My first experience with buying fresh vegetables from a farmer came early. My mom packed us into the station wagon one hot summer day. We drove out to the lake on the still-unpaved road and along the way, stopped at a farm stand, a plywood hut, really, just sun protection in an open field, really.

No one was minding the stand. A few fresh but dusty vegetables, corn, tomatoes, potatoes, rested in bushel baskets on the dirt floor. An honor-system coffee can sat nearby. My, how things have changed.

These days, farmers markets are community and cultural centerpieces. Every city has a big one, many suburbs and small towns take pride in their own. And we food bloggers, well, we flock to our hometown markets on Saturday mornings. When we visit another city, we meet up there too. Here's a look at two famous farmers markets and the bloggers who shop there.

Ferry Plaza Market, San Francisco

The Amateur Gourmet ~ Visited the Ferry Plaza Market from New York and received a Ferry Building Welcome

Becks & Posh ~ Compared prices, the Farmers Market vs Safeway

Culinary Muse ~ Justified paying $6 for a dozen eggs in 2005 but in 2007, found herself explaining, Why I Didn't Buy the $8 Eggs

Figs with Bri ~ Moved to California and couldn't wait for her first visit to the Ferry Plaza Market

Union Square Market, New York

Market Manila ~ Hits Union Square shortly after arriving back in New York and was impressed by all Flowers at Union Square Market

Pinch My Salt ~ Felt lucky to stumble onto the market and wrote about Ten Reasons to Buy Local Food

A Finger in Every Pie ~ Loves Union Square Market but when a new Sunday market opens in her East Harlem neighborhood, decides that Less Is More.

Around the World, Market by Market

Two years ago, Just Hungry invited people to write about their hometown markets. For insider views of markets in Zurich; Basel, Switzerland; Brighton, England; London; Budapest; Mumbai; Melbourne; Boston; Miami; Denver; Seattle; Los Angeles; and Pasadena, please visit Food Destinations: Local Green Markets.

Since that first farmstand, BlogHer food editor Alanna Kellogg has visited farmers markets in Helsinki, Stockholm, Dallas, Des Moines, St. Paul, Seattle, Minneapolis, Geneva, London and many in between.