Harvest Calendar for California

Click here for typical crop availability / harvest dates in Northern California and here for Southern California

We also have a page with links to our own simple instructions on canning, freezing and drying  many fruits and vegetables, such as  how to make jam, apple butter, applesauce, spaghetti sauce, salsa, pickles, ketchup or freezing corn.

• Back to the California PYO farm page
• To find pumpkin patches, corn mazes and other Halloween activities, click here.
• To find choose and cut-your-own Christmas tree farms, click here.

Please note that actual dates may vary by as much as two or three weeks due to weather conditions, geographical location of the farm, and other factors. And since new varieties are always being developed, and farms may plant different varieties, it is always advisable to call a farm earlier than the expected beginning of a season to check on the status of the product you are interested in.  This is a general guide only!

Typical Crop / Harvest Availability Dates for
South and Central California
(all but the southern 1/4, the northern 1/4 and the coastal area)

In Chronological Order

Typical Crop / Harvest Availability Dates for
Northern California

GROWING CALIFORNIA STRAWBERRIES

• From the end of September through the end of October, strawberries are planted and harvesting occurs from mid- December through mid-July in Ventura County, CA, which produces more than 27 percent of the state's strawberries. The peak harvesting season in California runs from April through June, when up to 10 million pint baskets of strawberries are shipped daily.
• The largest producing state, California harvests 83% of the strawberries grown in the U.S. on approximately 24,500 acres. And with about 5,000 commercial acres, Florida is the second largest producing state. Ideal temperature for strawberry plants should not exceed higher than 78 degrees or lower than 55 degrees.
• Every strawberry plant is hand-picked approximately every three days. This is the time in which it takes for strawberries to complete their cycle of turning from green to white to red. There is no storage of fresh strawberries. After picking, they are rushed to coolers where huge fans extract the field heat. Then they are delivered to supermarkets across the country via refrigerated trucks.

Strawberry Fun Facts and Trivia courtesy of The California Strawberry Commission

Other related links:

• Apple Hill Growers Association - An association of apple growers, not a PYO. (pick your own) Various activities - 55 ranches involved, some apple ranches, 4 wineries, 1 micro-brewing operation. Fruit, baked goods, wine, Christmas trees.  P.O. Box 494, Camino, CA.  Phone: 530-644-7692
• California Food and Agricultural Festivals and Tours
• Ukiah

Home Canning Kits This is the same type of  standard canner that my grandmother used to make everything from applesauce to jams and jellies to tomato and spaghetti sauce. This complete kit includes everything you need and lasts for years: the canner, jar rack, jar grabber tongs, lid lifting wand, a plastic funnel, labels, bubble freer, and the bible of canning, the Ball Blue Book. It's much cheaper than buying the items separately. You'll never need anything else except jars and lids (and the jars are reusable). To see more canners, of different styles, makes and prices, click here! Click here for a larger photo, more information, pricing, ordering, etc. Average Customer Review: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

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