What’s in Season in Maine

The first apples usually become available in mid- to late-August, and the season really picks up in September. Hundreds of apple varieties grow in Maine, so be sure to step outside the supermarkets and discover the flavors of unusual varieties! Find local apples at orchards, roadside stands, farmers' markets, and in stores. Remember to keep apples cold, and if you're storing them for more than a few days, be sure to put them inside a plastic bag to keep them fresh.

Asparagus is a perennial vegetable that takes several years to get established, but which can live for many years if cared for properly. It’s one of the earliest “hefty” vegetables to market, and is highly sought after by food lovers.

Look for firm, bright green spears. Chop the stem ends off the bunch and plunge them in a jar of water like a bouquet of flowers. Cover them loosely with a bag and store in the fridge. But don’t keep them too long! Cook and enjoy today’s asparagus today, then get more for tomorrow. See our post, Asparagus, One of Spring’s Greatest Treats post for delicious recipes.

Dry beans typically are harvested and processed in Maine in October. They can often be found in farm stands and farmers' markets beginning in the fall. Many supermarkets carry Maine-produced dry beans as well. Because they store well, they are easy to keep on hand year round. Store them in a jar in a cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight. They are high in fiber and protein, and double in size when cooked, making them the perfect food to keep on hand for healthy meals.

Beets are a popular root vegetable. Many people enjoy eating fresh beet greens as well. (Try cooking them as you would spinach!) Local beets are widely available at farm stands, farmers' markets, and some grocery stores. They will store in the fridge for weeks - just slip them into a bag in your produce drawer. Try this recipe for beet and carrot salad for a side dish perfect for summer picnics and fall lunches!

Bok choy is a sturdy green leafy vegetable that is most widely available in the fall (though it can be found in spring and summer). It is a variety of cabbage, with substantial stalks at the base of the leaves (i.e. it does not form a head). Bok choy has good body and a mild flavor, and is excellent for steaming or braising. Find it at farmers' markets and local groceries, looking for crisp, unblemished leaves. Store it dry in a plastic bag in the fridge, and it should stay fresh for about a week. For a light meal made with bok choy, try this Asian Noodle Salad from Cheryl Wixson's Kitchen.

Did you know that broccoli is an important Maine crop? Maine's cool summers yields beautiful broccoli, much of which is shipped to grocery stores out of state. Look for locally grown broccoli at farm stands and farmers' markets. Keep broccoli in the refrigerator, and plan to use it within a week or so for maximum freshness. Try this easy grilled broccoli recipe for a fantastic summer side dish!

Brussels sprouts are a favorite winter vegetable. Their flavor improves with the cold weather, and they are harvested into late November. Look for firm, brightly colored sprouts, and store them in a bag in the refrigerator, where they will keep for 2+ weeks. Find Maine-grown Brussels sprouts in farm stores, farmers' markets, and local groceries. Serve them grated in fresh salads, steamed, or (best of all) roasted in the oven for a sweet, caramelized finish.

Cabbage is a versatile vegetable that stores well and is commonly available throughout the winter. When cold and crisp, it can be chopped finely to add to salads (not just coleslaw!). Use it to wrap other foods, or chop it for a stir fry or to add to soup. Look for dark purple cabbage for a change, or for other varieties, such as Napa, for even more options in the kitchen. Maine-grown cabbage can be found readily at farm stands through the fall, then at farmers' markets and local groceries all winter.

Sweet, nutritious carrots straight from the ground are a special summer treat. Look for tender baby carrots sold in bunches at farmers’ markets and farm stands in early summer. (Add the greens to your next batch of pestos for a bright flavor twist.) They are excellent to eat raw as snacks, or serve as crudite as a summer barbecue. Raw or cooked carrots make a flavorful addition to salad, or served lightly steamed carrots with a drizzle of Maine maple syrup or local honey for an extra sweet side. Come fall, mature carrots make hearty additions to cold-weather comfort foods. They keep well in the crisper drawer in the fridge and are available year-round.

Cauliflower is a crop that does well in cool temps, and thrives here in Maine. Find local cauliflower at farm stands, farmers' markets, and local groceries. When shopping for locally grown cauliflower, look for special varieties, like the bright purple "Graffiti," or the lime green "Veronica" (both pictured).

Whether you crave fresh cheeses, sharp cured selections, or flavorful blue cheese, you’ll find local selections year round. Cheeses from cows, goats, and even water buffalo (hello, mozzarella) are all made right here in Maine. Find them in specialty shops, grocery stores, farm stores, and farmers’ markets.

Learn more from the Maine Cheese Guild.
https://mainecheeseguild.org

Corn on the cob is a quintessential summer food. Typically it is available starting in late July through August. Look for fresh ears, recently picked. The husks should be soft and green. Keep corn cold, and plan to cook and serve it the same day you purchase it, if possible! Local corn is widely available at farm stands, farm stores, farmers' markets, co-ops, and some supermarkets. Try a few varieties to find your favorite, but no matter what, remember to buy the freshest you can find and serve it as soon as possible! Try this easy grilled corn recipe from Cheryl Wixson's Kitchen.

There are more than 150 licensed breweries in Maine (search for one here), more than 24 wineries, almost 20 cideries, and 17 distilleries (check out the Maine Distiller’s Map). Whether you’re a Mainer looking for a way to make a gathering more delicious and memorable, or a visitor looking for a true taste of Maine, ask for locally crafted specialty beverages! You’ll find them available at supermarkets, specialty stores, farm stores, and even some farmers’ markets.

Delicious, tart Maine cranberries typically are harvested in September and October and become available in time for the holidays. They are a rugged little berry that stores well in the refrigerator. Another option is to wash and air dry the berries, then freeze them in a bag for use throughout the coming year. Think about adding cranberries to all your baked goods (such as scones and muffins). They also are a delightful addition to savory dishes like stuffings and sauces. Find fresh Maine cranberries in farmers' markets, farm stores, and supermarkets.

Cucumbers are a summer favorite, and locally grown varieties can easily be found at farm stands, farmers’ markets, and some grocery stores. Cucumbers keep well in the refrigerator. When purchasing directly from the farmer, let them know what you’re planning to do with your cucumbers (eat fresh? make pickles?) so they can recommend which variety to choose.

Cooking with the family? Try this kid-friendly recipe for smashed cucumber salad from Maine SNAP-Ed.

Eggplant loves hot temperatures, and typically becomes available in Maine in August. Look for firm, shiny fruits. They come in many shapes and sizes, and can be quite beautiful! Farmers' markets are a great source for a variety of eggplants. Slice them to cook on the grill, or add one to our favorite ratatouille recipe. Store eggplants well wrapped in the fridge, in a plastic container or bag, and they will keep for a week or more.

Local eggs are available year round, but are particularly easy to find in spring and summer. You’ll find them in farm stands, farmers’ markets, specialty shops, and even some supermarkets.

Maybe your neighbors will even be selling fresh eggs! It’s perfectly legal for hobbyists and homesteaders to sell their eggs in Maine, as long as they have fewer than 3000 birds and abide by certain safety practices and other rules, such as not labeling their eggs as “Grade A certified” or such terms.

Locally raised eggs tend to be fresher than those you find in the supermarket or big box store, since the commercial eggs have to be processed and trucked in. Therefore local eggs likely will stay fresh longer. Many farms and hobbyists who keep chickens also treat them quite differently than birds in commercial egg factories. Farm and backyard chickens often spend quite a lot of time outdoors, and eat a diverse diet that may include things like kitchen scraps, garden trimmings, and insects. This diverse diet leads to eggs that tend to have a much more vibrant color to the yolk, and many people claim such eggs taste much better as well.

When shopping for eggs, keep in mind that there may be significant variation in price. If eating organic is important for your family, then seek out certified organic eggs, and expect to pay a premium. But it pays to ask the keeper of the chickens what their practices are. Perhaps they keep their birds on pasture, and feed them organically, but aren’t certified organic. Perhaps they feed a commercial diet, but still allow their birds to roam a yard, and the humane treatment is worth paying a bit more for you. If you’re shopping on a tight budget, there are options for commercially raised (confined) chicken eggs from Maine producers, too.

Also, don’t overlook other types of eggs! Duck eggs are particularly popular with bakers for their richness. (They are also considerably larger than chicken eggs, so baking with duck eggs requires recipe adaptation!) You’ll even find Maine quail, peahen, and even emu eggs available as specialty items!

Whether you're looking for wreaths, swags, kissing balls, or Christmas trees, they abound in Maine in November and December. Be sure to ask the vendor whether they are Maine-grown to ensure you are purchasing a fresh, local product. Find them at pop-up displays in almost every town and at farm stores, farmers' markets, and other retail sites. Keep them cool and humidified and they will beautify your home right through the holiday season!

Whatever the season, working with quality fiber products is rewarding. Yarns, fleeces, and felted materials are beautiful additions to a home, and can be used for quality handwork and hobbies. Yarn aficionados will delight in vibrant skeins dyed with traditional techniques, and sheepskins are popular gifts for people of all ages. These products are available year round in specialty shops, festivals, and farmers’ markets.

Despite a cool spring, Maine farmers are expecting a robust flower season this year. Locally raised flowers come to you fresh from the field, often from within 100 miles of the store or market. Look for them at farmer’ markets, specialty markets, and farm stands. A bouquet of Maine-grown flowers makes a thoughtful hostess or get-well gift, and will brighten up any socially-distanced gathering!

Maine farmers typically harvest their garlic crops in July, after the long, slender, aromatic leaves start to brown. The fresh bulbs are dried and cured so that they will store well. Local garlic can be purchased at farm stands, farmers' markets, co-ops, and local stores. Gardeners purchase local seed garlic in September and October for fall planting.

Garlic scapes are the curly tops of garlic plants. Slightly less pungent than garlic bulbs, they can be chopped and sprinkled on salads or casseroles. Or try whizzing them up in the food processor with olive oil, salt, nuts, and some parmesan cheese for a delicious pesto. Find a quick and easy recipe from Epicurious here: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/pasta-with-garlic-scape-pesto-395769

Gourds are plentiful at farm stands, farmers' markets, and local stores starting in late August. They are sold as fall decorations (not for eating) and are available in a huge variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and textures. Gourds can be used as decorations inside or out, and typically will last a into the fall if kept fairly cool and dry.

Maine farmers grow a variety of grains, including hops for brewing and grains commonly used for baking flour. Learn more about the regional grain industry in this July 2020 NYT article, and learn about Skowhegan's Maine Grains in this article from DownEast Magazine.

Beloved by Maine gardeners, green beans are a tasty summer vegetable, whether cooked or raw. They are easy to find at grocery stores, farm stands, farm stores, and farmers’ markets and keep well in the fridge. Snipping the ends off the beans can be accomplished with a chef’s knife and a cutting board, or can be assigned to kids or other helpers as a summer afternoon chore. Try them raw with dip, or chop them to add to soups and casseroles or a summer salad. Or, grab some fresh garlic (usually harvested in July in Maine) and make this savory side dish of Buttery Garlic Beans.

Herbs are plentiful in spring, summer, and fall. You’ll find them in bunches, almost like small bouquets, at farmers’ markets, farm stands, and in the grocery aisle. Fresh herbs add nuance to your cooked dishes and can also be chopped and added to salads or used to garnish any meal. Most herbs can be kept in a glass of water on the counter or in the fridge, where you’ll see them often and remember to put them to use. Expect fresh herbs to last a week or more if stored properly.

Favorites to look for:

• Thyme: The tiny leaves of the thyme plant are easy to strip from the twiggy branches. Thyme is a good addition to savory dishes like grilled meats and stews. There are many varieties, and lemon scented is commonly available - great to accompany fish. Any thyme variety makes a good addition to salad or salad dressing.
• Basil: Heat-loving basil often doesn’t start thriving in Maine gardens until July, but is plentiful in farmers’ hoophouses. A big bunch will make you kitchen smell divine! Chop it to top vegetables, add at the last minute to pasta dishes, tear it into salads, or chop it finely to sprinkle on watermelon slices for a new flavor combination. Sweet basil, with its large, oval, shiny green leaves, is the most common, but look for others, like purple ruffle and Thai basil.
• Rosemary: This plant looks like an evergreen shrub, and indeed is evergreen in the Middle East. It’s incredibly fragrant, and adds an earthy, scented flavor to meat dishes. Remove the “needles” and chop finely to add to marinades and bread crumb toppings. Rosemary is also a delicious topping for focaccia and other breads - with a little olive oil, the bread becomes a delicious side for any meal.

Also known as cultivated blueberries, these berries grow on bushes that are typically several feet tall. Highbush blueberries are larger than wild blueberries, and bushes typically have fruit at different stages of ripeness, ready to be picked by hand. Highbush blueberries are often incorporated into diverse farms, and may be found all over Maine (whereas wild blueberries grow on barrens, and are often found along the coast and Down East). Maine cultivated blueberries are available for pick-your-own, and at farm stands, farmers' markets, and grocery stores.

There are more than 1200 licensed beekeepers in Maine, and many create specialty honeys. The types of flowers bees use for nectar influences the flavor of the honey they create. For example, clover honey is usually light amber in color and has a mild, delicate flavor. Buckwheat honey is usually dark brown in color and has a strong malty flavor. Look for these and other unique honeys at specialty shops, farm stores, farm stands, and farmers’ markets.

If you’re not already a kale lover, now is the season! Kale is one of the most cold-tolerant greens, and overwinters fairly reliably in Maine when provided with some winter cover. Therefore you’ll start seeing fresh kale in markets even in winter. By early spring, it’s easy to find fresh, local baby kale. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Baby kale leaves (usually just 2-3 inches long) are soft and mild enough to eat raw in salads.
• Kale leaves hold up well to cooking: toss them in a stir-fry, and they will add flavor, body, and nutrients! Just strip out the thick stems. (Consider chopping them and cooking first, so they have a chance to soften.)
• Large kale leaves also make great additions to salads! The key is to “massage” them. This is simple to do: just remove the stems, tear up the leaves to bite-sized pieces, then rub and squish the leaves in your hands until they are soft and pliable. The massaged kale will be tasty, soft, and the perfect texture to mix with other salad ingredients like beans, cheese, and herbs.

Leeks are a traditional fall vegetable (they can be harvested even after a frost), perfect for making rich soups and stews, adding to roasted vegetables, or garnishing main dishes and salads. With a mild, onion-y flavor and beautiful texture, leeks add variety to any meal. Be sure to keep them refrigerated, and use them promptly. Another key to enjoying leeks is to wash them thoroughly. Find Maine-grown leeks at farm stands, farmers' markets, and local stores starting in late August.

“Four season farming” is a technique that has been utilized by Maine farmers for decades. It’s a technique that involved providing protections to crops, but not heat, to protect them during the winter. Farmers can keep some hardy greens growing all winter, and get others started under cover early in the season, just as soon as the days start getting longer in February and March. Soft, fluffy salad greens are cold-sensitive, but often start appearing in markets in March, much earlier than in home gardens. Local greens are usually sold by weight, and are a good value for the money, especially when compared to commercially packaged, imported salad greens in plastic boxes at supermarkets.

You’ll likely find both “mild” and “spicy” mixes. The former will blend well in any salad or sandwich. A spicy mix contains flavorful greens like arugula and mustard which have a little kick. These are delicious in salads, and also pair well with warm dishes like quiches.

Preparing fresh salad greens takes very little work. Plunge them in a bowl of cold water and stir them well with your hands, then pull them out, shake, and dry on a clean towel. Alternatively, plunge them in a bowl of water in a “salad spinner,” rinse the greens in the basket, and spin. The stems of young greens are completely edible, but you may want to pull off long stems to make the greens easier to eat, and tear any larger leaves into bite-sized pieces.

Store your farm-fresh greens in a plastic bag in the fridge. They will keep for a week or more under the right conditions.

Although lobster and seafood are integral to the Maine food scene, they are not agricultural products. Since lobsters aren't ag products, you won't find them on the Real Maine website! To learn more about the beloved Maine lobster, where to find them, and explore intriguing recipes, visit seafoodfrommaine.com or  lobsterfrommaine.com.

No kitchen should be without a bottle of Maine maple syrup. It keeps well in the refrigerator, adding a distinctly maple flavor to breakfast foods, desserts, and savory dishes alike. Try it in place of honey in salad dressing, or as a topping for vanilla ice cream for an easy and luxurious dessert for family and friends!

Maple syrup is made in the early spring when the sun starts to warm up in Maine, and the sap in the trees starts running.

Besides maple syrup, maple sugar candy and maple butter are traditional treats that pack an incredible flavor punch and make excellent gifts.

Fresh, frozen, and cured meat and poultry raised in Maine is available year round. Meat processed in a USDA or state-inspected facility may be sold to the public in Maine, and is offered for sale in specialty shops, grocery stores, farm stores, and farmers’ markets. Some farmers also sell whole portions of butchered animals for those with significant freezer space. Learn more about this option from the UM Cooperative Extension bulletin, “What to Expect When Buying Freezer Beef.”

Maine dairy farmers work every day, year round. Milk from Maine dairy farms can be purchased directly at some farm stores, specialty shops, and farmers’ markets.

Also look for Maine-produced milk in the supermarket dairy aisle. You can find out where the milk in a commercially packaged carton came from by looking at the code. Dairy product packages have number codes that tell the state (first two numbers) where they were processed; the rest tells the processing plant. Codes for New England states are Maine, 23; N.H., 33; Mass., 25; Conn., 09; R.I., 44; Vt., 50. By entering the complete code on the milk carton here you can also learn where the milk was processed.

Learn about the 12 Easy Ways to Use Milk.

Locally grown mushrooms are available year round at farmers’ markets, farm stands, and grocery stores. The varieties available are diverse. Most commonly available are domestically raised mushrooms (you can also purchase kits to grow your own at home). If you’re lucky, you might find some foraged mushrooms for sale, such as the popular hen-of-the-woods.

Learn more about hen-of-the-woods at Cheryl Wixson’s Kitchen.

Savory onions are a fixture in most kitchens. Fresh, delicate onions are available beginning in June. Later in the season larger onions appear. These are often dried for storage, and will be available all winter. Find Maine-grown new summer onions and storage onions at farmers' markets, farm stands, and grocery stores. Store them in a cool, dry, dark place. (Keep your onions well away from potatoes, though, or gases from the onions will make the potatoes sprout.) Ask the farmer about flavor differences and cooking suggestions.

Parsnips look rather like carrots, but are sweeter in flavor (and a little tougher, so they are best served cooked, not raw). Typically they are left in the ground after the first frost, and sometimes all winter, as they grow sweeter with the freezing weather. Look for local parsnips at farmers' markets, farm stores, and local groceries. Usually they start to turn up in November, and will be available all winter and into the spring. (Some people particularly love parsnips that have over-wintered in the ground and been dug in early spring!) They store very well when stored in a plastic bag in the fridge (just be careful that they are dry before you store them). Roast them, steam them, add them to soups, or mash them into your mashed potatoes... the possibilities for this sweet root vegetable are almost endless.

Broadly speaking, there are three types of peas: tradition shell peas, which are pulled from the pod like separate little marbles; snow peas, which are eaten pod and all (with the peas just tiny little nubs inside the pod); and sugar snap peas, which have bigger peas inside, but with edible pods. Just to be clear: they are all delicious. And none of them are available for long. If you see them and are available, buy them, bring them home, and eat them right away!

Elite French restaurants cook shell peas lightly, then peel each individual pea. As luxurious as that may be in the end, we do not recommend this treatment. We recommend purchasing freshly picked peas, bringing them home, giving them a rinse, and serving them that night. Whether eaten raw from the shell, or lightly cooked (lightly cooked) and added to pastas, salads, or other dishes, you can’t go wrong.

Snow peas and sugar snap peas are excellent for summer stir fries. They too need very little cooking, and are best eaten very fresh.

If you are fortunate enough to have young helpers to shell the peas, you can be even more creative! (We suggest supplying the child/children with a long-lasting lollipop so as not to lose too many peas in the process.) This recipe for green pea hummus is delicious, very nutritious, family friendly, and pretty to look at.

Sweet peppers come in many colors! Ask your farmer about flavor variations to choose the best variety for your recipe. Red and yellow peppers make colorful additions to any salad. Try slicing up the crispest peppers for a snack for kids. Maine-grown peppers are widely available at farm stands, farmers' markets, and local grocers, usually beginning in late July. For a special treat, you may find vendors roasting peppers over a gas flame at your farmers' market! Peppers keep well in the refrigerator.

From the earliest spring blooms through the fall decorating season and winter holidays, Maine’s nurseries and greenhouses offer locally-grown plants to brighten your garden, home, and business. Pick up vegetable and flower seedlings through early summer. Perennials and shrubs are available all season long. Come fall, turn to local growers for your fall decorative foliage plants and mums.

Maine potatoes are available year round at your supermarket (look for Maine on the label, or on a tag along the bottom seam of the package, or ask your grocer), and are also widely available at farm stands and farmers’ markets. There are many varieties from which to choose, and it pays to be selective. (Russets are perfect for baking, and red potatoes for boiling. Learn more here.) Potatoes are affordable, versatile, nutritious, and long lasting (just be sure to store them in a cool, dry, dark location, and do not store near onions.) By mid summer there will be plenty of “new potatoes” available. These small red and white potatoes are perfect for almost any dish, from boiling for salad to roasting on the grill.

Traditionally the Maine Building on the Avenue of the States at the Eastern States Exposition is a destination for baked potatoes each September. The Maine Potato Board serves baked potatoes to thousands of eager fair-goers each year. Visit our blog for our recipe for twice-baked potatoes, a perfect dish for a light summer Maine main course!

Whether for cooking or decorating, locally-grown pumpkins abound beginning in September. Find them at farm stands, farmers' markets, and local stores. If you're looking for baking pumpkins, consider shopping at a farmers' market, so you can check out different varieties and ask the growers for recommendations!

This kicky little root vegetable is delicious fresh and raw straight from the farm stand. Just rinse, slice, and add to salads and side dishes. Another delicious way to serve radishes is to slice them into slabs (French breakfast radishes work well this way), spread on some creamy butter, and add a dash of salt. Or toss them with some olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast them along with similarly sized vegetables (such as potatoes and carrots) for a fresh, early-summer medley! You can’t go wrong with this affordable, easy to find vegetable.

Raspberries ripen in the heat of summer, and are relatively easy to find in Maine in late July and August. The fruit is somewhat fragile, so find a local farmer and bring the berries right home! They are wonderful eaten fresh, or bake them into an old-fashioned pie. Whatever you do, keep the berries cool and eat them quickly! Fresh raspberries don't keep long... but they are so delicious that won't be a problem.

Rhubarb is notable for its large, luxurious leaves. They are inedible, so in farm stands and markets you’ll find the stems trimmed of their leaves. Look for large, firm stalks, but know that different varieties range in color from mostly green to deep red. 

Rhubarb is a classic early summer food in New England. Due to its association with sweet desserts, it’s often thought of as a fruit, but rhubarb is a perennial vegetable. The ruby red stalks are among the first plants to emerge in many home gardens, and if given reasonable care, the plants will survive decades, whether in a home garden or farm yard. Find fresh rhubarb stalks in bunches at farm stands, farmers’ markets, and supermarkets. Wrap rhubarb in damp paper towels and store in a bag in the fridge, where the stems will stay fresh for a week or so. (The ends of each piece might split and curl, but that’s fine, and those parts are still perfectly usable.) Rhubarb also freezes very well, so buy some to wash, chop, and freeze for later in the summer and fall!

“As energizing as an early June dip in Casco Bay”

Portland Press Herald columnist Peggy Grodinsky wrote in 2019, “Like cranberries, lemon and sumac (other ingredients I find it a pleasure to cook with), rhubarb offers a sour wallop in an American diet that has, at times, skewed sweet. It brings balance and interest to many an otherwise one-note dessert and liveliness to many a savory dish. After a winter diet of braised, brown, mellow foods that make one want to nap, it’s as energizing as an early June dip in Casco Bay.” Whether you’re a rhubarb fan or a sceptic, you’ll enjoy Peggy’s story about “the great rhubarb war,” which includes fun rhubarb facts. (Also, be sure not to miss her colleague Meredith Goad’s “Confessions of a Rhubarb Hater.”

Savory scallions (also known as “spring onions”) are a favorite early-season vegetable that is typically available all summer long. Both the greens and the white bulbous ends are edible. Consider chopping them finely to use as a garnish, or lightly cook the white, firmer part in any dish that calls for a crisp, oniony bite. Cleaned, wrapped in a damp paper towel, and stored in a bag in the fridge, scallions will stay fresh for a few days. Find them in specialty shops and farmers’ markets.

There’s a good reason Popeye loved spinach - it’s packed with nutrition! And because it is quite hardy, it’s one of the first local greens you’ll find in the markets, and maybe in your own garden. Spinach can be chopped and added to any cooked dish to add flavor, nutrition, and fiber. Throw handfuls in your morning smoothie, chop finely to slip into lasagna, or chop to add to your morning eggs. The flavor is mild enough that it will blend with your other ingredients.

Look for bright green, crisp leaves of spinach. They might range from just a few inches to larger than the palm of your hand. Keep them in a plastic bag in the fridge, and leaves will probably stay fresh a week or more. Always give them a good rinse before use.

Besides using in salads and adding to cooked recipes, consider using spinach for a creative side dish! Try chopping some bright spring fruit, such as cherries or rhubarb, and add to a hot skillet with a little olive oil. Add a sprinkle of salt, and a dash of red pepper flakes to taste. Cook until softened, then add a generous splash of dry white wine and your chopped spinach. Stir the spinach into the steaming mixture just until softened, then serve alongside your favorite grilled meats, fish, or on rice!

Winter squash are durable, long-lasting, affordable, versatile, and delicious vegetables that are widely grown in Maine. Shop at farmers' markets for the most selection, and ask the grower for recommendations! Each squash type has different flavors and uses. Winter squash may be purchased at farm stands and local stores as well, and can be stored for months if kept cool and dry. Butternut squash is always a favorite - try it in this squash pie recipe!

The strawberry season is short and sweet. In fact, it’s so short that we recommend eating fresh strawberries for breakfast, lunch, and dinner while they are in season! Scatter some on your morning cereal, add some to your lunch salad, and bake biscuits in a casserole full of sweetened berries for dinner. How can you go wrong? Strawberries freeze very well, so consider preparing plenty of fresh berries for the freezer as well, to enjoy throughout the coming months.

Fresh, local strawberries are typically available at farmers’ markets, roadside stands, and some grocery stores in June and early July. (Some farms grow special varieties that produce later in the season, but the big harvest is early summer.) Many Mainers rely on pick-your-own farms to source quantities of berries in season. Most PYO strawberry growers will still be open this season, but will be taking extra precautions due to the coronavirus pandemic. Be sure to check the social media and/or web pages for your favorite farm for new policies. This year plan to focus on picking quickly and efficiently, then getting home to enjoy the bounty with friends and family!

Home gardeners typically plant summer squashes in early June and start harvesting vegetables later in July. Farmers get an earlier start, and begin harvesting zucchini, yellow squash, and patty pan squashes in June. These soft-skinned vegetables are perfect for summer dining: affordable, easy to prepare, and lightly flavored, summer squash goes with all your favorite summer dishes. Cut a few into slabs, add oil and seasoning, and cook them on the grill along side your main course. Grilled squash makes a tasty side dish, and can also form the basis for a light salad or grain bowl for lunch. Summer squash also makes a tasty addition to stir fries, or cut in chunks and lightly steamed. Find a wide variety of these summer vegetables at farmers’ markets, farm stands, and your local co-op.

Sweet potatoes are widely grown in Maine, and are typically harvested in October. After harvesting they are cured, then are available at farmers' markets, farm stores, through winter CSAs, and in local groceries. Look for sweet potatoes with smooth, unblemished skin. Store them in a cool, dark place (not in the refrigerator) and they will keep well for much of the winter. They may be baked, steamed, or roasted, much like regular white potatoes, but are particularly rich in fiber and vitamins. For a warming winter dish, try this vegan peanut stew (feel free to swap out the collard greens for Maine-grown kale or cabbage, which are easy to find in the winter!).

Summer's heat brings tomato season! Typically fresh tomatoes start to appear in farm stands and farmers' markets in mid- to late-July, and are available into the fall. Tomatoes that are mass-produced are round and red, but have little else in common with a farm-grown, vine-ripened fruit. When shopping from local farms, you'll find a wide variety of tomatoes in a range of colors and flavors, from sun gold to Prudens purple. If possible, ask the farmer to suggest their favorites, and to give you tips on which variety is best suited to your meal plans. In general, common types of tomatoes are "cherry" tomatoes (small, sweet, early to ripen), "paste" tomatoes (less pulp, good for cooking), and "slicer" tomatoes (large, juicy, and sweet). Vine-ripened tomatoes are fragile, so treat them gently to avoid bruising. Store them at room temperature (avoid refrigeration) and eat them promptly.

Fresh melons typically start to be available in Maine in the heat of August, and last through September if the weather is warm. Watermelons and other melons can be stored on the kitchen counter for a day or so, but for longer storage, wrap them well and place in the fridge. Find local melons at farm stands, farmers' markets, and co-ops and specialty stores.

Maine’s state fruit is the delicious, nutritious and native wild blueberry.  Wild blueberries have grown in Maine and Eastern Canada for 10,000 years.  Don’t mistake them for the big cultivated blueberries you find year-round in the produce aisle.  Rather, the sweeter and smaller wild blueberries are wild by nature and are not planted.  They flourish in the acidic soils of the fields and “barrens” of mid-coast and Downeast Maine.  Wild blueberry growers have managed the crop commercially for over 150 years, with some families growing for three or more generations.  Wild blueberries also pack a punch nutritionally and contain more antioxidants than regular blueberries.  You can find fresh wild blueberries in Maine and New England each August during harvest, or enjoy them frozen all year long in your grocery’s freezer section.  Learn more at wildblueberries.com and wildblueberryheritagecenter.org.

Maine wines are always in season! There are many types of wine to experience, from traditional grape wines, to fruit wines (think pear and apple), to emerging blueberry wines. Find them at your favorite liquor store, state agency store, or specialty market. Also consider exploring the Maine Wine Trail. An unusual, Maine-produced wine will add flavor to any meal or special occasion!