Arriving on the first day of Elvers Park Farmers Market, opening for the very first time on June 10th, I encountered the busyness like any other ordinary market, but its founding reflects important considerations from the local community.

The market is situated between three lower income communities in Dane County, WI: Park Edge/Park Ridge, Hammersley/Theresa and the Balsam/Russett neighborhood. Its founding helps solve some of the problems many lower income communities face, including community building, proper health and food insecurity. Nearest Stores like Wal-Mart and Wegman’s across the nearby highway are not accessible by foot, but Elver’s Farmers Market is located for convenient access. It does not only boast free parking, but is also situated right off major bike paths (I biked from the Southwest commuter trail). The market also carefully considers economic issues: accepting both SNAP and EBT.

The first day of the market was a success! Fresh strawberries, and colorful flowers currently line the market. Vendors and local businesses excitingly interacted with their new customers and partnerships with local businesses serve important health and education purposes as well. MG&E energy company demonstrated a solar demo and energy awareness, while SSM Health shared valuable nutrition and general health information. The market will serve a very important role in the community, both as a needed space for access to fresh fruit and vegetables, but as an education resource as well.

Resources: http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/a-new-farmers-market-in-madison-s-elver-park-hopes/article_70a441e5-0ae3-5b54-9abf-ea93fe539a49.html

UW-Madison researchers have developed a tools to help collect, interpret, and apply data to expand farmers’ markets in the country.

Read more at: http://ls.wisc.edu/…/harvesting-data-to-grow-farmers-markets

Photos from Dane County Farmers’ Market – Madison, WI

Bangkok, a city previously known for its renowned street food reputation, will no longer be a food destination of choice as the city launches a ‘clean-up’ effort, according to the New York Times. This past Tuesday, city officials confirmed their plan to eliminate all street vendors from the main roads.

While the removal of the delicious street-food vendors may seem like a loss, authorities agree that Bangkok must address the situation for “order and hygiene reasons,” in order to put the city back on track.

Read more about the Bangkok Street Vendor Market at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bangkok-street-food-ban-vendors_us_58f5d5bbe4b0bb9638e60c15?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009

Metrics + Indicators for Impact (MIFI), is a three-year research study carried out by a collaboration of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Farmer’s Market Coalition. Funded by the USDA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), MIFI strives to create a user-friendly database that measures and collects information from farmer’s markets across the country. The database encourages its national farmer’s market participants to collect data in an organized and timely fashion, allowing the information to be used in an efficient and helpful way for future participants and vendors. The MIFI portal measures the economic, social, and ecological impacts within the participating national markets. Examples of the information collected are the average numbers of visitors to markets, total market sales, transportation methods to the markets, etc. According to the MIFI markets website (mifimarkets.org), farmer’s markets can use this resource in order to understand their role in fostering social interaction and local economic development, improve internal decision-making and strategic planning, and strengthen relationships with community partners, sponsors, vendors and customers.

MIFI member, Dusty Krikau, from the Fon du Lac Farmer’s Market explained his experience with the online resource. Krikau said, “Metrics + Indicators for Impact has given us access to valid and reliable statistical analysis of our market – something that would be unrealistic on our standard operating budget…The insights gained have helped us write grant requests and reports; recognize areas where we can make quick and easy improvements; and respond to concerns from customers, vendors, and local business owners.”

Principal Investigator, Professor Alfonso Morales believes that a systemized program like the MIFI market system will “help bring an evaluation feedback loop that is often missing in many farmer’s markets, enhancing market credibility which will enable more effective decision-making.” After years of dedication since the start of the MIFI grant in April 2014, Morales and his team have come to the end of their journey as the new website plans to launch this May with the goal that the online tool will strengthen national food system networks.

For more information, go to: mifimarkets.org

The push to legalize sidewalk vending in the City of Angels moved closer to its goal.  Last week the Los Angeles City Council adopted a motion approving in concept legalization and regulation of street vending.  The motion directs the City Attorney to draft an ordinance to decriminalize vending and authorizing the board of public works to issue permits for stationary sidewalk vending in commercial and industrial zones, with a maximum of two vendors per block face, and limited mobile vending in residential zones.

The approach is not perfect.  The two vendor per block face limit seems arbitrary.  It is doubtful that the City would consider limiting storefront retail businesses to two per block face in commercial zones.  Concerns about sidewalk congestion can and should be addressed with less ham-handed approaches.

Despite blemishes, this is an important step.  It has been more than 20 years since the City Council last took action toward legalizing sidewalk vending.  That last effort resulted in an ordinance that made possible the creation of legal vending districts.  The process to do so was so complex and choked with red-tape, though, that only one district was ever created.  It could never accommodate all the vendors (and their many customers) who wanted to participate, and fizzled out after a few years of operation.

By starting with the premise that the entire City should be open to sidewalk vending, the City Council’s action holds the promise of success.

Networks similar to Open Air strive to create forums and spaces where people with the shared interest of farmers’ markets are able to come together and exchange ideas. Each year, Maine Federation of Farmers’ Market (MFFM) holds an annual conference, inviting inspiring and influential people to come educate those involved in the federation. University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor and member of Open Air Market Network, Alfonso Morales, was one of the many attendees of the conference. While there, Morales gave a presentation titled, “Resurgent Farmers’ Markets: Impacts Around the US and Prospects for Maine” to over 125 guests. Here are some photo’s from Alfonso’s trip this past weekend: