Star Light Gardens

One step into the cool morning air, touching the wet grass with your bare feet, wishing you had worn shoes and there is no denying that Fall is here. We’ll welcome the sweet embrace of less humid days and temperate afternoons, while silently mourning another Summer’s end. Of course there is no time for fleeting thoughts of what could have been, for the 4 season farmer the clock is always ticking. We have barely a few weeks left to plant anything outside besides cover crop and overwintered carrots. So you can bet your bottom dollar we’ll be using the warm Autumn days ahead to prep, plant and seed to our heart’s content. Luckily a look ahead at the forecast to come shows we’ll still be in what we like to call the sweet spot for a few weeks.

This sweet spot refers to a magical time of year when we get a break from some unique to organic ag growing frustrations. It’s when the brasicca pest such as the flea beetle have retreated to the field’s edge for the remainder of the year. Yet the temps are still good enough that we don’t have to consider rolling out the row cover just yet. It’s a small window of time in which we no longer have to repeatedly bend over putting hoops over each planting and drag rock bag after rock bag, lining each row so that the insect netting will stay in place hopefully keeping the hungry bugs at bay. Yes, sweet and fleeting are the days when we no longer need netting for pest and before it is cold enough that we need to cover and uncover each day. Of course it won’t be long before this time too will pass, so we would do ourselves a solid by beginning to get those cold weather season extension tools organized and in place.

Another sweet spot a farmer can find themselves in is when a particular tool or implement performs it’s tasks as good if not better than expected. Now some things of course require a learning curve as was the case with our potato harvester and it’s need to be repaired after last season’s over-enthusiasm. Despite all the set backs and frustration, redemption can make things even sweeter and that is truly how we felt last Wednesday. The now fully operational digger tore right through the rows switching the actual harvesting work we must do from digging through tough soil to sliding your hands through finely sifted sand. Needless to say after all the time and uncertainty we feel pretty happy about the purchase.

Have a Great Week

That is the question on our minds now each day as we walk the fields and evaluate the tunnels, deciding what is still worth keeping and who’s head so to speak is on the chopping block. So far our choices have been easy enough. We’ve said goodbye to half of the Jungle where the melons and pole beans had resided. Of course Sven and Mizuna were also easy choices. Being the two houses with heat they are planted earliest in the Spring and are usually the first choices for Summer to Winter conversion. It’s hard to say for sure but more than likely the next tunnel to go will be the 2nd cherry tomato planting in Hartley. Though we may have not fully committed to to the idea( it is always hard to let go) we do know that with each passing day the chance to plant successfully for the coming months is a little less. So more than likely it is time to say goodbye to that tomato planting, we’ll pull down the plants, roll them up and pile them onto the compost heap. Next we’ll clean up the ground, prep the beds, dramatically changing the tunnel’s landscape.

Of course as important as getting the tunnels ready for the season to come is we would certainly be remissed to neglect what is still going on outside. We are at the point where there is realistically less than a month left to plant anything outside that won’t be overwintered. Also we can’t forget there is still a lot more to be done outside than just planting, after all there is still much harvesting to be done. This week in addition to the usual suspects that you know, love and see weekly at the markets we plan to finish harvesting this year’s potatoes. Depending on how well your memory is you may recall from last year, the case of the broken potato harvester. A rollercoaster of a tragic tale which essentially left us digging the potatoes “old school style”. Well this Summer with a replacement part in hand Joel went to fix the potato digger only to find that upon taking a few things apart to reassemble, we did not have all the parts needed. So a few different parts orders later and a trip to the mechanic for some reconstruction expertise and for all intents and purposes the harvester should be operational. Or should we rather say the PTO driven portion of the digger, we did harvest five rows with just the under cutter from the implement two weeks ago but hopefully this week we shall see the potato digger fully operational and in all its glory.

In all of it’s glory is a excellent description for the way things can look this time of year. All the hard work we’ve been putting in throughout the season has been paying off and as things begin to slow and fields fill up it can be hard to deny the power behind the Good Food Movement. It can be likened to the ecosystem that exists in the fields of organic veg. A lot of different factors and players coming together to make something that is not only beautiful and life giving but arguably sustainable at the same time. The seed growers, those who make our compost, all the hard work and sweat from the farm crews, the organizations that put on the farmer’s markets and of course all of you eaters, the Good Food People. It all comes together into a synergistic Community, simple, wholesome and real.

Have a Great Week

With the unofficial end of Summer looking at us square in the face there really isn’t much denying that the sandals and swim trunks need to be put away for another year. No matter what the end of Summer means for you one thing is for certain that people all across the country are taking some time off to celebrate Labor day. Unfortunately with the passage of time and the change in much of the workforce focus, surely the true reason for the holiday may be lost on many. And sadly as with most holidays it is many of the” laborers” who still must go to work because without a paid day off it can be difficult to afford that luxury. So with this in mind perhaps we can switch the mentality around, taking the honoring and celebrating of those who do what we cannot or refuse to do, from just one day a year to each and everyday. We farmers can be a lucky bunch, receiving much praise and admiration for what we do. And don’t get us wrong we appreciate it but we also want to encourage all of you to extend that love to all the laborers and workers out there doing their part making this world we all live in go round.

Now on the subject of celestial spinning as the Summer dwindles away so does the amount of light each day. This affects us growers in a few major ways, first and foremost we do get the benefit of being in the house earlier and getting up a little later. Unfortunately, the amount of things that must get done in a day does not proportionately change with the reducing light, so the result is that old familiar farmer hustle to make up the difference. The reducing light also means slower plant growth which is in and of itself a double edged sword. On one hand it is nice because veg will likely not bolt and can grow into it’s full potential producing that all too beautiful Fall veg you know and love. It also means we can begin to plant things that all of us Good Food People love but just won’t work in the Summer. It also unfortunately means that the days to harvest or maturity for veg gets extended and with many things at this point is too far off to be a reality at all. Even the things we can plant will take longer with each passing week. September and with it Labor day starts the timer on the clock which reminds us, plant it soon if you want to see it in 2026. So we must adjust to the season, leaning on our experience and desire to push the envelope, driving forward in the ever continuing Quest of growing organic nutritious veg.

Of course with the arrival of September, the end of the season for some of the Farmer’s Markets we attend begin to come into view. As hard as it is to believe we have only 5 Chester Sunday markets left of the season. It has been a really great market so far and we are feeling the love from all of you more and more each week and each season. The power of Good Food and Community is truly evident at each and every market we attend a special time and place, proving the value of substance over convenience. We hope everyone who has the day off is enjoying life with those closest to them and if you are out there grinding, getting that work week started already know that we love and support you.

Have a Great Week

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