly in 2010 before starting graduate school in New Hampshire, and my sister lived in Portland, Maine for six years before recently moving to Los Angeles. Maine is a gorgeous state! I stayed in Portland this past weekend, and enjoyed the scenic hour or so drive up to Waterville to attend the convention. Maine winters are cold, but very bright; it was nice to see sun again having come from overcast Wisconsin. But, I’ve digressed…

Alfonso was invited to give the keynote address to the over 125 market managers, farmers, and vendors from all over the state of Maine who attended; his presentation was titled “Resurgent Farmers’ Markets: Impacts Around the US and Prospects for Maine.” The gym where he presented was packed and his talk was well-received. Alfonso even packed several prizes from Wisconsin to distribute to lucky winners after his talk; how fun!

The schedule of the day included 13 different workshops attendees could choose from. I attended bits and pieces of several, but especially enjoyed the lively discussion in “Keep the Peace: Dealing with Difficult People on Both Sides of the Tent.” Vendors in this session shared their experiences and expertise in handling difficult vendor-vendor and vendor-customer situations. There were nods and laughs of agreement at some of the colorful stories shared!

After a delicious lunch and MFFM’s annual meeting, I presented with Leigh on data collection. Leigh discussed the results of the MFFM Snapshot Week surveys that her team distributed to shoppers at farmers markets throughout Maine last summer; they received over 2000 responses. The findings from the surveys informed the creation of MFFM’s recently published 2016 annual report which was distributed to legislators and the general public earlier this year. Among other things, the surveys showed that not only do Maine farmers market shoppers spend money at the markets they attend, they also spend an average of $20 at neighboring businesses too. Maine farmers markets are helping local economies. The Snapshot surveys also included a wealth of qualitative feedback; shoppers shared their favorite market memories and the reasons they keep coming back to their local markets. Leigh’s talk on the interesting things that data can show us was a perfect segue into my presentation on a specific data collection tool soon-to-be-available to farmers markets nationwide.

I was excited to share about Metrics + Indicators for Impact (MIFI), a comprehensive data collection, interpretation, and reporting toolkit and online portal developed by Dr. Morales and PhD candidate, Lauren Suerth, also of UW–Madison. I came to the project several months ago as a part-time project coordinator/customer service liaison supporting the work. MIFI (pronounced like “wi-fi”) is currently being pilot-tested by over 20 markets across the country. MIFI empowers markets to take data collection into their own hands. MIFI provides all the tools, directions, and support that markets will need to successfully collect data on their markets, and then an online data portal crunches the numbers behind-the-scenes. No need to hire a statistician! MIFI will be available to markets nationwide this spring, so more to come on that later.

I was very appreciative of the opportunity to travel to Maine from Janesville, Wisconsin (where I now live) to learn more about farmers markets and be able to share about MIFI, the project I’ve been working on. Thank you, Leigh! The only thing I forgot to do was grab a “lobstah” roll while I was there. Next time! (For more pictures of the event, check out the Open Air Facebook page.)

by Madeleine Jones, Agricultural and Applied Economics Undergraduate Student at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Our last stop in Spain was Madrid, where I visited the Mercado de Antón Martín. The Mercado de Antón Martín is located in the bohemian district of Huertas, bordering the immigrant barrio of Lavapiés. The Mercado de Antón Martín has been open since 1941, and it is one of the most traditional markets in the city. It is tucked away in an alley, bordered on both sides by artisan cafes, bars, and butcher shops. The market has a bit of an indie vibe, which echoes that of the neighborhood it is in.

A few carts line the outside of the building, but most of the market’s 63 stalls are inside of the two-story establishment. They tout an astonishing variety of wares: clothing, meats, produce, herbs, wine, packaged foods, regional specialties (e.g., Iberian ham), and more. Organic food stalls, wine bars, and a craft beer shop emphasize the hipster feel, and there is even a space for cooking demonstrations and small art exhibits.

The Mercado de Anton Martín’s success is partly due to the fact that vendors are highly attuned to their customers’ demands. A recent influx of high-income professionals who prefer high-quality organic products has profited the market. New vendors have moved into the market in response to the demands of these shoppers, offering high-quality gourmet items such as Yoko, a vendor offering Japanese carryout food. Some of the vendors have expressed interest in adding more specialized offerings like natural, fresh-squeezed juices. However, current city ordinances governing municipal markets prevent this. I did see a smoothie bar at the market, and it seems vendors are doing their best to capitalize on market trends, even if they cannot take advantage of the “juicing” craze. Overall, there are marked attempts to satisfy the tastes of emerging and increasingly dominant consumer groups like young people and tourists. A further attempt to draw in homesick tourists is exemplified in shops like Best of Britain, which sells products like Heinz baked beans and offers language learning events.

Tourists are not the only ones who frequent the Mercado de Antón Martín. Immigrants comprise another important market segment, especially Latin American buyers. In particular, vendors make a special effort to cater to Ecuadorian tastes, and just last year, two new Ecuadorian produce vendors established themselves in the market. Thanks to these establishments, shoppers can buy yuca, plátano macho verde (green bananas), and maíz para tostar (toasting corn).

Lastly, the Municipal Market of Antón Martín continues to maintain its traditional lifelong client base. This segment consists of women over 65 who almost daily go to the market to buy produce. In many cases, the vendors have known these clients for 20 years or more, and have a jovial and personal relationship with them. As one merchant puts it, “They are old people who, sometimes do not need anything but come to see you.”

Visiting Spain was truly a vibrant cultural experience, and visiting the marketplaces there gave me a much better sense of the traditions, current trends, cultural values, and of course, culinary offerings that make Spain what it is!

by Madeleine Jones, Agricultural and Applied Economics Undergraduate Student at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Over the past eleven days, I had the chance to visit Spain with my family. In between enjoying tapas, museums, and touring, I explored some of the informal marketplaces in the different regions I toured. Over the course of my trip, I encountered an astounding array of markets—from farmers’ markets and fruit vendors, to gourmet food markets offering sushi and cocktails, to emigrant manteros selling their wares off bedsheets. In the following post, I will try to give you a small taste of the thriving vendor culture that I experienced while in Spain.

First, some quick background on marketplaces and vendors in Spain. It is estimated that there are between 3,500 and 4,000 street markets in Spain, creating some 50,000 jobs. These markets are located mainly in Andalucía, Valenciana, and Cataluña, and are dominated by a few main sectors: textiles, food, footwear, crafts and home equipment. Street vending has long served as a gateway into the labor market for people with little education or training. The lack of street vending regulation in Spain has contributed to the popular belief that the government allowed the activity as a social service to the vendors. However, studies have shown that it is in fact the street vendors who benefit society by providing goods to less-populated areas of Spain and enhancing rural development.

Now, back to the action! My family and I flew into Madrid Barajas International Airport, and spent the first part of our trip in Mijas, a town in Málaga, Andalusia. Located on the southeastern coast of Spain, Mijas offers stunning sea views and an easy trip into Fuengirola, a beach town on the Costa del Sol Málaga. In Fuengirola, there were many vendors selling trinkets, clothing items, and counterfeit goods, on a bedsheet—a practice called top manta. I saw this trend replicated in Granada later in the trip, and I read about the practice in a Fortune.com article titled “Counterfeit sidewalk vendors in Spain try to go legit”. The article chronicles a Senegalese-Spanish emigrant’s quest to form a worker’s union, establishing the validity of his trade. However, at least in Fuengirola, the police force is cracking down.

A celebrated example of the market culture in Fuengirola is La Galería Gastromarcado, which opened in early February last year and is located in the heart of the city. This upscale market boasts twelve booths and a bar, and many of the vendors are clearly aimed at capturing the tourist market with hip offerings like sushi and cocktails. However, others, like Tierra Mía, strive to retain an authentic character in their dishes. They offer traditional Spanish fare with a creative twist. For example, their menu selections include fabada, a hearty stew from the mountains of Asturias in northern Spain, rabo de toro, a traditional Cordoban stew made with the tail of a cow or bull, and paella, Valencian rice dish. This past April, La Galería proudly attended the First Meeting of Markets of Spain (el I Encuentro de Mercados de España) in Cordoba, which brought together representatives from 24 gourmet markets throughout the country.