The pink, white, and green flag of spring has been raised: Little ramplets reared their heads a few inches from the damp earth last weekend, and Greenmarketers are already engulfed in the savory fumes of their oniony funk.

There’s already lovely salad to be had, and farms south of the city are beginning to pull up the first shoots of green garlic and chives; farmers upstate report that early crops will be harvested the moment the ground warms up enough.

Farmers are just now planting seed; if storage potatoes and onions don’t scratch your spring foraging itch, greenhouse greens and a profusion of flowering plants, budding fruit-tree branches, cut flowers, and potted herbs should do it. We’ll be keeping tabs on seasonal foods at the gourmet markets until local produce is going strong.

Holiday tents full of "unique gifts" have sprouted once more in Union Square, crowding the produce, and beginning later today, we'll be updating you on what's new at the gourmet shops, not the Greenmarket. But although some farmers take off for the season after Thanksgiving and others come only through Christmas, there's still plenty to shop for at the market this winter. Look for the following hardy offerings when the weather is above freezing.

Fashion writers may be buzzing about the spacebots and froth of spring, as this trend feature attests, but the look at the Greenmarket is all earmuffs and fingerless gloves. This season's curvaceous pears, potatoes, and cabbages continue to turn heads.

Watermelon and winter squash face off at the market this week: Summer melons will soon be a memory, but the earthy-sweet flavors of fall foods like squash and apples are coming into their own. And don't forget the pumpkins.