Hi everyone!
First of all, please note that we are closing at 3:00 on Wednesday, November 22nd (the day before Thanksgiving.) If you are unable to pick up your Wednesday share by that time, we recommend switching to Tuesday. Or, you can skip this week and double up next week as always. Please make sure we have the 48 hours' notice required to make these changes.
This week, we got 3 major things accomplished. One of them is that almost all of the leaves are now on the garlic.
Randy used the bucket on the big tractor to scoop them up and then drop them off on a different section of the planted garlic.
Then, Laina and Ethan spread them out with rakes.
The crazy thing is that even in heavy wind and impending winter storms that will come our way, the leaves stay so compacted that they won't blow around. We have one more load to distribute. Typically, Randy will scatter some lime down on top of the leaves to help neutralize some of the acidity as they break down. That will be the last step and hopefully will be finished before Thanksgiving.
We also had a huge tree removed that was by our sign near the road.
Unfortunately this tree was half dead and was leaning away from the road. We've been nervous for a few years about it coming down in a storm. If so, it most likely would have fallen on our deer fencing and greenhouse, creating a major setback for us.
It looks really empty there now, so I jazzed up the stump with some autumn decor. We'll try to beautify this area more in the spring.
It was fun for the kids to watch the workers take down the tree, but actually, we were all really sad about it all day long - even Peter didn't want to see the old maple go.
We did save most of the wood for ourselves, and maybe we'll plant another tree somewhere to offset the loss of this one.
Mid-week, we even started making some wreaths. Laina and Randy foraged for some greens on our property on Booth Hill and brought back a truckload. We intend to have a bunch of wreaths ready for sale beginning on Black Friday. They'll be in two sizes and $35 and $55, respectively.
Monday we'll be doing a ton of harvesting for the shares and store, as this is one of the busiest weeks of the year. Tuesday will consist of more harvesting, and most likely spreading leaves, and then by Wednesday we'll be in wreath making mode, and even setting up the barn for Friday's workshop.
On Wednesday, Ethan and Eric may even begin bulk harvesting some of our root crops to get them into storage for our final two weeks. As the ground begins to freeze, harvesting will become a lot harder, and we don't want to lose any veggies we'll use for our final two shares. Henry will most likely also seed microgreens for the final week of operation.
Our cat Pico was in the greenhouse on Friday, staying warm and cozy.
Friday we had a massive harvest day between the shares and readying the store for Thanksgiving shoppers. We also got another huge order to send to the City of Bridgeport for the East End Market food pantry. My goodness, we were blessed with the most gorgeous weather to work in. Not only was it so pleasant, but if it had been colder, it would have slowed down our harvesting and washing immensely. We just barely pulled it all off (and thanks to the crew members for coming in on short notice!)
Normally, my least favorite job on the farm is working at the wash station, but I didn't even mind it in those temperatures (and with this beautiful arugula in front of me).
We would like to end this newsletter by wishing you a very happy Thanksgiving. We are so grateful to have the most supportive members and community. We couldn't keep this farm going without you. Enjoy a wonderful holiday.
Here is what's expected to be in the store through Friday, November 24th... A new list will be emailed out on Friday morning and is now posted on the homepage of our website so you can reference it every day. Most inventory will be the same until our closing date on December 9th.
Apples from Hindinger Farm in Hamden (the only produce we EVER supplement in our store!) - Mutsu, Cortland, Jonagold, Empire, McIntosh, and Granny Smith
And our own veggies...
Arugula
Blue hubbard squash
Beets
Bok choy
Broccoli rabe (the last of it!)
Brussels sprouts
Butternut squash (COME ASAP - ALMOST GONE)
Cabbage (red, green, napa)
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery root (celeriac)
Cutting celery
Choy sum
Collard greens
Escarole
Garlic
Herbs (sage, thyme, rosemary, parsley)
Honeynut squash (COME ASAP - ALMOST GONE)
Kabocha squash
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce
Potatoes
Potatoes "seconds" (40% off regular price)
Radishes and salad turnips (the last of the salad turnips!)
Romaine
Rutabaga
Spaghetti squash (COME ASAP - ALMOST GONE)
Sugar pumpkins
Turnips
Spinach MAY be back in December... it wasn't a great crop this fall. We're letting it rest and will reevaluate next week.
Gather a group of friends or treat yourself to some solo fun!
We'll show you how to make a holiday wreath using foraged greens from our farm. You'll have access to pine, cedar, yew, hemlock, and holly to build a personalized wreath that suits your tastes.
You'll receive an 18" wreath frame that you can fill as narrow or full as you'd like, plus the wire and greens you'll need to complete this project. Please bring a pair of garden clippers with your name on them, which you'll use to prune greenery for the wreath.
Where & when?
Friday, November 24, 2023 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Laurel Glen Farm.
Things to consider:
We'll be standing at tables for the workshop - please wear comfortable shoes for standing during this extended period of time. The barn is not heated and we will be using tent space outside, so we recommend dressing for outdoor elements (thin gloves are helpful).
Tables can fit 2 people, but table arrangements can not be reserved, so we recommend arriving a few minutes early to claim a spot. The demonstration will begin promptly and you're welcome to use the remaining time frame to build your wreath.
TERMS & CONDITIONS: The event ticket is non-refundable.
Purchase tickets at this link: https://www.laurelglenfarm.com/product-page/2024-wreath-making-workshop
UPCOMING HOURS
Sunday (11/19): Closed as always for family day
Monday (11/20): 10:30 to 5
Tuesday (11/21): 10:30 to 6
Wednesday (11/22): 10:30 to 3 (closing early the day before Thanksgiving!)
Thursday (11/23): CLOSED for Thanksgiving
Friday (11/24): 10:30 to 3 (Black Friday - regularly closed at 4 on other Fridays)
Saturday (11/25): 9 to 4
In Your Share (Listed approximately from shortest shelf life to longest)
Large:
1 bunch of tatsoi
1 bunch of Tokyo bekana
1 head of escarole
1 grab-a-green (your choice - escarole, lettuce, Swiss chard, kale)
1 head of cauliflower
2 celeriac (celery root)
1 lb. of carrots
Garlic
Small:
1 bunch of tatsoi
1 bunch of Tokyo bekana
1 grab-a-green (your choice - escarole, lettuce, Swiss chard, kale)
1 celeriac (celery root)
1 lb. of carrots
Garlic
Caring For Your Share (All of this information, plus long-term storage info, can also be found in our Vegetable Library of Resources).
Store your head of cauliflower in an open plastic bag in the fridge. Wash and use within the week.
Store tatsoi, Tokyo bekana, Swiss chard, and kale in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge. Wash and pat dry when ready to use (within the week).
Shake out any excess water in the head of lettuce or escarole, then store in a plastic bag in the fridge. Wash and spin out when ready to use.
Store the carrots in the plastic bag in the crisper, where they will last for weeks.
Remove the tops from the celeriac and store the greens and root in plastic bags in the crisper drawer in the fridge. Wash when ready to use, and peel the bulb.
Store garlic in a cool, dark place out of the refrigerator, like a cabinet or pantry. Ensure that it has air flow. We leave the neck on the garlic to prevent it from rotting at the base of the bulb.
The LGF Cooking Club (Recipes to try in addition to those in the Library of Resources!)
Cabbage Stir Fry (Tokyo bekana)
Large Share Additional Items
Please note that Victoria does not work on Thursdays this season. Emails received on Wednesday night through Thursday will be answered on Fridays.
How to Change Your Pickup Day
If you need to skip your share for the week, or change your pickup day, you must provide us with 48 hours notice since we pack shares the day before pickup. Once your share has been harvested and packed, we can not cancel your pickup.
For Tuesday pickups being changed, we need to know by Sunday. Wednesday pickups, we need to know by Monday. Saturday pickups, we need to know by Thursday. You have the option to choose another of those pickup days: Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday. Or, you can skip a pickup and double the following week.
If you miss your pickup, we will hold your share for 24 hours after your pickup day (Monday for Saturday members), and then it will be donated to a local food pantry. With more members than ever before, we don't have the cooler space to hold onto shares longer than this. This is a great option if you accidentally miss your pickup - just come the next day.