Find a local pick your own farm here!

What's in season in September 2023, and other timely information:

This page has a table below that tells when each fruit or vegetable is normally ready to be harvested in STATEXYZ!  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.

Harvest Calendar / Ripening Dates
(Approximate - Check with each farm!)

Crops Early Most Active Late
VEGETABLES      
Asparagus April 23 May 1 - May 30 June 25
Beans (green, yellow, bush, pole, lima) July 1 July 5 - September 30 October 20
Beets May 15 June 1 - September 30 Oct 30
Broccoli June 20 July 1 - October 31 November 30
Cabbage June 1 June 10 - October 31 November 15
Cauliflower September 1 Oct. 5 - November 20 Dec. 5
Collards May 15 August 20 - October 31 November 20
Cucumbers June 25 July 5 - August 15 September 15
Eggplant July 1 July 10 - September 15 October 15
Lima Beans July 10 July 15 - August 31 October 31
Okra July 15 August 15 - September 15 October 15
Onions June 25 June 25 - July 31 September 30
Peas May 20 June 5 - September 30 Oct 15
Peppers July 5 July 15 - October 31 Nov. 5
Potatoes July 10 July 20 - September 30 October 15
Pumpkins September 15 October 1 - October 15 October 31
Rhubarb May 15 June 5 - July 31 August 31
Snap Beans June 10 June 20 - July 20 August 31
Squash June 15 June 25 - September 1 September 30
Spinach April 15 May 5 - June 25 June 30
Sweet Corn July 15 August 1 - September 20 October 15
Tomatoes July 5 July 10 - September 15 October 15
FRUITS       
Apples - see below for details by variety July 15 September 1 - October 25 October 31
Blackberries July 10 July 15 - July 30 August 10
Blueberries July 5 July 15 - September 10 October 15
Cherries June 10 June 10 - June 25 June 25
Grapes August 25 September 10 - September 20 September 30
Peaches, Nectarines July 15 August 1 - September 10 September 30
Pears August 1 August 10 - August 31 September 10
Raspberries July 1 July 5 - September 30 October 20
Raspberries (Fall and everbearing) July 1 August 1 - September 30 October 15
Strawberries May 20 June 5 - June 20 July 10
OTHER      
Flowers, Herbs July 1 July 15 - September 15 October 1

Typical Crop Availability - to Pick in Massachusetts

dark green = available;      light green = sometimes / some farms;     
White or gray = not usually available

Fruit/Veg Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Oct Nov December
apples                       X X X X X X X X  
Apricots                     X X X X            
Asian pears                         X X X X X X    
asparagus             X X X X                    
beans                     X X X X X X X X    
beets               X X X X X X X X X X X    
blackberries                     X X X X X X        
blueberries                     X X X X X X        
boysenberries                 X X X X                
broccoli                     X X X X X X X X    
Brussels sprouts                             X X X X X  
cabbage                   X X X X X X X X X X  
cantaloupes                         X X X X        
cauliflower                                        
celery                             X X X X X  
carrots                     X X X X X X X X X  
cherries                 X X X X                
Christmas trees                                       X
cucumbers                     X X X X X X        
eggplant                     X X X X X X X      
gooseberries                     X X X X            
greens                 X X X X X X X X X X    
  Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Oct Nov December
herbs                 X X X X X X X X X X    
kale X X X
nectarines                     X X X X X X        
peaches                   X X X X X X        
pears                         X X X X X      
peas                     X X X X            
peppers                     X X X X X X X X    
potatoes                         X X X X X X X X
raspberries                   X X X X X X X X X    
rhubarb         X X X X X X X X                
pumpkins                             X X X X    
summer squash                     X X X X X X        
winter squash                         X X X X X X    
saskatoons /serviceberries                                        
strawberries               X X X X                  
sweet corn                       X X X X X X      
sweet potatoes X X X
Swiss chard X X X X X X X X X X
tomatoes                       X X X X X X X    
watermelons                                        
Fruit/Veg Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Oct Nov December

 

Apples

Approximate Apple Availability in Massachusetts

Variety Typical harvest dates Notes
 McIntosh Beginning of September
to late October
Tart early, then as the season progresses, sweet
Honeycrisp Beginning of September
to mid-September
Sweet, tart
Royal Gala

Beginning of September 
to late September

Sweet, soft flesh, does not store well
Golden Supreme Beginning of September
to mid-September
 
 Cortland Middle of September
to mid-October
Mildly sweet
 Jonagold Middle of September
to mid-October
Medium firm, sweet flesh
 Macouns Mid-September
to late October
Tart early, then as the season progresses, sweet
 Empire Early October
to late October
Mildly sweet
 Red Delicious End of September
to late October
Sweet, soft flesh. Does not store well
 Mutsu Beginning of October
to late October
 
 Fuji Beginning of October
to late October
Mildly sweet, aromatic, firm flesh, stores very well
Suncrisp Mid-October
to late October
 
Breaburn Mid-October  
Northern Spy Mid-Late October  
Spencer Mid-October  
Enterprise Mid-October
to Mid-November
 
Gold Rush Mid-October
to Mid-November
 
Yellow Delicious Mid-October Soft, sweet flesh, does not store well
Russet Mid-Late October  
Granny Smith Mid-October Tart
Baldwin Mid-Late October  
Rome Mid-October Tart, hard flesh, stores well
Winesap Mid-October Tart, aromatic, stores well

 


*As always, harvest Dates are approximations. Weather and local conditions have an extreme effect and harvest dates can vary by as much as two weeks and variety availability.

 

 

Looking for canning equipment and supplies?

Water bath canner with a jar rack

Electric pressure canner

Pressure canners for gas, electric and induction stoves: Presto 23Qt or T-fal 22Qt

Canning scoop (this one is PERFECT)

Ball Blue book (most recent version)

8oz canning jars for jams

Regular canning lids

Wide mouth canning lids

 


Get the
most recent version of
the Ball Blue Book