It's the first vegetable subscription newsletter of 2026!
- Victoria & Randy Rogowski
- 4 days ago
- 7 min read
STORIES & UPDATES
Welcome to the first pickup of the 2026 season! We're so grateful for all of our members, but especially for those who choose to commit to the entire 32-week season. Not only does your commitment help sustain the farm greatly, but it's also incredibly inspiring to see your love of ALL of the vegetables we grow from spring through fall.
I'm Victoria, the voice behind the newsletter. My husband Randy and I are in our 14th season of farming his family's 100+-year-old land. It was once a dairy farm, but we revitalized it as a 20-acre mixed fruit and vegetable operation.
In my 20s, I was a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, grade teacher, but I've now been farming full-time longer than I was ever teaching! As of 2020, I spend my days managing this vegetable subscription program, wholesale order fulfillment, retail sales in our store and farmers' market, and all social media, emailing, and customer service. You can feel comfortable addressing all emails to me at laurelglenfarm@gmail.com.
Because I also raise our 2 kids (#3 on the way in July!), I'm often multi-tasking, which is why I work strange hours, and can't answer the phone as much. Therefore, please correspond with us by email for the fastest response time. Parents of littles, you know it's much easier to send a quick message than talk over a noisy household!
Randy is the sole grower here on the farm, responsible for crop planning, care, and all of the science and math that go into growing fruits and vegetables.
Together, we manage a staff of about 10-15 crew members, who help with harvesting, planting, weeding, washing, packing, and retail aspects of the business. We're excited for you to get to know them in the store at pickup! This month, you'll see Emily, Eric, and Ellie when you come in.
Each weekend, you'll receive a link to this newsletter, which you can also always access at www.laurelglenfarm.com/newsletters by Sunday nights. It will detail box contents, farm happenings, and more. Always scroll to the bottom of the newsletter for what to expect in your box and pickup policies including how to change your pickup day if you're away.
This week, we're seeing GREEN! But not in a bad way. Of course, the spring is so iconic for leafy green vegetables, and this year will be no different.
Microgreens are included in your first pickup. Microgreens are very nutrient-dense baby leaves of crops. You'll choose between a zesty or mild variety. In this case, they're both cabbage family crops (think kale, cabbage, kohlrabi, and mizuna), but the zesty variety also contains mustard greens, which will give them more of a peppery kick.
You can keep the tray in a sunny spot like a window sill, and you should wait to harvest them until you're ready to use them (but try to use them within a week). You can use kitchen scissors to cut all the way down the stem, to where the soil begins. Water when the soil gets dry.
Then, sprinkle them on top of salads, burgers, smoothies, sandwiches, or stir fry for a flavor punch.
Recipes:
We have a Vegetable Library of Resources on our website, which you can access to learn more about the uncommon and common veggies you'll find in your share, storage tips, and a list of recipes for how to use each item we grow. It can be found at www.laurelglenfarm.com/resources.
Spring is not just for leafy veggies! We also dug up a ton of overwintered carrots from the field. Overwintered veggies were planted the previous year, but can sustain freezing temperatures during the winter. Frost actually makes veggies sweeter - see if you can taste the difference this week.
We won't see carrots in our share again until late June or early July, so don't be afraid to keep them in your fridge in storage for a couple of weeks if you want to make them last.
There's a quick turnaround time here on the farm. Once the carrots came out, the area was immediately harrowed and planted with potatoes. You'll hear a lot about that this season. We grow 9 different successions of squash, zucchini, and cucumbers, at least 6 successions of cabbage family crops, 3 rounds of tomatoes, and so on and so forth...
The leeks and scallions you're receiving in your share also had to come out of the field so that cantaloupe can go in.
Leeks are Randy's favorite allium (onion crop). I think scallions might be mine. You're receiving the best of both worlds this week. Use the scallions first as the leeks will hang on longer in your fridge.
Aside from these items I've mentioned from the field, everything else you'll receive for the next couple of weeks will be coming from our greenhouse.
We maximize space by growing lettuce, escarole, and radishes in hanging baskets overhead.
The raised beds below them contain scallions, pea tendrils, bok choy, Tokyo bekana, and Asian greens mix (more on those to come!). The greenhouse provides necessary shelter until the weather becomes a bit more stable and we can start harvesting some greens from the field.
There's so much more I could fill you in on as we've gotten ready to open up for the season this Saturday. In the next couple of days, keep checking your inbox for the email about what to expect on Opening Day, especially if you have a Saturday pickup. We'll discuss what other crops and items will be available for purchase in the store.
Until then, please make sure you're in our Subscription Members’ Facebook group. Here, we'll chat about what we're cooking, and we'd love to see some photos of you and your family enjoying your first LGF meal of 2026.
If you have any questions for us about the program, please don't hesitate to send an email. We hope you enjoy your first round of veggies!
UPCOMING EVENTS
SPRING SEEDLING SALE
Saturday, May 16, 2026
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday, May 17, 2026
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Seedlings will be set up in the barnyard on these days. Come browse and bring a box to transfer your seedlings home!
Remaining seedlings will continue to be sold during our store's open hours into June while availability lasts.
Sold as single plants:
Heirloom slicing tomatoes
Red and yellow slicing tomatoes
Red and yellow grape tomatoes
Red cherry tomatoes
Eggplant
Red bell peppers
Jalapenos
Sold in 2-packs:
Slicing and pickling cucumbers
Zucchini
Yellow squash
Broccoli
Kale
Pumpkins
Sold in 4-packs:
Green and red lettuce
Green beans
Basil, cilantro, dill, thyme, parsley, mint, oregano
Sunflowers and zinnias
The Shelton Farmers' Market begins on Saturday, May 16th, 2026. 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. 100 Canal Street.
The Monroe Farmers' Market begins on Friday, June 19, 2026. 3 to 6 p.m. 7 Fan Hill Road.
STORE INFORMATION
Here is the fresh produce we plan to have in stock while supplies last:
Check our email marketing newsletter this week for details! We won't be harvesting to stock the store until Opening Day on Saturday, May 2nd, so some items are TBD.
CURRENT HOURS:
Monday: 10:30 to 3 p.m.
Tuesday: 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Wednesday: 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Thursday: 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Friday: 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
We'll gladly accept your donations of gently used cardboard boxes of all sizes!
Bring them into our store without breaking them down; simply rip off your address label first. We'll use these for our Seedling Sale on Saturday, May 16th and Sunday, May 17th (and beyond!)
VEGETABLE SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
EXTENDED SEASON WEEK 1 OF 32
(Tuesday, April 28th through Saturday, May 2nd)
Share Contents (Listed approximately from shortest shelf life to longest)
Large:
1 bunch of pea tendrils
1 bunch of scallions
1 tray of microgreens
2 lbs. of leeks
2 lbs. of carrots
Small:
1 bunch of pea tendrils
1 bunch of scallions
1 tray of microgreens
1 lb. of leeks
1 lb. of carrots
Storage tips and recipes for all of the vegetables in this week's share can be located on our website, here.
VEGETABLE SUBSCRIPTION PICKUP POLICIES
All pickups must take place within store operating hours. For many reasons, we can't leave shares outside the store. Pickup days are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.
If you need to skip your share for the week, or change your pickup day, you must provide us with 48 hours' notice for any of the options below. This is because we pack shares the day before pickup. Once your share has been harvested and packed, we can not change or 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 pickup day in a given week: we offer share pickup on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday only.
You can skip a pickup and receive a double the following week.
If you miss your pickup, we will hold your share for 24 hours after your pickup day, and then it will be donated to a local food pantry. This is a great option if you accidentally miss your pickup - just come the next day.
You can always send a guest to pick up in your place by simply notifying us of their name.
Please send us an email to laurelglenfarm@gmail.com 48 hours before your anticipated pickup in order to make a change. You must submit your request in writing in order to leave a paper trail. This allows you to show proof to our store staff at pickup in the event that we need clarification.
If a share is picked up outside of your scheduled time (aside from an approved change) or the 24 hour holding period, you will be billed for an additional share.
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