I swear it was only a few days ago when I picked up that packet of lettuce seeds and read the label. I was dreaming of fresh spring lettuce, and knew that with a little work and a little time, dreams would come true.

If only I had gotten to that “little work.”

If you didn’t get around to planting any greens this year either, and now you’re craving a fresh and local salad, no worries. We’ve found area growers with the goods, an area chef with a heap of suggestions on what to do with them, and a Maine oil and vinegar expert with some great dressings to kick off your early-season salad in fine fashion.

Among the many local farmers raising delicious greens this spring is Keena Tracy of Little Ridge Farm in Lisbon Falls, who grows greens almost year-round for her farm share customers. The cycle starts in late summer when she plants spinach in her unheated hoop house. It’s ready for harvesting from January through May. Then in early spring, when the snow disappears, she begins planting her field greens. “I get them in the field as soon as I can in the spring, usually late April,” says Tracy.

“I love growing lettuce because I get almost instant satisfaction,” she says. “Greens are some of the most beautiful crops I have on the farm. When they grow well, it’s very satisfying.”

As the weather warms, greens make their appearance in abundance at local farmers’ markets. Tasty little leaves with exotic names like arugula, mizuna, mesclun, sorrel and tatsoi. Spinach, kale, chard and mustard greens, too. Some bitter, some bland, some spicy and some tart, all in a variety of textures.

Where else to go for fresh greens? Check out your local farmers market. Your area grocer may carry local, fresh greens. And try these three websites to find local growers near you:

* www.mofga.org

* www.agrilicious.org/local/fresh-lettuce/maine

* www.mainelocavore.org/category/fruit-vegetables/vegetables/leafy/lettuce/

Once you’ve stepped off the iceberg lettuce reservation, what then? An easy first step is to buy a bag of mixed greens and some arugula. If you’re ready for more leafy adventure, Tim O’Brien, chef and owner of Trattoria Athena in Brunswick, offers lots of tips.

“Mix your greens!” he says passionately. “Salads are like little bowls of surprises in the spring. Our palates are finally coming out of hibernation from six months of beets, potatoes, carrots and rutabagas. Just the feel of fresh, tender greens is pleasing.”

He suggests blending spicy greens like mizuna and mustard greens with the stronger flavor of kale and then mixing in the tangy lemon flavor of sorrel to level the flavors out. He dresses these greens with simple vinaigrette and lets the flavor of the vegetables do the work. “One bite may have more mustard greens; one bit may have more sorrel. How those greens work with other components of a salad only keeps the palate more awake and in anticipation of what’s next.”

“Vegetable tops are edible as well,” O’Brien says. “Perhaps my favorite green in the spring is turnip tops. In southern Italy, ‘cime di rapa,’ as they are known, are used prolifically in pestos, salads, sauces and sautes. It’s slightly bitter (which Italians love), but when a squeeze of lemon, a little hot pepper and a drizzle of olive oil hit it, something magical happens.”

O’Brien also suggests radish tops, with their slightly prickly texture and earthy flavor, as a surprising addition to arugula salads.

“Early-season greens are bold, so match those flavors with toasted nuts and hard Italian cheeses like parmigiano-reggiano or piave,” he says. O’Brien suggests then softening the bold flavor combination with honey vinaigrette, which he says is the yin to the earthy, spicy, nutty greens yang.

“A simply honey vinaigrette almost quite literally brings all of the flavors together for one complex, early-spring bite.”

“Finally, don’t be afraid of making pesto without basil,” he adds, explaining that pesto is a word derived from the Italian verb meaning “to crush” and that Italians crush many types of greens, including spinach, which is one of the earliest greens to be harvested because it is so hardy.

O’Brien says one of Trattoria Athena’s favorites “is a spinach pesto. He suggests blanching or sauteing the spinach to eliminate some of the excess water. “We use garlic, spinach, hazelnuts, parmigiano, a touch of lemon, salt, pepper and, of course, extra virgin olive oil.” Another of O’Brien’s popular pestos is one he makes with arugula and walnuts taking the place of spinach and hazelnuts.

So mix them, match them and crush them. And then dress them.

Nancy O’Brien, who is no relation to Tim and who owns Maine-based FIORE Artisan Olive Oils and Vinegars, says her best advice for dressing a salad is to keep it simple.

“Dress your greens lightly, always drizzling the balsamic first, then the oil if you are pouring them separately. That way, the balsamic gets into the greens first, rather than having the balsamic slide right off the oil and into the bottom of the bowl.”

O’Brien has FIORE retail outlets throughout Maine, including inside The Vault wine and beer shop on Lisbon Street in Lewiston, specializing in a variety of olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars.

“Any olive oil, whether a traditional extra virgin olive oil or a flavored olive oil, can make a great dressing. People always ask what the ratio is that we recommend. It is hard to say. You may like more balsamic, I may like more oil. So the first time you make your vinaigrette, add a spoonful at a time, then toss and taste,” she says.

The dressing recipes O’Brien offers here today suggest using arugula, kale, mesclun and spinach, paired with oils and vinegars that range from traditional evoo and raspberry balsamic to such delights as blood orange olive oil and dark chocolate balsamic, and lots in between.

So whether you started your garden early or will rely on someone else this year for your fresh greens, lettuce all praise the locally sourced salad by combining some new leaves with some new dressings that celebrate the taste of spring.

Julie-Ann Baumer lives, cooks, gardens and writes from her home in Lisbon Falls. She is the hostess of the popular Moxie Recipe Contest, this year being held on Saturday, July 11, 2015. You can read more about it at www.moxiefestival.com or follow her on twitter @aunttomato.

Balsamic vinaigrette

Makes 2 cups.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Fiore fig or pomegranate balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons honey

2 small shallots, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup Fiore garlic olive oil

Whisk together the first six ingredients until blended. Gradually whisk in olive oil, blending well.

Store leftover vinaigrette in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Cherry and sunflower kale salad

2 tablespoons Fiore cranberry pear white balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon Fiore mild- to medium-intensity extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1-1/2 cups kale

1/2 cup carrots, thinly sliced

1/4 cup dried cherries

1/4 cup sliced red onion

2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

Add vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper to a large bowl. Stir to combine.

Add kale, dried cherries, carrots, onion and sunflower seeds; toss well.

Mesclun greens with maple vinaigrette

For the vinaigrette:

3/4 cup Fiore maple balsamic vinegar

1 small shallot, minced

2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced

3/4 cup Fiore extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until blended. Keeps for up to two weeks in refrigerator. Right before tossing into salad, whisk briskly.

Salad:

4 cups of mesclun greens

1/4 cup dried cranberries

3 green onions, chopped from white to pale green only

1 cup sweet peas

1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled (feta also works nicely in this salad)

1/2 cup honey-roasted cashews (any candied nut will do)

1/2 to 3/4 cup maple vinaigrette

Toss the greens, cranberries, green onions and peas in a large bowl. Add in the blue cheese and cashews; toss to combine. Slowly add the vinaigrette and toss gently to coat well. Serves 4.

Watermelon, walnuts and arugula salad

3 pounds watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1-1/2 cups arugula

1/3 cup fresh orange juice

3 tablespoons Fiore Persian lime olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons Fiore raspberry balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

In large bowl, toss watermelon with red onion. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, 30 minutes.

Add arugula to the watermelon.

In small bowl, combine the orange juice, 1 tablespoon lime olive oil and the 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar. Pour that dressing over the salad and season with salt and pepper.

Top with mozzarella cheese and walnuts; drizzle with remaining lime olive oil and serve.

Dana’s spinach salad

1/2 cup Fiore blood orange olive oil

1/8 cup Fiore dark chocolate balsamic vinegar

1 shallot, peeled and minced fine

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

4 slices bacon

2 eggs

1 pound fresh spinach

1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

Combine vinegar, salt, pepper and shallot; let stand 5 minutes. (The vinegar is gently “cooking” the shallot, mellowing the flavor). Slowly whisk in olive oil until completely blended. Set aside.

Cook bacon over medium-high heat until evenly browned, in deep skillet. Remove from pan, crumble, set aside. Place eggs in saucepan, completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 7 minutes. Take off heat; cool, peel and cut into wedges.

Wash and remove stems from spinach, dry well and break into pieces. In large salad bowl, put spinach, mushrooms, eggs and bacon pieces. Shake vinaigrette, drizzle over salad ingredients, toss well and serve immediately.

Recipes courtesy of Nancy O’Brien, owner of Maine-based FIORE Artisan Olive Oils and Vinegars.