Memorial Day weekend is often viewed as the unofficial start of Summer. Pools opening, parades, BBQs, maybe even a trip to you local farm or Farmer’s Market. Ask us our opinion on the start of summer and I guess we would say something along the lines of it depends upon the weather. That is the funny thing about farming 12 months of the year. The weeks, months and seasons all have a strange way of bleeding together. We are actively planting and harvesting for one season while our mind is already in the next, attempting to lay the groundwork for a smooth transition. Each season has it’s own bounty and a point where things are plentiful and in their prime. It can be tough to let go of a season as it comes to a close, but it is quite necessary. We must say see you next year to old friends like spinach and usher in the warm weather crops. Time, Mother Nature and the harvest wait for no one, as such we cannot dwell too long in a fleeting season or we run the risk of missing that which is right in front of us.

With our 4th market of the season starting this coming Sunday our opinions about summer’s start are meaningless in the face of the facts. We are pleased to be joining the Chester Farmers Market as a season long guest vendor, Sundays from 10-1. This is the first time in many years that Star Light is doing 4 markets in a season and though perhaps we run the risk of spreading ourselves a bit thin, we also are driven by ambition and the desire to spread the Good Food movement. With the Middlefield location in play we do have room for growth. Though our plan is to slowly and responsibly bring more land in Middlefield into production and so far we have not increased that much. We have to start growing more sometime and the Chester Farmer’s market is an excellent opportunity for just that. Hopefully you will get a chance to join us there, we promise not to tell your usual market we saw you.
As the saying goes seeing is believing and had we not seen it with our very own eyes, we likely wouldn’t believe the success of spud Tuesday. Like some sort of six human powered machine the farmers of SLG, easily accomplished the task of prepping for and planting the remaining 175lbs or so of potatoes. Planting 200lbs of potatoes is nearly unheard of in SLG history, but having all 200lbs in the ground before June is groundbreaking(literally). Ironically, like a cartoon character pulling endless lengths of rope from a bag, as soon as one item is crossed off our pre summer(or is it) to do list, 3 more appear. Having almost too much to get done is a bit of a double edged sword. To grow as much good food as we want there has to be practically more work than hours in the day. Yes, it’s overwhelming at times but it is also juxtaposed with the opportunity to do this work, the good help to accomplish it and the Good Food people behind us supporting all the growers of the Good Food movement.

The week ahead promises to be both beautiful and hot one. We’ll be keeping our hats close by and water bottles full while tackling the tasks of the week. With much progress made on the potato front we want to ensure that the other fruits and veggies are not feeling neglected. As a result the crew will be heading to SLGNW(Middlefield) tomorrow for plant, prep, prune, plant Tuesday. 4XP Tues for short. That will have the tomatoes and cubrits feeling the love but we can’t forget about the rest. With Brassicas(choys/turnips), beets, peppers and eggplant ready to get in the ground and melons and turmeric a step behind those. It will more than likely be a requirement that we spread ourselves a little thin to let our plant progeny know that we are still here for them.
Have a Great week
