Every farmers market visit leaves a small trail behind, where shoppers come from, how they get there and how their spending supports the community. University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point student Elina Abrahamson spent her summer bringing those trails together into an interactive StoryMap that shows how Central Wisconsin farmers markets really work.
Abrahamson, a conservation and community planning major, completed the project during a summer internship with Wood County government. She served as a grant research intern on a USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program grant awarded to the Wood County Health Department and several partners, including UW–Stevens Point. The three-year project, “Central Wisconsin Farmers Market Collaborative: Demonstrating a Return on Investment from Improving Food Equity at Farmers Markets,” focuses on strengthening access to local food and understanding its broader impact.
Starting in late May 2025, Abrahamson spent much of her summer traveling to farmers markets across Central Wisconsin, with some follow-up data collection continuing into September and October. The internship fulfilled a graduation requirement for her major and earned her four academic credits, along with a summer stipend. She was supervised by Meliss Haack, regional farmers market coordinator for multiple counties in the region.
At each market, Abrahamson talked with visitors and gathered information on how often they attend, how they travel, where they live, how much they spend at the market and nearby businesses, and whether they use or would use Electronic Benefit Transfer services. She also paid close attention to accessibility and how markets serve different community needs.
All of that information came together in an interactive StoryMap designed to be easy to explore. Users can click on ZIP codes to see where shoppers are coming from, learn more about individual markets and spot patterns in how people engage with these spaces. For market managers and local planners, the tool offers clear, practical insights they can use to improve access, build participation and better support local farmers.
Abrahamson shared her work in December at a Central Wisconsin Farmers Market Collaborative meeting, giving organizers and vendors a chance to see the data behind the day-to-day bustle of their markets.
“Over the summer, I saw how much work farmers and community members put into organizing a successful farmers market, often as a volunteer,” Abrahamson said. “These people put in countless hours of their own time to provide an invaluable resource to their communities. It is inspiring to see people so dedicated to supporting their local food economy, and I learned how important it is to have active community members.”
For Abrahamson, the internship was a chance to step beyond the classroom and apply what she’s learned about community systems, GIS and data analysis to a project with real impact. Her StoryMap shows that farmers markets aren’t just about fresh food, they are gathering places that strengthen local economies, build connections and support long-term sustainability.
The project reflects the hands-on approach of a UW-Stevens Point education, where students turn academic knowledge into work that matters to the communities around them.