It’s about as rural a setting as you can expect for a market in a parking lot. A forest of pines, firs and eucalyptus trees fringes the concrete swath where the Wednesday San Mateo Farmers’ Market sets up. The trees create a wild, natural look, screening out the San Mateo Community College mere yards away, across busy West Hillsdale Boulevard. And indeed, the larger Saturday market, which moves across Hillsdale into a lot adjoining the college’s modern buildings, has a decidedly more suburban feel.

But on Wednesdays, shoppers can trick themselves into thinking that a State Park or National Forest is just next door as they elbow their way through the multi-ethnic crowd. Tonal sounds of Chinese, guttural Russian and a rainbow of other languages tickle the ear. “Many of the people who shop here come from societies where people customarily do their shopping every day,” says market manager Tom Nichol.

Among the big draws are Happy Boy Farm, beloved for its flower-sprinkled organic greens, exotic onions and, at brilliantly colored peppers, still ablaze at the end of the season; Kashiwara Farms with its incomparable fruits and Andreotti Farms, a virtual neighbor from over the hill in Half Moon Bay.

Aside from its location, what’s special about this market?

“This place isn’t central,” says Nichol. “It’s a location. You have to go out of your way to get here and we have a lot of regulars who come here—some on both days.” That crowd of regulars exhibits a great deal of diversity—not only by ethnicity, but by age as well. “On weekdays,” says Nichols, “we have a fair number of seniors as well as moms with kids.” Saturday, on the other hand, is family day.

And, of course, scattered amidst the colorful fruits and vegetables is the Aidells stall, where shoppers can pick up their favorite sausage. “It’s a great source of visibility for them,” says Nichols.

And a great advantage to customer who can take home a complete dinner featuring great fruits and vegetables, flowers for the table—and the tastiest sausage in town.