Star Light Gardens

Probably the most common thing we hear from folks who talk to us about growing food is the phrase, “that’s a lot of hard work”. And let there be no misconceptions, it certainly is. In fact the only phrase which may be truer than how much work farming is, would be the phrase “we just could not do it alone”. Because all the equipment, land, experience and off season preparation amounts to almost nothing if you don’t have a solid farm crew with boots on the ground, sweating and putting in the hours that make this Good Food Thing a reality. Of course it isn’t just out in the fields or in the wash pack or the nursery, it’s also at all of the markets too. After all you can have the most incredible harvest of all time but a truly successful farmer must not only grow but sell as well. Having a great crew for all the markets as many of you know and have seen it arguably as essential as on farm.

This past week was the final week for our first crew member of the season to leave. Trisha a dedicated home gardener herself, joined us this May and as it always seems to do time flew right by and with the end of August came the end of her season. We want to take the time to thank her and our entire crew both on farm and at markets for all their hard work and good energy this season. Huge shout out to Adrianna, Bowen, Fig, Jessie, Madison, Sam, Schandra and Trisha for all the hard work this season. People at the markets always comment on just how good our food is and surely all the hard work, love of the food and good vibes that the crew puts in each week helps our veg shine just a bit brighter. Being as busy as a farm still is this time of year we have to put the larger end of season celebration off a few months but still wanted to do something on Trisha’s last day. So with 45 minutes left of the day it was time to stop and head down the road to the local ice cream shop for some sweet treats, laughs and appreciation. Of course we had to bring the administrative staff Sid and Annie who have been buried in paperwork all Summer long. We figured they deserved a couple of pup cups for all their hard work and after all they are never ones to miss a staff party.

Now with August all but behind us and a slightly smaller crew, we must stay steadfast as we prepare for the season’s transition. It is already in the air, the leaves and of course the dwindling daylight hours. Fall is not far off and with it, seemingly as fast as Summer’s end will inevitably be Winter. It’s time to set up lights so we can work in the twilight without the aid of headlamps or poorly placed cell phone flashlights. Time to dust off the overalls, heavy boots and try to find our Winter hats. It of course is also time to plant plant plant. It’s a strange urgency that begins to set in this time of year. The type that goes with something that’s been looming in the background all along but that you’re not quite ready to accept. However no matter where we stand with it, the seasons are changing and the wisest choice is to embrace it.

Have a Great Week

Something that we all must experience this time of year is that inevitable feeling of looking back over the past couple of months and asking one’s self”where did the Summer go?” Unfortunately this is a bit of a rhetorical question, that carries with it some heavy emotions. That inherent sadness that comes with the end of Summer as if some instinctual part of human nature or perhaps just a hearkening back to that days of youth, when September loomed around the corner shattering any dreams of an endless Summer. And though as farmers in the heat of the season we are fondly thinking of the cooler days to come, we still find our selves wide eyed and wiping a tear away as we look back on the season and all that was and could have been.

However, as we all very well know, time and the harvest wait for no one. So as much as we as four season growers love to exist with with one foot in both seasons, as the day light fades our footsteps shift forward and Summer growing must again become a thing of fireside dreams. So as you could imagine it is go go go on all things Fall, the cucumbers, squash, tomatoes and other hot weather seeds are being put away for the year and replaced with things like spinach and claytonia. With around 15 high tunnels under our management we must now begin the difficult decision of when to pull the Summer crops and begin to convert said tunnels back to Winter growing mode. The first couple of choices will be easy, the early cubrit and tomato tunnels planted back in April have certainly run their course. After that it will get a bit tougher to chose. Is it tomatoes, peppers or eggplant that are next on the chopping block? Luckily as the nights get cooler and longer the urgency to plant will make those choices easier each day.

Of course Summer in and of itself is not over for nearly a month and the main season bounty will continue to roll in. We are continuing the tomato sales from last week, so if you missed out or just want more tomatoes you are in luck. In addition to these sales if anyone is interested in purchasing “2nds tomatoes” for any even lower per pound price feel free to reach out. Now it hasn’t been just an abundant Summer harvest wise, it too has certainly been an abundant Summer of Good Food People at all of the markets and we couldn’t be more honored to grow for you. Yesterday in fact was the first really rainy market of the season and in spite of the downpours many of you champions of Good Food still came out to show your love and support. Which we are especially grateful for on bad weather days. Luckily this week is looking to be a beautiful one and heck before the Fall routine gets into full swing, come to the markets and embrace Summer’s last days.

Have a Great Week

The countdown to the unofficial end of Summer has begun and as bitter sweet as it is we are finding ourselves waiting for some cool and shorter days. But before then, late August has a few more items to go on it’s to do list until we fully switch over to seeding and planting for the colder months. There is one last round of cukes and squash to get into the ground and later today we will be seeding the last 300 row feet of Winter carrots. These two late Summer tasks in particular are a pretty vivid example of where 4 season growers find themselves, planting one last crop of hot weather plants while also sowing the seeds for Winter harvest, all under the Summer sun.

Another common theme that shows up in the heat of August is the past few months of none stop production and the explosive vegetative growth that comes with it, leaves us feeling a bit buried by the season. As overwhelming as it may feel just like weeding a long row of carrots we must slowly chip away at the work and eventually will come out relatively clean on the other side. This general midseason clean up will take place along side another transformation that will be happening over the next few months, turning the tunnels over once again from Summer jungle, to lush Winter oasis. One look around the farms and it is hard to imagine just how different things will look in a months time.

But hey for the here and now it is Summer and the tomato waterfall continues to flow. We are extending the sales from last week into this week with one small change. The cherry tomato sale this week is for our favorite desert island tomatoes juliet/verona. Versatile, sweet and long lasting this cherry/plum variety truly would be the one tomato to take with you on a three hour tour. So to recap this week online and at the farm stand open hours Friday 3-6 In Middlefield Heirloom tomatoes are 3 pounds for 15$ and Juliet/Verona pints are 2 for 10$. What you have here is the makings for some pretty great sauce and great meals as you power through the last days of August.

Have a Great Week

Perhaps more than any other time of year(though it’s hard to say for sure) in August we find ourselves with our backs up against the wall and so much to do, considering there just isn’t enough time for it all. The tomato Waterfall has official began flowing requiring daily harvest and attention. The time to plant Winter kill cover crops is quickly approaching which needs extra space in the fields and in our heads. Then there is of course planting of veg for the Fall which also need to be done immediately. Today or tomorrow we will be receiving a lot of the seeds for our fall and Winter plantings, and you guessed it they need to be started asap. All of this on top of the regular tasks of weeding, prepping, seeding and harvesting which keeps the Good Food Rolling. Needless to say if you farm and it’s August, you are definitely feeling it, but we know what resolve is needed.

Now that the Tomato Waterfall is here it is time to indulge in a mostly tomato based diet. One look at the crates upon crates of heirlooms and it is easy to see that Jen’s hard work grafting tomatoes in the Winter has paid off. And in celebration of this we are offering a few tomato sales this week. Now these sales are online and Middlefield farm shop only, not at the markets. Pints of sungolds 2 for 10$ and heirlooms tomatoes 3 pounds for 15$. It is a little way for us to show we appreciate our most local customers and share in the tomato abundance together.

There is an old saying that a good snow pack is the poor farmer’s fertilizer, but the smart farmer’s fertilizer is cover crop. If you’re unfamiliar cover cropping is the practice of growing certain plants with the intention of suppressing weeds, to protect and enrich the soil. Not to be harvested and eaten but rather incorporated into the ground. This practice can be quite challenging for small scale intensive growers like ourselves , because simply put, a bed not planted with veg is not going to produce income. This is true in the short term but over time the benefits of cover cropping far outweigh the cost of planting a bed in green manure rather than a food crop.

Of course there is a lot of veg planing going on this time of year too, and currently the star of the show is carrots. If you have shopped with us over the Winter chances are you have had our Winter carrots. Sweet as candy and long lasting we like to say the only thing wrong with winter carrots is that they outshine and ruin it for carrots grown any other time of year. Well as far as planting these carrots the time has arrived with maybe a week or two reaming to successfully seed these sweet Winter beauties. We stocked up on 200k Napoli carrot seeds to ensure we have enough, just in case Joel spills a seed packet.

Have a Great Week

Hard to believe as it may be but here we are in the early days of August looking back and saying where did July go. As if the month flew by in a blur of prepping, planting, sweating, weeding and harvesting and in fact it truly did. But no matter where July has left you or how the greatest month of the year has left you feeling, it is August and we’ve crossed the peak of the Summer season. In terms of growing that means thinking and acting all things Fall and Winter, while all the time keeping a foot in the Summer. One thing that August’s arrival signals is the urgent call to get some of those storage crops out of the ground and properly cured. For us here at SLG since we have fished the 2026 Great Garlic Harvest, we have moved on to the onions and with a considerable urgency considering the wet weather of late. This year we planted nearly 2,000 row feet of onions more than ever before. If you happened to see the red long of Tropea onions at the markets last month than you may have an idea of just how nice the onions are looking this year. Currently there is only one 150 foot bed left in the ground as Joel worked tirelessly into the night getting 30 or so more crates harvested before the rain today.

Of course we are not all just onions, garlic, tomatoes and dirt round here at SLG. We do in fact have a soft side, especially when it comes to our four legged friends. Turn the corner around any bend on the farm and you could be greeted by one of several farm cats, a couple of pups and it’s never hard to hear the loud bah of the sheep grazing on one of their pastures. There was just one problem concerning the sheep, we felt that the flock just was not big enough. Quickly Jen’s mind got to work and it wasn’t long before by utilizing her connections with Beaver Brook farm that we were able to reserve a couple of lambs. Still a bit young at the time we would have to demonstrate patience until they were big enough to come to their new home. Finally the day came two weeks ago and after the Chester Sunday market, Joel drove the farm truck home and Jen headed to Beaver Brook to pick up the babies. Once home they were quite restless which was normal, however we were confident in how secure their enclosure was and were sure they would settle soon. Of course as new animals often do these spry little lambs quickly exploited a hole so small we could not imagine them squeezing through. From there they were into the main sheep pasture but still fenced in and secure, right? Wrong, on the Southern edge of the field a branch had fallen on the fence and the current flock was simply content to stay put so J and J never noticed the breach.

The new lambs however found this in no time and quickly were making their way toward the neighbors, perhaps wanting to befriend their horses and sheep. Luckily those little sheep were making quite a bit of noise as they made there way and Joel knew from the commotion something was amiss. Compared to our full grown sheep a tame lamb is easy enough to scoop up and deposit on the other side of a fence and the new sheep’s journey quickly came to an end. They also did a great job of showing us the weaknesses in their fences and since have been behaved. After a week of separation from the main flock we have now opened the gates and though they are still integrating before long they’ll be one bigger flock. So if your Good Food Journey this week happens to bring you to the farm shop in Middlefield maybe you’ll meet the new lambs, Bunny and Rose.`

Have a Great Week

In the Summer of highlighting farm animals it would be out of the question to let July pass without mentioning another true child of Summer Stella Blue. Arguably the most well known and favorite of the farm cats if you met a cat here at SLG chances are it was Stella. She’s been with us from day one in fact was adopted by Jen a few months before J and J even met. Stella has many roles here on the farm supervisor, HR, pest control, the list goes on and on. Ask anyone who’s met her and they will tell you that she is the sweetest little cat around and this is in fact true. However, under the innocent grey fur exterior lies the heart of a hunter. Stella fully embraces farm cat life whether it’s staying out all night, dining on the occasional rabbit or climbing onto the peak of the high tunnels. She’s about as Star Light Gardens as they come, so if you happen to be swinging by the shop this week and see that sweet Stella Blue say hi.

On the subject of swinging by if you happened through any of the markets the past few weeks the increase in traffic is noticeable. We don’t have to tell any of you here about the power of Good Food, the community it sustains and the food truth it embodies. It is a reciprocal relationship, the basis for society and community, this Good Food Thing we are all a part of. Some though are only just starting to realize the importance of buying local and knowing the growers. At markets the lines have been longer and product selling out faster than is usually the case. We know it can be challenging for those of you who have been along with us for years now on this wild ride. We want to say how much we appreciate patience and understanding during these spikes in business at the markets. After all at one point or another we were all new to the Good Food Scene and beautiful things like this grow because of all the open hearts, minds and arms that this community embodies.

Meanwhile out in the fields things are going a mile a minute and to be honest we couldn’t even slow them down if we wanted. At this point our best bet is to simply hold on tight and go for the ride. The 2026 GGH is nearly complete with the last 4th or so being pulled later this morning. This year’s garlic crop is looking great and showed up online and at the markets this week. In other allium news we have also begun to harvest this year’s main onion crop. It looks to be a tremendous year for onions as well but the work is not done. We still need to harvest and cure the onions in the nursery, then get them stored in proper conditions, so we all can enjoy them for months to come. On the subject of heirlooms if you made it to the markets this past week then you would have noticed that the tomato drip has turned into a trickle and before we can say “tomato basil salad” the waterfall may very well be flowing. In addition to all things Summer the 4 season grower in us is also thinking about Fall and Winter. Our first Spinach seeds of the late Summer/Fall season will be arriving this week and will be getting started alongside other Winter veg in the coming weeks. Late July and August truly become a mixing of the worlds as Summer’s harvests begin to peak, yet all things Fall/Winter must be planned and started.

Have a Great Week

This time of year days off are few and far between. In fact when it comes to the sort of intensive small scale market gardening we do here at SLG days off can be akin to some sort of mythical creature, talked about but never truly seen. Rightly so considering that this Good Food Community we are all a part of does in fact require a certain degree of relentlessness. Yet, at the same time in the midst of all the sweat and Summer heat if you don’t take at least a sliver of time to step back, let go and gift yourself a little time for you, than heck what is the point.

Maybe you are an avid SLG fan or perhaps you’re just getting to know us. Surely either way you can safely assume here at Star Light we fully embrace being children of Summer. And as much as we love to spend time with our feet in the dirt, there are certain traditions which must be up held. So today for at least the later half we’ll be celebrating our July birthdays, crossing state lines and relaxing with our feet in the sand. So forgive us if this week’s letter is short, even for the Summer months.

That being said we couldn’t leave you without a few teasers of what’s going on inland. The flock grows, alongside melons and tomatoes. Days grow shorter, as hard as it is to believe and we must look forward to the season of falling leaves. Next week’s tale may likely be of Stella Blue and when someone one asks you where you got that Good Food? Go right ahead and tell them who.

Have a Great Week

With the Sirius star hanging over the night sky above us we all can rest assured that the hottest days of Summer have arrived. One quick glance at the forecast for this week confirms such astrological ideas and you can bet your bottom dollar we’ll be out there working like the dogs of Summer, all in pursuit of Good Food. Even though July and arguably Summer is just getting kicked off there are a lot of “season’s lasts” happening when it comes to the hot weather and truth be told our minds are shifting to Fall and Winter. As we phase out the heat loving cultivators in favor of cold weather favorites, things like Siberian kale, overwintered onions, claytonia and spinach begin to take the forefront in our seeding schedule. Funny how it goes always thinking one or two seasons ahead in this type of work, at least hopefully keeping our minds on the cooler seasons ahead will help us cope with the heat to come.

Now if you are as big of a fan of us here at Star Light Gardens as we think you are then you know that we take July very seriously and for more reasons than just J and J s birthdays. For one July is the month when the Great Garlic Harvest commences and this year’s is of particular importance. This past Fall we planted around 400 pounds of garlic the most we have ever planted here at SLG. However in addition to planting more than ever before this is the first year that 100 percent of the seed garlic planted was saved from our own stock. Over the years we have been planting and saving more and more garlic, supplementing our saved seed with seed from an excellent organic farm. This year though we were able to save enough to plant all 400 pounds of just our own stock. Not to say that we might not grow more than that in the future and rely again on our trustee grower friends to supplement any increased need for seed. First reports in from the fields indicate this year’s crop is looking as good as ever and will be showing up at markets and online before you know it.

July of course also means tomatoes and believe us when we say it that we are as eager for the tomato waterfall as the rest of you. Our first plantings of cherry tomatoes have been trickling into the markets over the past few weeks and the flow is getting steadier each day. Heirlooms too are looking good and the encouraging sign of a few ripe ones here and there has us hopeful that the plants loaded up with green fruit now. Will soon be a sea of green leaves spotted with the yellow, pink, red, and purple color spectrum that only ripe tomatoes can create. Besides a smaller outside planting all of the plants in our tunnels have been expertly grafted by the Tomato Goddess herself Jen. Though the process of grafting does set back the plants a few weeks, it will be made up in production and longevity as the plants continue to produce after non grafted plants will have succumb to the pressures of the season. Well worth the effort and wait.

Have a Great Week

If you happen to be taking the time today to scroll through our website checking out what veg is available this week you may notice one item is missing. Spinach which is arguably a staple for us here at SLG has seen the end of it’s early 2026 run. Usually the disappearance of Spinach for the Summer is something that we mourn but this year it may be something to celebrate. You see this is the first year for us that we have been able to produce a large amount of tender spinach into the warmer months including the first week of July. Usually Spinach into June can be a challenge for a myriad of reasons, so to think we would have Spinach on the 4th of July seemed unreal. However, this is an excellent learning opportunity for both growing and for life. Sure there are many factors which allowed us to have spinach so late into the season, the weather, the hard work from the crew and of course choosing the right variety. However, all of this would mean nothing if we hadn’t decided to push past the limitations or what we thought were the limitations of our beloved spinach. In the early days of the farm many of the things we do now seemed at the time not worth trying. Despite this if it was something we wanted to try David always had one answer, “there’s only one way to find out”. It’s this attitude and open mindedness that has allowed SLG to blossom into what we are today and it is this philosophy that will continue to carry us forward. And of course when it comes to spinach don’t fret too much because as we always like to say ” if we’re worth our wait in dirt we’ll have spinach again come September.” Sure September seems far off, especially with the heat like we had this previous week but it will be here before we know it.

September aside there is still plenty of Summer left and love it or hate it that means a lot of hot weather too. It’s safe to say that both crops and growers were struggling this past week with the heat and humidity as high as it was. Of course in a constant show of solidarity all of you Good Food People were out in full force at the markets this weekend in spite of the oppressive heat. We can’t thank all of you enough for supporting us and other growers out there, without the love and support of all of you this Good Food thing just isn’t possible. We also want to give an extra special shout out to all the vendors and customers that were at the Madison Farmers’ Market this past Friday. We had the odds stacked against us with the market location changed for the day, extreme heat and a holiday weekend. And beyond the simple challenge of how much business will there be, we had to smoothly set up at a unfamiliar location all in that heat. However all the vendors were patient and understanding making the market setup as smooth as any other Friday afternoon. As 3pm approached the parking lots began to fill and many familiar faces appeared eager to get their Friday afternoon market tradition going. The good news is this week things are back to normal in Madison and for the remainder of the season we will be on the Green.

Have a Great Week

With July meres days away things on the farm are going to be heating up both figuratively and literally this week. In Middlefield our nursery is overflowing with transplants that desperately need to get into the ground. Unfortunately temps in the 90’s and even hitting 100 does present significant challenges to successfully transplanting. Familiar territory for us as it may be, weighing out the downfalls and benefits of acting now to get things in the ground or waiting out the weather so conditions are more favorable. The reality is we will more than likely develop a mixed approach to this dilemma. A few sections of transplants will go in, but not all of them. Enough so we can manage them properly using overhead irrigation to keep temps tolerable and ensure survival. We certainly won’t plant everything for one because its a bit of an all your eggs in one basket scenario but also simply because it’s too much to manage properly and patience and restraint must be practiced.

Of course transplanting is really the only farm work which will be significantly effected by the heat. Unfortunately for us with boots on the ground the never ending list of farm tasks ominously waits no matter what the temps are. At least for some tasks like weeding and cultivating the strong sun and hot temps help ensure the weeds dry out quickly and die after we’ve worked a bed. And of course as one could imagine this late in June after a few days of precipitation there is no shortage of weeding to be done. But of course every task will be that much more laborious in the sweet Summer heat of July. Let’s just say we will be keeping our water bottles close and our sun hats closer.

Another thing that doesn’t stop no matter what the weather, is the need for Good Food. And that’s a big part of why we do what we do and will be out there this week cultivating, sowing seeds and bringing in the harvest. Oh and that harvest, you of course can find it this weekend on farm and at all of the markets. Even with the 4th of July holiday all markets and the farm shop will be operating on schedule and business as usual July 3rd 4th and 5th. The one exception to this being this Friday in Madison. The town of Madison is holding in a concert on the green this Friday so we are temporarily moving the market to Academy field which is just on the other side of the playground next to town hall. It is difficult to know what parking around the green where the market usually is will be like with the concert, however there will be parking in the Academy field lot as well, as other lots on Bradley road. The market will run as scheduled from 3-6 however some vendors will be remaining a few more hours while the concert goes on. Activities around the concert begin at 6pm so in addition to the market a fun night a celebrating could be in store. Whether you are just coming to the market to shop or considering enjoying all the town’s festivities that night we hope to see you there.

Have a Great Week