My love affair with the OFM

The Orono Farmers Market always makes me happy.  I think I was one of their first customers back in the day and, at one time, I had a booth with baked goods and appetizer spreads.  The fantastic array of locally grown and produced goods brings together friends, kids and dogs in a weekly celebration of community.  I always arrive with a feeling of expectation.  What new crops have ripened in the gardens of hard-working vegetable farmers.  What cheeses have been produced by our fantastic cheesemakers.  Chicken, eggs, meats, flowers, bread, milk, yogurt, maple syrup - I hardly ever go to the grocery store this time of year.  Well, maybe for toilet paper!  As I wander the stalls, menus begin to form in my mind.  Steak salad with Grassland flank, Peacemeal's greens and Appleton feta?  Pate with Mainely Poultry's chicken livers (never buy chicken liver in the grocery store!) on crusty french bread with a side of unsalted butter and radishes?  What's the weather going to do?  Should I make a rich chowder from Perley's beautiful white cod and  a few scallops or bake the cod with a buttery scallop and garlic scape
dressing on top? Kousky has greenhouse grown zucchini and Snakeroot has cucumbers.    I could slice them thinly lengthwise, spread with Olde Oak chevre mixed with dill and fill  with julienned carrots, green onions and radish. Roll it up for a vegetable sushi.  For dessert I could make another lemon cheesecake like the one being served at the Orono Public Library tonight for Artsapaloosa.  I used cream cheese from Tide Mill Farm purchased through the Orono Local Buying Club (more on this later) with farm fresh eggs, Olde Oak yogurt and lemon peel.  Schartner's strawberries mixed with a touch of limoncello on top?  Evermay Nursery still has beautiful plants and hanging baskets on sale.
I'll ask Kathryn what I should put in that shady bed I dug out next to the garden shed. It's going to be a great day regardless of the weather.  Better get cooking!