Star Light Gardens

With the long awaited arrival of Spring finally upon us it is certainly cause for celebration. The day length, the angle of the sun, visibly growing plants as well as the Spring songs of countless birds, all indicate that we are rounding the bend into a warmer time of year. Still some restraint is required as the outside fields remain a bit too wet and cold to prep and plant into. Rest assured that we and growers like us across the region wait with baited breath, transplants, seeds and compost in hand, for just the right moment to officially commence the outside growing season.

Here at SLG this could be considered the last week of the scaled down Winter crew(Thanks Adrianna). Next week with the last day of March we will be welcoming the first 3 crew members back and to the farm for the main season. With some additional help on the farm we plan to be planting the first round of outside crops for 2026, realistically nearly a month later than we would have liked to. We’ll be transplanting a couple of types of kale and collards, some Swiss chard, parsley and around 4,000 or so onions. Surely there is no need to tell any of you how good it will feel to be getting back out into the fields and we will certainly be glad to have the number of farmers on site doubling to accommodate the work load.

This week also marks the last indoor Saturday New Haven Market. Starting 4/4 we will be back outside at Conte West School and opening one hour earlier running from 9-1. Being back outside on Saturday’s will be just one more sign of the season as we begin to bring the first round of veg. flower and herb starts for this years plant sale. Of course before we know it we will be talking about all the markets of the season to come and the count down is on with only 5 weeks until the start of the Madison Farmer’s Market and Chester not long after that. In addition to the markets our Open Farm Shop hours kicked off last week so along with preorder pick up you can stop by Fridays from 3-6 and see what delicious veg we have to offer. We will of course also have the full variety of garden starts available at the shop as season progresses.

Have A Great Week

With nearly all of the snow now melted away except for in the darkest corners of the farms and Spring peaking it’s head out from behind what seemed to be an impossibly long Winter, there’s no denying it. The whirlwind that is the main growing season is just ahead. This past week saw a literal transformation on the farm as the thick layers of ice and snow disappeared at a nearly impossible pace. The large amount of snow which had piled up between the tunnels this Winter did have us a little concerned about the state of the garlic planted below. However, our fears were quickly laid to rest and the garlic popped up seemingly overnight and looks to be off to a good start. The low tunnels in the fields with overwintered onions and carrots were accessible for the first time in months and surely appreciated being uncovered and the chance to breath the fresh late Winter air.

On the Subject of good starts, the unofficial start of the season for our first 3 new crew members definitely has us feeling optimistic about the season to come. We have one more round coming in next week for another get your hands dirty orientation day and in just two weeks we’ll be up to 4 crew members on farm with another 4 starting in May. It is always a really interesting change in the liveliness both in nature and activity on the farm. One week it’s cold, desolate and you wonder if the snow will ever reveal those things we neglected to put away last season. And the next you’re firing on all cylinders trying to find space on the overfilled nursery tables, beds to fill with transplants and returning to the rhythm of 12 hours 8 days a week.

In case the official start of Spring doesn’t have you excited enough for the end of the week perhaps the official reopening of SLG Open Farm Shop hours will. That’s right returning this and every Friday for the remainder of the season from 3-6 you can come and shop the farm stand without or in addition to preordering. After a soft start to the Farm Stand this Fall we are excited to be able to offer the bounty of the full season. Keep a look out in the coming weeks as we begin to offer the first of this year’s garden starts and before you know it this season’s first Tulips, hmm Spring.

Have A Great Week

Just as the snow will melt, the mud will dry and the grass will grow and if yesterday’s warm temps weren’t enough the next couple of days should mostly do the trick. We are keeping our eyes peeled for the year’s first snow drops and daffodils while rumors of dandelion sightings fill the air. When you really think about it in a business like ours it can be a challenge to not feel behind. Combine that with behind trapped in an icy prison like Superman’s fortress of solitude for a few months and the pressure is palatable. The feeling that the switch is going to be flicked any moment and we will be hurled head long into the thick of the season is looming and there’s not too much more to say about it besides we are going to be as ready as we can for it. So this week we will be diving right into the mud and meeting the season where it matters most.

Last week on the farm we received two well anticipated deliveries both equally important. Arriving safely, it was a long journey from Hawaii to our doorstep for this year’s ginger and turmeric. However, the journey for our Hawaiian friends is only beginning. Tucked away safely in one of the germ chambers these rhizomes will sit warm and safe for around a month until they begin to sprout. After that it’s another month or so on the nursery table, then the big planting in May followed by late summer harvest. The other delivery though needed turned out to be a little bit of a let down. We did in fact receive a new igniter for our nursery furnace however sans an essential bracket which allows the newer style igniter to attach to the heater. A detail sadly we did not have. So while we wait for the part the game of heaters borrowing parts from each other continues. The good news is that the main nursery is now up and running and nearly filled, suspiciously though with a lot more flowers than vegetables, for now.

Said Nursery will be quite the hot bed of activity tomorrow and not just because the high is in the 70’s. Tomorrow we welcome the first round of new SLG crew members for a little orientation and get your hands dirty day. We are looking at it as a chance to knock off some administrative necessities, while getting to know us, the farm and the work a little better. We are still a few weeks off from the full season crew officially starting but there is no denying that one way to handle the over whelming feeling of a season starting is to fill the farm with a bunch of eager new farmers. With Spring officially starting next week we are also bringing back Open Farm Shop hours Friday from 3-6. That’s right returning 3/20 and running through the remainder of the season in addition to Friday and Saturday preorder you can swing by the farm in Middlefield Friday from 3-6 and see what is available. Hope to see you there.

Have a Great Week

It may still be cold and frozen outside with a slight forecast of snow and rain for tomorrow but we have crossed the threshold into March and surely warmers days lie ahead. Highs over 50 and not too cold of lows are predicted for the next two weeks which means the big thaw will be on and the transition to mud season is at hand. For the shortest month of the year February sure seemed to last forever and it’s cold icy grip has left us feeling a little behind. That can be the irony of mud season, our urgency to rush and get everything done is at an all time high. However, if you move too carelessly the treacherous muddy terrain will leave you flat on your back or performing unplanned gymnastic floor routines as you struggle to stay upright. Luckily with the sun staying in the sky a little longer there’s hopefully enough extra time in the work day to accommodate.

We also desperately are needing to accommodate for the requirement of more space for baby plants. One look at the amount of veg, herb and flower starts in our grow room and there is no disputing the fact the it is time to fire up the main nursery. Especially when considering that with the arrival of March the seeding and re potting work for the Spring plant sale as well as our own main season crops will be in full swing. Among other things that means tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes, but before we can get too ahead of ourselves out in the nursery there are a few important to dos to be done. One is replacing a part in the furnace for the nursery that with any luck will be arriving today(fingers crossed). And two is the construction of another germination chamber. Now we know what you all are saying, “isn’t four germination chambers enough do they really need five?” Well actually no, it turns out that five just isn’t enough and a sixth will be needed for the ginger and turmeric which should be arriving from Hawaii before we know it. With snow on the ground and a fire in the stove it’s hard to fully grasp that things will be looking down right tropical in the nursery and tunnels before we know it.

One thing we do know is that with the return of light and warmer days the greens are responding and we can confirm growth that is more than just the desperate hallucinations of frozen farmers. We look forward to a slightly easier week when it comes to harvesting greens and will be happy to bring more than we have in weeks to the market. Unfortunately, we are still a few weeks off continuing open farm shop Friday but we will update you as soon as a date is established. Both Friday and Saturday pre order pick up are now open.

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Have a Great Week

It’s probably pretty safe to say that collectively across CT this past week we all were getting our hopes up for a good thaw. Slowly as the week went on the bright white landscape began to reveal the greens, browns and yellows that have been hiding below for what seemed like 3 Winters. Personally as the weather forecast came in we here at SLG were in complete denial, unfortunately that will only get you so far. As the week began to wrap up there was no denying the Winter scene we’ve become all too accustomed to would return. So Sunday would be spent prepping as best we could on the farms, even patching some holes in the tunnels which that last storm revealed to us when we came upon a few piles of snow inside where it should not be.

Despite the one step forward and two steps back feeling that another foot plus of snow falling in a tough Winter gives you. The fact of the matter is we did get a chance to do a good deal of much needed work in the warmth last week. Several beds were prepped and either direct seeded or transplanted into, making much needed room in the overflow tunnel and on the never ending to do list. As soon as one round of transplants are taken out to be planted their spot is filled from the never ending train of transplants leaving the grow room. It’s both a great and overwhelming feeling to see so many little plants, thousands really that are just the tip of the iceberg in the scheme of how much veg gets in the ground here throughout a season. And one of the best ways to experience all this bounty is through our less than traditional, but gaining in popularity style CSA. Unlike the traditional 12-16 weeks of farm packed boxes, our CSA allows you to choose what and how much you want, when you want it. It offers flexibility in both cost and when you can sign up. CLICK HERE FOR INFO.

Another feeling that isn’t great by any stretch yet is certainly overwhelming is wrapping our heads around the work week harvest wise, in the face of more Wintry conditions. With over a foot on the ground and more snow to come this week the amount of time we are going to have to spend clearing the snow between Durham and Middlefield is less than desirable. Cold temps will also hinder our ability to harvest a lot early in the week. As a result of this we will more than likely still be harvesting as late as we can Friday. Unfortunately this translates into no Friday pickup for preorder this week there will only be Saturday pick up. Once again we appreciate everyone’s understanding with schedule changes due to the weather.

Have a Great Week

There’s nothing like a couple of months with below freezing temperatures and snow covered ground to make a farmer look forward to the season of slipping in cold mud. And that is how we are feeling today looking at the 10 day forecast. Despite the best efforts of those scheming groundhogs around the country, it seems cupid has sent us a little warm up this year with his love arrow. With temps above freezing and not too cool at night it’s time to get back to doing all those things that you just can’t when in the midst of a polar vortex. We’ll be direct seeding, watering and transplanting as if our lives depend upon it this week trying to plant as much as we can and get ahead of the season.

As many of you know the past weeks we’ve begun the momentous task of seed starting for both the main season to come as well as the weeks and months just ahead. Hundreds of trays of soil blocks have made their way from seeding table to germination chamber and are filling our grow room and spill over tunnel. Luckily one benefit of mixing soil, making soil blocks and seeding trays is that often it takes place in the warm and sunny nursery and can feel nearly luxurious on a cold Winter’s day. This breakneck pace of seed starting won’t be letting up anytime soon and before we know it the empty nursery tables will be a lush green canopy of everyone’s favorite veg.

Beyond celebrating the warmer temps farmers across the nation(especially small market gardeners) are celebrating National CSA week. One look at the selection at market or on online and it’s clear to see that Winter is the slowest time of year for farmers, yet as many of you can guess this is a time of year when we are spending a lot of money in preparation for the coming season. The Community Supported Agriculture model is designed to allow those Good Food People like you to invest in farmers they support, by paying up front for this coming season’s bounty, which helps the growers stay solvent in a time of low cash flow. Here at SLG we do offer a CSA but it is a little different than the traditional 3-4 months of weekly boxes. Our flexible market credit CSA allows you to shop at your convenience while still having all the benefits of a traditional CSA, DETAILS HERE. Whether it is through us, one of the other great farms near you, or both. If you have been thinking about joining a CSA or just finding out more info this is the week to do it.

Have a Great Week

As hard as it may be to admit when one is wrong, admitting and coming to terms with this is the first step to moving on and getting better. We here at SLG certainly never claim to be perfect, in fact the list of mistakes and miscalculations made by us over the years is probably longer than time can remember. In this particular instance it would be fair to say that we were a little over ambitious planning to keep the open farm shop hours in the coldest and darkest time of the year. The truth is that between the cold weather and the low availability of things as we wait for germination and regrowth, our inventory is at it’s lowest this time of year. Taking into account this fact and trying to balance our work load for the early season we are rolling out(what we should have originally)a more realistic on farm schedule for the colder months. So for now until early March we will be doing preorder only for on farm pick up. Open Farm Shop hours will return in March running through the remainder of the year and more than likely January and February will remain preorder only. We thank you for your understanding on this and look forward to seeing you all again on Friday nights starting in March.

Meanwhile on the farm beyond hauling wood into the basement and taking breaks by the wood stove, despite it’s cold and desolate appearance the farm is brimming with life. As our heated tunnel Mizuna which serves as a temporary nursery, fills up with transplants of all types we will prep all the areas we can in the hopes of transplanting next week. In addition to tomatoes we’ve started the first round of this year’s peppers, nearly 600 or so which will be for both the Spring plant sale and our own production. As has been a trend for the past few years the flower start population on the farm continues to grow annually and competes for table space with veg. It’s a tense standoff between things we love for different yet similar reasons and we’ll get through it with a philosophy, though dangerous, it’s one we live by”there’s always room for more”.

Now at this point in the year there is in our opinion one exception to that philosophy, more cold and snow. As cold hardy and resilient both the veg and farmers are we would be lying to say that the extended cold and snow cover hasn’t tried our bodies and souls. The good news as you all know is that by 530 there is still light in the sky and by months end the light will remain till 6. Though slowly, things in the tunnels are beginning to grow and as those tiny leaves get bigger each day so does our strength and resolve. As warm weather veg like melons, cukes and squash arrival daily in the form of seeds we do the best we can to show seed starting restraint for now. All the while knowing that the time of warmth, bounty and long Summer days is watching and waiting.

Have a Great Week

At times like these when there’s still over a foot of frozen snow on the ground and the forecast ahead predicts frigid weeks to come there is little for the farmer to do but sigh, scheme and sow seeds for warmer days to come. Besides the snow and cold being a constant Winter occurrence just as consistently the arrival sometimes twice daily of packages from our favorite seed companies is a Winter staple. These packages filled with this years seeds represent a lot, our hopes, dreams, livelihood and most importantly Good Food for this coming season. As many of you know farmers and gardeners could be describes as a kid in a candy store, when it comes to thumbing through catalogs and ordering seeds. Indeed and especially if you order early you can have the pick of the litter when it comes to some of the tastiest and highest performing fruit and vegetable varieties.

We mainly use a few seed companies like Johnny’s Selected Seeds, High Mowing and Territorial Seeds to name a few. These are great companies and what they represent is the offerings from some of the most behind the scene farmers around, seed growers. Having reliable and quality seeds to grow with throughout the season is more than essential to growers all over the world and it is easily taken for granted. Years of plant breeding, variety selection and so much more than we can imagine go into the careful cultivation of seeds for some of the veg both growers and eaters alike have come to love and rely on. Just like any farmers their margins are small, the work and risk are large but the love for and knowledge of the power of their work surely must keep them doing what they do. So we wanted to take a moment and thank all of those seed growers out there without whom we just could not do what we do.

Unfortunately with the continuation of Winter weather doing what we do means having a lighter harvest than we would want and adjusting the on farm options. This weeks open farm shop hours will be cancelled again due to temps and weather and we will be offering preorder only. In addition to this if you order for Friday there is the possibility that the weather will require that all orders be moved to Saturday pick up. If this is the case we will reach out to anyone who orders for Friday. Likely next week will be a similar schedule though we will solidify that schedule next week. We thank you all for your understanding and patience as we navigate the open shop hours and Winter weather.

Have a Great Week

It isn’t so much snow that is the problem with Winter but rather things like the cold, ice and wind which really drive home the challenges with this time of year. In fact as far as snow goes though we did have well over a foot of snow fall it’s the light kind which rolls off the tunnels with ease and is cleared by shovel, plow, or snow thrower just as easily. However, the really cold temps that we will be experiencing this week will be a real challenge to four season growers like ourselves. When it comes to harvesting veg in the cold temps you must wait until things are above freezing and everything as thawed out. As cold hardy as the veg is harvest it when they’re still frozen and a bok choy for example will simply turn to mush. The high tunnels do in fact allow for the temps to climb quickly even on cold days when there is sun. Yet, five days in the 20’s with single digit nights that is pushing it. This cold harsh reality is what we will be facing this week, that everyday if we are lucky there will be a brief window to harvest and some days we probably won’t be able to harvest at all. As a result of this and the fact that it will be quite icy on the farm itself, we have made the difficult decision to not have any on farm sales this week. This includes pre orders and on farm shop. We will be attending the Saturday New Haven Market as usual but will likely have a very limited amount of fresh greens available. This is something we try as much as possible to avoid and is not a decision easily made. However, between the slippery farm conditions and reality of how little actual harvesting time we will have, this is the best decision for us to make. We will of course be back to business as usual next week.

Business on the farm this week especially today and tomorrow will look a little different as we will be trading in our hoes for shovels and tractor for a snow thrower. The nice thing about having two farm properties is the amount of space we have to grow, the adverse side being it’s a lot to maintain especially when it come to snow. On the vegetable front besides freezing outside things are moving along nicely inside. Tables and germination chambers continue to fill up in the grow room and the basement is slowly turning into tomato HQ. Luckily the cold weather will provide us with the time we need to keep up on the rigorous seeding schedule that must be maintained.

Have a Great Week and Stay Warm

Official SLG Merch

Even though it can make getting around the farm a little bit more difficult it is nice to have some snow on the ground. Not just purely for aesthetics but also for the benefit of protecting our soil and Winter crops from the cold. Unfortunately, it appears that for the remainder of the month just that, cold is what we will have to be dealing with. And deal with it we will in fact, taking each slip on the ice in stride with a smile all the while thinking of snow’s insulating benefits and enjoying a beautiful Winter landscape.

Meanwhile, when it’s too cold and dark to work outside we can be found working in the basement and garage/grow room getting things ready for the Spring thaw we all long for. Already the first round of root stock and scions for the grafted tomatoes have been removed from the germination chamber and are sprouting. Before we know it Jen will be hard at work like a mad scientist, grafting this years heirlooms. Next up will be the first round of cherry tomatoes and before long peppers and tomatoes of all kinds will be playing musical chairs in the germination chambers. Beets, onions, peas and more lettuce all top this weeks list of starting priorities, not too mention it’s time to think about things like herbs for the Spring plant sale to come. A lot of inside work now too give everything a good head start outside for the season to come.

Speaking of the season to come one integral part of this Good Food thing is all the work that is put in outside each year by the hard working farm crews all over. And it is that time of year where we begin the hiring process for the 2026 season. Interested in growing with us or know someone who may be click here for more info. There’s no other way to put in but frankly farming is very hard work but it is also rewarding work in many ways.

Have a Great Week