It's Spring, and Farmers' Markets Are Busting Out All Over S.F.

We're blessed to live in a part of the world where we have access to fresh, ripe, unadulterated fruit, plucked at local farms and brought to our very fingertips at a bevy of farmers' markets across the city. In fact, the handful of farmers' markets not open all year here is small. Now spring is springing, and those few seasonal markets such as Castro, Upper Haight, and Mission Bay are beginning to open up like the first crocuses of the season.

The last few years have seen a major proliferation of neighborhood markets, and even local hospitals have taken small markets under their wings. Consequently, the distribution is so broad it's no inconvenience to hit one up, even on a work day.

That said, note that the lion's share of markets is on weekends and midweek (pro tip: make that doctor's appointment for a Wednesday), so make sure you don't have an urgent need for stinging nettles on a Monday or Friday, lest you find yourself out of luck.

We've charted the San Francisco farmers' markets (above) for easy reference about days and locations, using a festive, Easter-esque pastel palette: pink pins for Saturday markets; purple for Sunday; yellow for Tuesday; turquoise for Wednesday; and green for Thursday.

Saturday
• Ferry Plaza: 8 a.m.-2 p.m., year round
• Noe Valley: 24th Street between Sanchez and Vicksburg, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., year round
• Fillmore: O'Farrell at Fillmore, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., year round
• Alemany: 100 Alemany, dawn to dusk, year round

Sunday
• Divisadero: Grove at Divisadero, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., year round
• Fort Mason Center: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., year round
• Heart of the City: United Nations Plaza, Civic Center, 7 a.m.-5 p.m., year round
• Inner Sunset: Parking Lot between Eighth and Ninth Avenues south of Irving Street, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., year round
• North Beach: Mason St between Columbus Ave and Lombard St, 9 am-1:30 pm, May 1-Oct. 2
• Stonestown Galleria: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., year round

Monday
• Fremont Plaza: 50 Fremont (at Mission), noon - 5:30 p.m. April 18 on.

Tuesday
• Ferry Plaza: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., year round
• Crocker Galleria: 50 Post at Montgomery, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Jun.7-Sep. 27

Wednesday
• Castro: Noe at Market, 4 p.m.-8 p.m., Mar. 16-Dec. 21
• Heart of the City: United Nations Plaza, Civic Center, 7 am-5:30 pm, year round
• Kaiser Permanente: Geary Blvd at St. Joseph's St., 10 am-2 pm, year round
• UCSF Mission Bay: Gene Friend Way between Third and Fourth Streets, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Apr. 13-Nov. 16
• UCSF Parnassus: 505 Parnassus, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., year round
• Upper Haight: Waller at Stanyan, 4-8 p.m., Apr. 6-Oct. 26

Thursday
• Crocker Galleria: 50 Post, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., year round
• Ferry Plaza: 10 am-2 pm, year round
• Mission Community Market: Bartlett and 22nd St., 4-8 p.m., Apr. 14-Dec. 15

Friday
None