An Honor and Opportunity of a Lifetime

The first day of Spring always brings with it such hope and ambition for the coming season.  Appropriately timed with the equinox was an excellent article on the (yes we’re proud) front page of the Sunday Hartford Courant.  For those of you that read our weekly letter you were in the know since last week about the changing of the guard here at Star Light.  Though we obviously knew the story ourselves, seeing all the great pictures and reading the story out loud really brought it home for us.  Reporter and Photographer alike really did a great job so if you get the chance, give it a read.  Our only regret is having only one of the two Star Light Pups in the picture.  Hopefully Clarkie will stop ignoring David some time this week.  We knew this transition makes for a good story, so much like a B list celebrity going out on a Friday night we reached out to the Courant, giving them the first crack at such a heartwarming tale.    

Speaking of Heart Warming, the response we have received from all of you good food people has nearly brought a tear to our eyes.  It felt like nearly every customer at the market came with well wishes, congratulations, a smile and support.  We must sound like a broken record in this regard but we will take the risk of echoing it again.  If it wasn’t for all of you the Good Food People, who support us and others like us none of it would be possible.  The Love, encouragement, understanding and support that is showered upon us week after week is not only the thing that makes this work, but also a source of rejuvenation, inspiration and hope.  It’s the thing that keeps us going when we are covered in sweat and dirt, overworked, tired, but still replanting something that either the deer or the woodchucks got to.  When we contemplate why we do what we do, yes there are many reasons.  However, for us at Star Light Gardens overwhelming the number one thing that keeps us going is the knowledge that what we do is genuinely important and appreciated by our customers.  All the smiles, the thank yous, the compliments on the produce and conversations about bugs, plants and soil truly warm our hearts and allow us to move through the fields with a lightness and grace.

Now we also wanted to comment on our thoughts and intentions for Star Light Gardens going forward.  That is we don’t intend to for things to really change at all.  Yes, we do hope to continue to expand and grow, after all we did expand the acreage.  But in doing so and with all other aspects of the business we intend to stay true to the ideals and values that Ty and David built Star Light Gardens on.  Sheep and all. We couldn’t be more grateful to David for giving us his trust to continue the work he started. As the Courant reports, “next generation” plans aren’t easy to come by. Which is a shame not only for the ready to retire farmers, but the young farmers who can be discouraged by the lack of access. Thankfully for us, our experience as young farmers has been just the opposite. David has given us nothing but encouragement, and has opened his land, his home, and his heart up to us in a way to has allowed us to grow Star Light Gardens, and to grow as people. Being the next generation of Star Light Gardens truly is the honor of a lifetime.