With nearly all the cover crop having been sown, the beds for garlic and over Wintered carrots prepped and sundown arriving at 5 o’clock. You may just be asking yourselves, what are the farmers to do? This answer at least for a short time is quite simple. Sit back relax and enjoy the fruits of all this season’s labor. With that thought in mind we all assembled in Middlefield yesterday afternoon for a celebration of the season and in appreciation for all the crew’s hard work this year both on farm and at the markets. Rarely do we get a chance to cast aside the daily tasks that come with stewarding the land and transform a space that’s mostly for work into a space for fun and leisure. With a carefully curated farm fresh menu courtesy of Jen, epic weather courtesy of Momma Earth and great company courtesy of all the wonderful folks we get the pleasure of working with, the evening was set to be a lovely one. The bonfire raged, the food and drink flowed, conversation and laughter filled the night air, all as the satisfaction and appreciation for why we do this work set in with an irresistible smile. Unfortunately though as goes the season goes the evening and all good things must come to an end. As the fire dimmed we joyfully said our goodbyes, knowing that though we would all see each other again it just won’t be quite the same unique conversion of people and energy that made the 2026 season one of the best ever for Star Light Gardens. We want to give a special shout out to the whole farm crew Adrianna, Bowen, Fig, Jessie, Madison, Sam, Schandra and Trisha for all their hard work this season. All essential players in this Good Food Thing we are all lucky enough to be apart of.
With the colder weather setting in and the earlier sunsets outdoor market season for better or worse begins to wind down. Friday markets and the on farm shop are approaching the final days of the 2026 season. The next 3 Fridays will be the last of the year for both the Madison Farmers’ market as well as the on farm shop in Middlefield. The Madison Market will also be running from 3-5 for the last 3 weeks rather than 3-6 due to the earlier sunsets. Though the Middlefield farm shop will be shutting down for the season we of course will continue to offer preorder pickup for Friday and Saturday as always. On the subject of Holiday schedules the week of Thanksgiving 11/22-11/28 their will be no markets and no on farm pickup. That makes the final market weekend before the holiday Friday the 20th in Madison and on farm and Saturday the 21st in New Haven, with preorder pickup both days. After Thanksgiving week we will be down to one market on Saturday and preorder pickup on Farm Friday and Saturday. Winter hours for the New Haven Market on Saturday will switch from 10-1 from December to April when the market moves indoors. It’s still hard to imagine Winter despite it’s proximity, but surely it will arrive nearly as fast as Spring.
Have a Great Week