Happy 4th of July weekend everyone!
We wanted to publish this newsletter as soon as possible ahead of the weekend so you had ample time to know about our events:
On Saturday, July 6th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. we'll be hosting pick-your-own raspberries and flowers! The address for this is 475 Booth Hill Road in Shelton (not Trumbull! Check your GPS!). We recommend wearing sturdy walking shoes (and of course photo-worthy attire! Gotta snap those pics!) Feel free to bring a water bottle, however please note that there is no restroom at this property - we have a restroom at our home farm property 3 minutes away at 247 Waverly Road and you're welcome to use it at any time before or during the event time frame.
Raspberries and/or blackberries are $6 per half pint and flowers are $25/bouquet. More than one person is welcome to contribute toward a container or bouquet; we'll show you the proper bouquet size and give you tips for snipping and arranging flowers. We'll provide berry containers and all supplies you need for bouquets.
Once you pull into our driveway, you'll be assisted with parking and directed to walk to the field you're interested in harvesting from. You're welcome to do either or both - each activity should only take about 20 minutes with some walking and checkout time added on.
We loved seeing your beautiful bouquets at build-your-own bouquet this past weekend. We can't wait to share photos of your smiles and memories this weekend!
This event is also a chance to see the result of our new 1.5 acre field. Our massive land restoration project is nearly complete, thanks to the assistance we received from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture.
More offerings:
Our pre-picked raspberries and possibly blackberries available daily
Wave Hill Breads breads and muffins delivered on Saturday only
Silverman's Farm pre-picked blueberries (currently available!)
Shaggy Coos Farm gelato (currently available while supplies last!)
Here are the fresh veggies we plan to have in stock while supplies last (through Friday, 7/12):
Beets
Broccoli (limited quantities)
Cabbage (green)
Carrots
Collard greens
Cucumbers
Escarole (BOGO free)
Fresh herbs (sage, thyme, parsley, rosemary, mint, dill, and basil)
Garlic scapes (final quantities for 2024)
Green beans
Greenhouse tomatoes
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce (BOGO free - mix and match with lettuce)
Napa cabbage
Onions (limited quantities)
Raspberries
Romaine (BOGO free - mix and match with lettuce)
Snap peas (final quantities for 2024)
Swiss chard
Yellow squash
Zucchini
We will be closed on Thursday, July 4th. Happy Independence Day!
Randy cultivated his strawberries this week using the Farmall Cub he's borrowing from his friend Will at Ceccarelli Farms in Northford. This week, our crew pulled all of the blossoms off of the plants. This is an essential step during the first season to ensure a bountiful harvest the following year.
Here you can see the rows cultivated and not yet cultivated.
Not specifically about the Vickies, but maybe more about the Victors (we'll have to check with Peter about the particular names)...
We haven't heard them crow yet, but we're almost certain that our Silver Laced Wyandottes and our Golden Laced Wyandottes are also roosters. See those tail feathers?
Uh oh... This complicates things. The hens should start laying eggs soon.
We love to see you visiting with our feathered friends!
UPDATE:
We got our first egg!
Shares this week will include a bunch of hakurei salad turnips. Salad turnips are like a white radish, but sweeter! No need to peel them - just eat them as you would a radish. They can be enjoyed raw or cooked and will become sweeter when cooked. They'll go nicely in a salad, or even raw dipped in hummus or tzatziki. You can pickle them (think quick pickle on tacos!) or saute or roast them. Don't toss the greens, either. Those can be enjoyed raw or cooked as well.
Finally, this week, our members will all have the chance to pick-your-own beans that are included in your share. Since we ended up needing to cancel the PYO raspberries and flowers over the weekend due to the heavy rain, we thought it could make for a nice opportunity to head out to the fields to PYO beans instead.
This would take you about 10 minutes to complete and the family members in your household are welcome to join you!
Here's how it will work:
Come in to pick up your share - we'll ask if you want to PYO beans. (You must come more than 30 minutes before closing time - otherwise we can't offer this and we'll have the pre-packed beans for you.)
If yes, we'll give you a container and show you where to go. This will include a very short walk but the terrain can be uneven. Please plan to wear sturdy shoes.
After you fill the container, you'll come back into the store and we'll provide you with a bag for your beans and give you the rest of your share
If you do not want to PYO beans, we'll give you your share as normal and a pre-packed bag of beans
This is a members-only perk and will not be offered to the public, so please take advantage!
We're asking for donations of clean, gently used boxes to pack orders into. Please use the photos below for size references - anything in that range would be so appreciated. No need to break the boxes down either. Simply rip off your address label and bring them into our store. All set with paper bags for now, thank you! Thank you so much for your help with recycling!
HOUSEKEEPING
The Peak Season vegetable program begins on Thursday, July 11th! Members, check your email inboxes.
We would really like to honor our staff's personal lives and our own, as well as our morning to-do list, and for that reason, we need to open and close promptly at the scheduled times. We can not leave veggie shares outside as we've had issues with these requests in the past. We have lots of options for switching share pickups, including coming the next day if you can't make it during open hours (scroll down to read about these options). We also can not reserve bread or any other products in our store. Though we'd love to offer a personalized experience here on the farm, it surpasses our capabilites, leading to errors and disappointment. Disappointing you is the last thing we want to do! We must commit ourselves to our biggest priorities related to growing fresh fruits and veggies and we need to draw boundaries in order to continue to do so. Thank you, as always, for your support of our family's farm.
The best way to reach us quickly is always by email -Â laurelglenfarm@gmail.com
Please note that Victoria does not work on Thursdays. Emails or phone calls received on Wednesday night through Thursday will be answered on Fridays.Â
Where is your LGF shirt traveling to this summer?!
Ever heard of "Flat Stanley"? Send us a photo of your 2024 LGF tee out in the world or tag us @laurelglenfarmllc
Shirts can be purchased in our store. They are $22, unisex, and available in S, M, L, XL, and XXL. They're 100% cotton, incredibly soft, and slightly baggy for a trendy, lived-in feel for stepping out at your favorite casual establishment.
The front is the Laurel Glen Farm logo and the back is a beet with the phrase "keep your friends close and your farmers closer."
Our shirt went to Portugal with Mark this week! Thanks for the submission!
STORE HOURS
Monday:Â 10:30 to 6
Tuesday:Â 10:30 to 6
Wednesday:Â 10:30 to 6
Thursday:Â 10:30 to 6
Friday:Â 10:30 to 5
Saturday:Â 9 to 4
Sunday:Â 10 to 3
So sorry, but we can't accommodate early or late arrivals even if we are around. Our staff is scheduled to work on prepping the store with the freshest products right up until we open. We also try to honor personal lives by closing promptly.
** Vegetable subscription pickup occurs during all open hours on members' scheduled pickup day and we hold shares for 24 hours afterward.
MARKET HOURS
Shelton Farmers' Market -Â Saturdays from 9 to 12 at 100 Canal Street.
Monroe Farmers' Market -Â Fridays from 3 to 6 at 7 Fan Hill Road.
UPCOMING FARM EVENTS
Book Club
We've decided to forego the meeting associated with this book due to low interest. If you've read the book, feel free to reach out in our members' Facebook group to discuss it further. We'll regroup for a book club meeting again over the winter.
THIS WEEK'S VEGGIE SUBSCRIPTIONS
MAIN SEASON WEEK 5 OF 20
(Tuesday, July 9th through Saturday, July 13th)
Biweekly pickup occurs on all odd-numbered weeks - 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19. (This week.)
Share Contents (Listed approximately from shortest shelf life to longest)
Large:
Cucumbers
1 head of lettuce
1 lb. of beans (PYO or pre-picked!)
1 bunch of carrots
1 bunch of salad turnips
2 fresh yellow onions
1 head of green cabbage
Small:
Cucumbers
1 lb. of beans (PYO or pre-picked!)
1 bunch of carrots
1 bunch of salad turnips
1 head of green cabbage
Caring For Your Share (All of this information, plus long-term storage info, can also be found in our Vegetable Library of Resources).
Remove any greens from the carrots and salad turnips and store them in separate plastic bags in the fridge. Use greens within the week; beets can last up to a month. Wash when ready to use.
Store your lettuce in a plastic bag in the fridge. Wash when ready to use, within the week.
Leave the outer leaves on and store the head of cabbage in the fridge. The outer leaves will keep moisture in the head and prevent it from drying out.
Store your cucumbers, squash, or zucchini in the crisper drawer in the refrigerator.
Store beans in a plastic bag in the fridge. Wash and blot dry when ready to use.
The LGF Cooking Club (Recipes to try in addition to those in the Library of Resources!)
Additional Large Share Ingredients
How to Change Your Vegetable Subscription 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 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 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 in a given week: Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday.
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. 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.
You can always send a guest to pick up in your place by simply notifying us of their name.
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