Will it frost tonight?
FARM STORIES & UPDATES
We've had a busy week due to frost prep. As I write this, we're expecting a frost tonight, which means there is a lot to do today.
October 17th isn't as late as we had hoped to plan for a frost. The most unfortunate aspect is that there are no other temperatures in the 30s in the long range forecast. That means that any crops we would lose tonight would continue to produce for the foreseeable future. So, what do you do? Do you cover the crops and attempt to save the plants? Or, do you take a chance that it won't frost? Or, do you say goodbye to certain crops, ready to lose them?
We are opting for the latter for a couple of reasons. One is simply that covering with Reemay cloth is just too time-consuming. Taking massive pieces of cloth out of the barn, using all of our staff to unroll them, matching them to the proper block of crops based on size, removing stakes underneath so the gauzelike pieces aren't punctured, combating wind, and hauling rocks to weigh the pieces down is just so much work.
Randy has put the decision in my hands, mostly because I'm the one who's in charge of susbscription box content decisions, wholesale offerings, and store inventory. It's a daunting decision, but with only 7 more weeks of being open, and 8 more if you count one last week of wholesale, I think we are ready to say goodbye. It's never an easy or welcome decision, but sometimes it makes the most sense when you weigh workload and benefits.
So, that means today we'll be using every last minute we have to strip the plants of whatever we can get: green tomatoes, baskets of tomatillos, green bell peppers, some eggplant for storage, hot peppers, cucumbers, and summer squash. I think the hardest one for me to say goodbye to is the cucumbers: our son Peter loves them. I always get sad when I think that the next time we'll have these crops again, the kids will all be a year older. I hate the wait for these items to come back, and I know you all do, too. We also need to move sweet potatoes out of the greenhouse and into their storage bins so they don't freeze. And we're down a couple of staff members! We'll do what we can and it'll have to be enough.
To wrap up this week's newsletter, I'll take you on a little virtual farm walk:
Our broccoli and cauliflower crop has been sporadic in producing this year. We'll have it in shares again this week, but we wish it would stop trickling in! It's a huge block!
I spotted this beautiful bird in the raspberry and grape fields. Birders, is it a hawk? I know it's a little hard to tell because I couldn't get too close.
Too much rain! There's a reason we plant on raised beds - for drainage. Rain pools in between rows instead of drowning the plants. But this year we've had so much rain that it's almost come level with the beds.
See?
It's hard to choose a favorite view of the farm. Every week I do a field walk to see what's coming in, and it's usually the highlight of my week (when it's not stressful!)
Almost all of our pumpkins are out of the field now. Just a few more to rescue!
We keep our bins of winter squash in a climate-controlled barn to prevent them from freezing or getting too much heat. This week we're going to do select-a-squash so you can choose from acorn, mashed potato, or a sugar pumpkin, which you can bake with!
The white ones are mashed potato squashes. The gray are hubbards - my absolute FAVORITE to bake with. Click the link for a 1-minute history lesson on them.
Randy also grew a new squash this year: black futsu. He only grew a few, just for fun. Maybe we should include them in select-a-squash though! Read about them here.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Registration for our 2027 Vegetable Subscription Program is ongoing! Click this link to sign up. Don't forget to bring or send your payment in!
In case you missed it, we launched a new jarred product... SALSA! The medium-heat salsa is made with our own tomatoes in New Haven, CT. It trends a little more on the mild side. Jars are $6.99 each or a case of 6 for $36!
Congratulations to Carol for winning our Year of the Cabbage Cook-Off!
Congratulations to Carol on winning our Year of the Cabbage Cook-Off! She submitted her meat and cabbage pie. We posted all of your submissions to social media and put it to a vote... Carol won by one "like!"
There were so many great submissions, from homemade egg rolls, to egg roll in a bowl, tuna "noodle" casserole, traditional stuffed cabbage and stuffed cabbage soup, turkey taco bowls, kielbasa and cabbage, and even savory shortbread cabbage cookies! Thank you to everyone for playing - we have the most fun community!
Here's the recipe!
We need box donations please!
Bring in your clean, gently used boxes during store hours. No need to break them down - simply rip off your address label in advance. Think Chewy, Amazon, Target, cases of wine, unscented diapers, etc. No box is too big! Nothing shoebox size or smaller, please.
IMPORTANT DATES
Save the Date for our 2nd Annual Thanksgiving Gleaning!
Here are the details:
We're harvesting for donation in conjuction with our friends at Real Food CT, who will deliver what we harvest to local food pantries and soup kitchens
Saturday, November 14th from 10-11 a.m.
No experience necessary. Families are welcome. Stay as long as your kids can reasonably participate.
Bring a box with you - it will help to have some extra vessels
Park on Farm House Lane (please reserve the lot at our store for those who are shopping). We will have balloons on the side street. Walk up the hill and meet us in the barnyard behind the store.
Wear sturdy footwear. All other materials will be provided.
Sign Up Here (It's asking if anyone can transport a ladder - a ladder is not needed!)
The Peak Season program has now ended (13 total weeks).
The Main Season program runs through Saturday, October 31st (21 total weeks).
The Extended Season program runs through Saturday, December 5th (32 total weeks).
Please inquire if you're not sure which program you selected.
The Shelton Farmers' Market runs on Saturday mornings from 9-12 at 100 Canal Street. The Monroe Farmers' Market runs on Friday afternoons from 3-6 p.m. at 7 Fan Hill Road. Come visit us!
STORE INFORMATION
Here is the fresh produce we plan to have in stock while supplies last (through Sunday, October 25th)
Acorn squash
Basil
Bell peppers (the last of them for 2026!)
Broccoli
Butternut squash
Cauliflower
Collard greens
Cucumbers (the last of them for 2026!)
Delicata squash
Eggplant (the last of them for 2026!)
Escarole
Garlic
Hot peppers (the last of them for 2026!)
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mashed potato squash
Onions
Potatoes
Scallions
Shishito peppers (the last of them for 2026!)
Spaghetti squash
Swiss chard
Tomatillos (the last of them for 2026!)
Tomatoes (the last of them for 2026!)
Yellow squash (the last of them for 2026!)
Zucchini (the last of them for 2026!)
CURRENT STORE 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.
Cash or check is our preferred method of payment as it allows our family's farm to keep 100% of the profits. However, we also gladly accept credit cards and Venmo.
VEGETABLE SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
MAIN SEASON WEEK 20 OF 21
(Tuesday, October 20th through Saturday, October 24th)
Share Contents (Listed approximately from shortest shelf life to longest)
Large:
1/4 lb. of greens mix (for salad or stir fry)
1 head of broccoli or cauliflower (farmer's choice)
1 head of lettuce
1 head of bok choy
1 head of green or napa cabbage (farmer's choice)
1 "salsa verde" bag - tomatillos, green tomato, onion, garlic, hot pepper (Try this recipe!)
1 lb. of potatoes
1 "select-a-squash" - you choose from a sugar pumpkin, acorn squash, mashed potato squash, and maybe more
Small:
1/4 lb. of greens mix (for salad or stir fry)
1 head of lettuce
1 head of green or napa cabbage (farmer's choice)
1 "salsa verde" bag - tomatillos, green tomato, onion, garlic, hot pepper (Try this recipe!)
1 "select-a-squash" - you choose from a sugar pumpkin, acorn squash, mashed potato squash, and maybe more
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. We can not have shares ready on any other days.
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 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 an anticipated 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 without proof of a request, you will be billed for an additional share.
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