I love farmer’s markets. Every summer I look forward to early Saturday mornings at the park: perusing the stands, smelling the delicious aromas, and just trying to take in the rainbow of colors. Since I knew I was going to be in San Francisco on a Saturday, I decided to check out the local farmer’s market. Fortunately I knew from past visits that there is a big market every Saturday morning in the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero (the eastern waterfront from AT&T Park to Fisherman’s Wharf).
Parking in San Francisco can be a huge problem, even on the weekends. I made sure to arrive fairly early in the morning to get a parking spot in a lot close to the Ferry Building. I figured I could walk around, take a Lyft, or ride the Cable Cars to get around…all without having to move my car. By the time I parked my car, it was only 8:00am. Woof.
**So glad I went early to get a spot…because by the time that I left the city, there were no spots to be found**
I love being one of the first people wandering around a farmer’s market. I like watching the local farmers and artisans get their booths and displays ready. It’s such a beautiful thing to literally see the fruits of their labors.
I love bright colors and this particular market day didn’t disappoint. I picked a corner of the market and wove my way up and down the aisles, taking in as much as I could with my eyes and mouth: free samples are just amazing. Not like I needed any help deciding to buy a pluot or grapes.
It’s such a shame that the meat vendors can’t give out free samples of bacon or steak.
One reason why I think farmer’s markets are so special is the opportunity to actually talk with the people who grow the food we eat. We learn about the family farm. We learn about the soil. We learn about the gentle balance of the circle of life (insert Lion King roar).
I’ve recently become one of those people who always carry a book with them. I’m trying to pull myself away from my phone and Candy Crush. Since this was a solo trip, I made sure to keep a book on me even when I was traveling. After I took my time wandering around the market, I found a bench right next to the market and read/people watched. Oh, the characters I saw!
One of my favorite moments at the farmer’s market was realizing that the crazy-looking people running around with utility carts full with boxes of produce were actually chefs, with the carts saying “chef’s cart” on the side. How cool is that!?
Okay, maybe I’m just rambling and geeking out. The point is this: I grew up in an area where fresh produce was abundant and easily accessible. Not so much any more. Farmer’s Markets have become my happy place. I was sad that I couldn’t stay in San Francisco longer – I would have purchased a lot more produce!
Have you been to any farmers markets in San Francisco? How about your hometown or abroad? What do you like about them?
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