Star Light Gardens

Just a little over one year ago while on what could be described as the Sid’s favorite activity(a walk) Jenny, Sid and Annie discovered what would become the newest member of our and SLG’s family. Mere inches away from a sewer grate with holes big enough that a little kitten could have easily fallen through was the cutest little fluff ball we have ever seen. One quick phone call to Joel confirmed what Jen and the dogs were thinking” let’s take this little kitten home and let her join the fam.

This week we are again highlighting one of the SLG farm animals our sweet little Melon Cat. Originally, name Petite Gris for the heirloom french melon we love to grow her true name Melon Cat or Mel for short took hold in no time. Finding a kitten alone that was so young(just 3 weeks) had us feeling a little overwhelmed. We ran to buy cat formula that she could nurse on, unsure if she would eat the food we had on hand. How well would she get along with our other cats was also a concern as some of them were perhaps a little jealous at how much attention Melon was getting. Then there were the dogs, one may think an 80 pound pit mix and a terrier, chihuahua mix weren’t the best choice to have around a little kitten but that couldn’t have been further from the truth. As if they knew and were proud of the fact that they found this little kitten, Sid and Annie let this cute little Melon Cat jump all over them and play with them as if they were her size. Oh and you want to talk cute just imagine these two dogs curled up on the couch with the cutest little kitten, words just don’t do it justice.

Now a little over a year old our sweet Melon is probably 7 pounds and growing still. Like parents giving a teenager the keys we have nervously begun to let her outside and all we can say is she is certainly embracing her wild nature. Of course despite the fact that we mostly talk about all the animals on the farm constantly, there is more going on here than just a bunch of cats and dogs running around.

We continue to plug away at the main season plantings and are nearly completed with that portion of the season. Last week saw over 300 pounds of seed potatoes getting in the ground, an all time high for us here at SLG. We hope to use a little more mechanization on the spuds this year to balance out the labor intensive potato work. Let’s just hope Joel’s mechanical skills are up the the task of repairing the potato digger that mysteriously broke last year. Tomorrow we should be getting 1000 purple sweet potato slips delivered, which will really put the pressure on getting the areas prepped for them. These slips are live plants and will need to get into the ground as soon as we can manage. Beyond the spuds both sweet and not a few main season plantings are also still on the forefront. This coming week we should be planting the ginger and turmeric that have patiently been sprouting since we started them in March. Then there is of course the Winter Squash which itself is just sprouting in the germ chambers. Winter Squash is something we wait to plant a bit later than most farms and not simply because we are behind schedule. As another attempt to make things more challenging for common cubrit pests, we wait until July 1st to plant out our Winter Squash and avoid the main flight of the pesky squash vine borers. There’s alot going on to say the least and alot of moving parts as the Tomato Scientist says.

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Despite the fact that many weekend plans were disturbed with the rainy weather between the long gentle rain and warm weather of late things are really taking off all around us. We brought the first cucumbers and snap peas to the market Saturday and later that afternoon Jen was found in possession of this year’s first sungolds. We are coming to the point where nearly half of the season’s main plantings are in the ground. As more and more tunnels fill up with Summer fruit and veg and table space in the nursery expands we know it will not be long before the early season work of planting will be replaced with the hot weather harvesting we wait all year for. Speaking of planting and waiting all year for things this year’s Garden Start Plant Sale has gone really well and for those of you who are procrastinators there is still time. However, be warned we are in the final stretch of the sale with only a few more weeks remaining. There does come a certain point every year around this time when we must switch our focus from caring for plants that we will be selling, to caring for and planting veg to keep the Good Food rolling in all season.

This past week the final addition to the 2026 farm crew started, bringing the total on farm crew up to 8 and if you count market help it brings the crew total up to 10, an all time high for SLG. We’ve come a long way from the earliest days of one or two farm crew members and at times it can seem a bit overwhelming. However, the fact of the matter is a solid crew is essential and without them we just couldn’t provide even close to all of the nutritious organic food we currently do or tend to the land with the care that is required. The work is certainly rewarding and just the same it certainly is not easy. Long hours, dedication and a level of grower professionalism is a requirement and we are really impressed with just how well this year’s crew is stepping up. So if you see any of those SLG farmers out there in the wild whether it be at the markets or elsewhere let them know just how much you appreciate what they do.

Now don’t get us wrong like most other things involving community, appreciation is a two way street and we would be certainly be remissed not show our appreciation for all of you the Good Food People. The unwavering support and love for growers like ourselves and what we do is as essential as the soil, seeds and farmers themselves. Without all of you, all of the great local farms and farm crews couldn’t be engaged in what many of us describe as super fulfilling and super important work. This resilient Good Food Community which continues to grow and reverberate throughout the land is arguably one of the most important things anyone out there can be involved in. It can start as simply as a visit to the market or a farm and a conversation with a grower. And from there who knows just what it can blossom into.

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After such a cold start to the season you can bet your bottom dollar that growers across the region are mostly jumping with joy at the warm up to come. Sure there will probably be a point over the next few days where we’ll be thinking “careful what you wish for” when the thermometer hit’s the 90’s and the sweat has soaked our clothes. But in the here and now we are welcoming the heat, after all Memorial Day is basically the unofficial kick off of Summer and what better way to get ready for Summer than with a mini heatwave.

Around the farms things are definitely looking good, with more in production than ever before and some systems in place to keep things running smooth. Despite the heat there are plenty of things to cross off the to do list and only so much time to them all done. With that being said we will be taking the heat into consideration and giving the crew the option to work a few shorter days as we acclimate to Summer like temps. Big action items for this week include both finishing the inside pepper planting as well an outdoor planting of hot and sweet peppers. Same goes for tomatoes as we hope to get the last grafted heirlooms in a tunnel in addition to an outdoor planting of some tasty heirloom varieties that we usually don’t grow. There’s also the first planting of green beans to get in not to mention a few hundred more cukes and squash to round out the initial plantings.

It is this early season work that set’s the foundation for an excellent season to come. Yes, there is always a rhythm on the farm of prep, seed, plant and harvest. Although early on it does actually look more like plant, prep, plant, prep, seed, prep, plant. However, with any luck soon enough it will be more like harvest, harvest, seed, prep, plant, harvest, harvest. Oh and those harvests we’re talking about will be all the sweet jewels of Summer we have dreamt about for months that are just right around the bend.

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Though we have always been an organic vegetable farm, one thing that has been a long time staple here at SLG is the Jacobs sheep. Though mostly pets and artistic muses over the years, in addition to this the 2nd gen of SLG sheep have been integrated into the farm as working animals. 2026 marks the fifth season we are growing here in Middlefield where the sheep reside. Over the past 4 years we have worked out the timing with a few crops rotations that allow us to have the sheep and chickens on a crop of let’s say lettuce that has been harvested. Those hard working farm animals in easily a day or two make short work of what remains saving us not only time and labor but resources feeding both themselves and the soil as they graze. As a special meet the farm segment we will be rolling out periodically this season, we are introducing you to one particular farm animal. Seeing as yesterday was Mother’s day we feel the best place to start is with the “Mother” of the Flock Kanga. Though her only actual child is Sunny, Kanga’s cautious and wise nature guides the entire flock. When we first got Kanga and her 3 siblings she was suspected to be pregnant and though we were picking up 4 sheep we would soon have 5. Despite Jen having some limited experience with lambing we of course were nervous that the birth would go smoothly especially considering at the time we still resided in Durham. However, one April morning our fears were cast aside. As Jen arrived early to check on the sheep, there was the proud Mama Kanga with her sweet little lamb Sunny nursing away. Kanga peered at Jen with a confident smile as if saying no need to worry mamas got this and we instantly knew she’d become the Mother she was always meant to be.

This evening the sheep will be embarking on the 2nd tunnel grazing of this year, helping us prepare for the sweet potato slip planting that will be happening by months end. Of course sweet potatoes aren’t the only thing on our minds and certainly not the only thing on the to do list. After all of last weeks hard work we are looking at nearly 3 entire tunnels planted with tomatoes and our pepper tunnel now 60 percent of the way planted. We’ve cleared the way in the jungle for the first round of eggplant and with any luck we will not only have all of that planted but the remainder of the grafted tomatoes also in the ground by weeks end. We’ve mowed and covered the stands of Winter rye to make way for the 300 or so pounds of potatoes we will also be planting in the coming weeks. Suffice it to say that this is a lot to get done but realistically it is only the tip of the iceberg that is the 2026 season.

We wrapped up the second annual SLG on Farm Plant sale yesterday and couldn’t have been happier with the result. Another Sunday on the farm seeing both friends and new faces, meeting neighbors and Good Food People who may only know us from these weekly writings. Even though the on Farm Plant sale has passed for this year the good news for those of you still looking for garden starts is that for the next month garden starts will be at the markets and online. That gives you two chance to get your plants on Fridays from 3-6 either on farm in Middlefield or at the Madison Farmers’ Market and every Saturday from 9-1 in New Haven.

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The bad news is that if you didn’t stop by the farm yesterday you did in fact miss the first iteration of the 2nd Annual SLG on farm Plant Sale. The good news it that this coming Sunday May 10th(yes Mothers’ day) we will be having one more Sunday on farm plant sale and open farm shop. Now for those of you who stop by the farm Fridays, preorder or visit us at the markets, plants will still be available for the next month or so. But for any of you who can’t get here for regular hours or stop at the markets this is one last chance to visit the farm, meet the farmers and have your pick of what many describe as some of the best garden starts around. We will be open the 10th from 10-3 giving you plenty of time to stop by and get Mom some plants for the garden, or maybe a nice little Sunday outing with Mom to check out a local organic farm and see just what’s growing up there on School Street. We hope to see you there.

Now the first iteration of the plant sale yesterday was a smashing success. It is always great to see old friends, meet new customers many of whom are our neighbors and feel the love and support of the Good Food community especially at these on farm events. Overall it was a great weekend both on the farm as well as Friday and Saturday at the markets. Friday was the opening day for the Madison Farmers’ Market 2026 season and between the weather and overall enthusiasm of you great folks we couldn’t have asked for a better one. Seeing all those familiar faces had us feeling like we hadn’t even missed a beat as if we stepped from the last November 2025 market right into a beautiful May afternoon, which happened to be opening day. One note of caution for all of you gardening enthusiast out there. This years gardens starts are selling fast and to ensure you get the varieties you really want to plant we recommend picking them up soon.

Last week also saw another 3 farm crew members start off their season with SLG. We’re sure that most of you have noticed as well that things outside are really coming to life and as one could guess the to do list is getting longer than we’d like to acknowledge. Having three more crew members to help balance the load will be indispensable in the weeks and months to come. Our goal of completing this year’s onion planting went off without a hitch, with nearly 2,000 row feet of onions in the ground. No time to rest on the laurels of this accomplishment though because as we all know, time and nature wait for no one. This week in addition the the weekly work load of plant ,prep, plant for quick crops like greens and roots, we are planning to get as many tomatoes and peppers into the ground as we can. Jen has spent countless hours this Winter grafting tomatoes and those plants are now big and lush and shouting”get me into the ground”. And after all what sort of farmers would we be, to not heed the instinctual call of all the lovely plants we have been taking care of for months now.

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There may still be a some cold nights ahead but it’s a sure thing to say here at SLG, farmers and animals alike we are ready for the warmth. Yes, that could be something we’ll be regretting saying in a short while but for now we are sticking to it. There is a lot happening this week and the reality is for the next six months that will be the case week after week. Three more crew members will be starting on the farm bringing the total up to 7 plus J and J. We ambitiously plan to get the last 750 row feet of onions prepped and planted as well as preparing space for the first round of Summer crops in unheated tunnels. There will also be a ton of nursery work as we continue to propagate all kinds of flowers and veg for the season ahead as well as your own Good Food growing pursuits.

This year in addition to getting garden starts from us at the markets, by preorder or open farm shop Fridays, we are returning with the Second Annual SLG Plant Sale. This year we have decided to double down with not just one but two Sundays. This Coming Sunday May 3rd and the following Sunday May 10th we will have the full line up of veg and flower starts on display and open farm shop from 10-3. It’s a great chance for anyone who can’t get out to the markets and open farm shop hours, to take a little bit of SLG home in the form of nutritious food and garden starts. Maybe you live near by and wonder just what is growing in all those high tunnels and field space? Well consider this your invitation to stop by meet the farmers, see the flock’s new haircuts and maybe even meet some farm dogs.

Speaking of humans best friend we expect to see a lot tails wagging on the Madison Historic green this Friday for the first market of the Madison farmer’s market 2026 season. We are really excited to be back in Madison with all of you every Friday from 3-6 running through mid November. This now means you have two options to shop with us on Fridays, here in Middlefield for open farm shop hours and at the Madison market both from 3-6. With two farmer’s markets in full swing one could say we are hanging out around 60% capacity and as the season’s bounty and Chester Sunday market appear on the scene in early June we’ll be running near 115% conservatively. It is a lot of work and also very gratifying to be an integral part of such wonderful Good Food communities. Hope to see all of you this weekend whether it’s Friday(on farm or at market) Saturday(at market) or Sunday(on farm).

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It sure doesn’t feel quite like Spring outside this morning and we suppose a lot of this past week also didn’t feel like Spring. Rather this past week really felt like Summer complete with shorts, sandals, tank tops and plenty of water to go along with all the hard work. The outside fields are filling up fast making needed room in the nursery for the more heat loving not frost tolerant plants that will be more than just a Winter’s dream before we know it. In fact a sure sign of the season to come beyond Summer like days is the fact that we are less than two weeks away from both May and the start of the 2026 Madison Farmers’ Market season. That’s right Friday May 1st we will be returning to the Madison Historic Green every Friday 3-6pm running through late November. That means on Fridays you will have two chances to shop with us both here on the farm for open Farm Shop Hours and the Madison Farmers’ market both from 3-6.

That is of course is great news not only for you Good Food enthusiast but for those of you who enjoy growing your own Good Food. If you made it to the market this past Saturday you may have noticed the selection of veg and flower starts had more than doubled from the previous week. For the next month or so that will be the case, more and more of your favorite varieties of garden starts will be showing up here at the farm stand and at markets. Don’t forget that you can also preorder plants for pick up Friday and Saturday on farm or at the markets. When preordering you can take advantage of our 10 plants for 50$ sale by choosing the item Garden Start Sale 10 plants for 50$ and once you have checked out email us with the ten plants of your choice. Not sure what garden starts you want to get? Come on by to the markets or the farm shop and we can go over the options. We always say we love talking plants and growing and there is always something special about sharing the adventure of cultivation with all of you.

On the note of special things for the most part we don’t need to tell any of you just how special the Good Food Community that exists on Saturday is. A lot goes on to make that market what it is the customers, the vendors, CitySeed and the City of New Haven. Building Manager for Conte West Hills School Dennis Tondalo has been a big part of making it a clean and safe environment for all of us who attend the market each week. If you have had the pleasure of meeting Dennis his character and genuine kindness come through instantly and it is quickly apparent that he is dedicated to his position. He goes the extra mile to make the market a great place for every member of the community and is definitely a friend of SLG. Dennis was featured in a recent New Haven Independent article which highlights his concerns with renovations in the school’s currently closed pool. Read Here We encourage you to read the article and if so inclined show support in whatever way you can, even simply commenting and sharing this story.

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Just over 3 years ago after many years of co management by J and J Star Light Gardens’ ownership officially changed hands from David to them. With his plan being to continue helping SLG at the markets we of course assumed David was a farmer who would be keeping one foot in the garden. Not long after, David reinventing himself yet again renewed his therapist license and began working at the Grove school in Madison. A move that both surprised us and at the same time was no surprise at all. Of course it was a little bitter sweet as we were happy for our dear friend but saddened at the ending of an era where David was a staple on the farm always to be found deep in the tomato jungle pruning and training this year’s crop. So as you could imagine last year when David announced that he was starting a four season gardening group at the Grove school we were delighted. Over the Summer and Fall of 2025 David was popping by the farm more and more grabbing extra seedlings, seeds and supplies, telling tales of the garden they are building, proving that you really can’t take the Farmer out of David. Last week the cafeteria at the grove school featured a unique Winter only green claytonia, grown by the school’s very own gardening group led by none other than the Tomato Scientist himself. So here we are the teacher’s students, watching him continue to impact lives with his kindness, understanding and love of growing all while knowing just how lucky we were to have been in that position.

Nostalgia aside the fact of the matter is the weather is turning and the fields are calling our names. It is week 3 for the main season and we have filled all the tunnel space we are willing to with cooler season crops and now must turn to the outer fields. More onions, lettuce, kale, collards, spinach, chard and choys are slated to get into the ground as well as this season’s first outdoor direct seedings. So far two of the high tunnels are in full Summer crop mode one with tomatoes and the other with flowers. This year’s first cukes will be getting transplanted this week and we even are getting so enthusiastic as to be starting melons in the grow room.

With temps this week approaching the 80 degree mark it might not seem like the craziest idea to be starting melons, however there are two things to keep in mind. One concerning melons our first rounds will be in a high tunnel and two this is Connecticut and the weather can be fickle. Just this morning after days of being reassured that no low temps were ahead the evil number 34 showed up as a low in the not too distant future. It is with this thought in mind as to when we start and bring the warmer weather garden starts to the markets. The next few weeks will still be mostly cooler weather crops but rest assured the nursery is filling up with all your favorite Summer veg. The plant sale is live on the website now for your preordering needs or just stop by the the farm stand 3-6 on Fridays.

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With it officially being Spring and the worst of the cold weather behind us(hopefully) for the season it is time to say goodbye to the good and bad of Winter. Yes we did say good, despite it’s best efforts to sour us the fact is Winter does have some redeeming qualities. So as we rejoice with the returning of the Summer sun let us not forget and send a fond farewell to Winter’s unique treats. Goodbye claytonia and Siberian kale, your resilience, cold hardiness and nutritional density rivals that of any veg we grow. Sweet Winter spinach oh how we love you so and though we will continue to plant spinach for a couple of months, the sweetness and growth pattern of Winter Spinach will have us spending hot summer days dreaming of easy late season spinach harvests. Then there is of course Winter carrots, as sweet as candy, a bright orange ray of sunlight in the bleak landscape of Winter. Carrots too are something we grow all season but as we say around the markets, “the only trouble with Winter carrots is they are so good it ruins carrots for the rest of the year.” The good news is we have a little bit of time left for you to enjoy all this Winter Veg, but be warned the clock is ticking.

It is always tough saying goodbye to old friends even if it is just for a few months but it helps when there are some new folks(or plants) around to lighten the mood. So with the first 240 or so sungold plants in the ground and another 240 fennel getting ready to join them it’s safe the say that any sad feelings about the season transitioning are quickly replaced with the thoughts of the first tomato or sweet crisp cucumber of Summer. This week saw the official start of the main season and we were joined by 3 more crew members, giving us a better chance to grab the bull by the horns so to speak. With 90% of the field space in Middlefield, having been in production the previous year, this year we are starting off in a much better place concerning bed prep in Middlefield than ever before. This was quite evident last week with the ease of planting this year’s first onions, kales, collards, chard and parsley. More onions are on the agenda this week as well as the first major flower planting of the year which will take place in the tunnel most recently occupied by our hardworking farm animals the chickens and sheep.

This past Saturday we also kicked off the official outside market season with the New Haven Saturday market moving back outside and returning to it’s regular 9-1 schedule. The first garden starts and tulips of the season made their appearance and will be showing up in force again this week at the market as well as our Open Farm Shop hours, every Friday from 3-6 in Middlefield. Oh, you didn’t know about our open shop hours? It’s a newer thing here at Star Light Gardens and it’s a chance for you Good Food people to shop without or in addition to preordering, see what has made it to the market that hadn’t made it onto the website and a chance for us and you to chat and connect around an important community staple Good Food.

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With all the effort, planning and organization that goes into farming especially on a 12 month schedule it’s hard to not feel a little warn out. There does certainly come a point at this transitional phase in the season, when trying to wrap our heads around how much needs to be done is seemingly impossible. If we could just get a little more help or maybe just push pause on one of the tunnels for a few days? Luckily for us we always keep a few extra helpers on hand just for these situations, enter the chickens and sheep.

The use of animals going hand in hand with vegetable production is by no means a new idea and when done right can be looked at as a true form of regenerative agriculture or even better yet the way things used to be. Ever since acquiring SLGNW the use of animals to help maintain and regenerate the soil health of the fields and tunnels has been a goal. It can be a tricky thing for intensive market gardeners like ourselves though, since the requirements for organic production put a 3-4 month time line from incorporation to harvest depending on the crop. We have found a few things like Winter carrots, sweet potatoes and late tomatoes where the timing is perfect. Though it is not possible for everything, we do continue to get the animals on the soil for both it’s improvement and saving us some effort as much as we possibly can. Another great crop to follow the animals after they have been munching in a tunnel is flowers. Even though the timing is pretty close to that of food production, flowers being not consumed for food relieve us of these time restrictions. The first tunnel this year to receive a visit from the animals, will be just that case, veg to flowers. So Thursday after harvesting the last spinach from that tunnel we released the animals to eat to their hearts content. It is always impressive to us just how much a small group of animals can do in just a short period of time transforming and overgrown, flowering tunnel of greens to something that looks like a lawn mower went over it.

Unfortunately for us there are still a lot of tunnels to be transformed from Winter to Summer production and the animals just can’t do their thing in every one. Fortunately, for us tomorrow marks the official start of the main growing season and with it comes three more crew members to help us take on April. Including J and J that will have us up to 6 bodies on the farm and certainly just in the nick of time as the fields are drying out and the daily temps keep rising. Remember in addition to preorder the farm stand is officially open for the season Friday’s 3-6, come by, say hi and get a chance to meet the stars of this weeks newsletter.

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