Click here to go to the Watauga Food Council page

click here to go to the Watauga Food Council page at http://www.wataugafoodcouncil.org/

or click here for the PickYourOwn.org starting page

 

Cottage food laws are the first step in starting a food business.  Next is scaling up in a shared use commercial kitchen.  Then, when you are ready to begin full retail sales, internet sales and crossing state lines, it is time to look at using a copacker. 

Cottage food laws by state: [ Alabama ] [ Alaska ] [ Arkansas ] [ Arizona ] [ California ] [ Colorado ] [ Connecticut ] [ Delaware ] [ District of Columbia ] [ Florida ] [ Georgia ] [ Hawaii ] [ Idaho ] [ Illinois ] [ Indiana ] [ Iowa ] [ Kansas ] [ Kentucky ] [ Louisiana ] [ Maine ] [ Maryland ] [ Massachusetts ] [ Michigan ] [ Minnesota ] [ Mississippi ] [ Missouri ] [Montana] [Nebraska] [ Nevada ] [ New Hampshire ] [ New Jersey ] [ New Mexico ] [ New York ] [ North Carolina ] [ North Dakota ] [ Ohio ] [ Oklahoma ] [ Oregon ] [ Pennsylvania ] [ Rhode Island ] [ South Carolina ] [ South Dakota ] [ Tennessee ] [ Texas ] [ Utah ] [ Vermont ] [ Virginia ] [ Washington state ] [ West Virginia ] [ Wisconsin ]  [ Wyoming ]

Cottage food laws in other countries: [ Canada ] [ Ireland ] [United Kingdom ]

Commercial kitchens by state: [ Alabama ] [ Alaska ] [ Arkansas ] [ Arizona ] [ California ] [ Colorado ] [ Connecticut ] [ Delaware ] [ District of Columbia ] [ Florida ] [ Georgia ] [ Hawaii ] [ Idaho ] [ Illinois ] [ Indiana ] [ Iowa ] [ Kansas ] [ Kentucky ] [ Louisiana ] [ Maine ] [ Maryland ] [ Massachusetts ] [ Michigan ] [ Minnesota ] [ Mississippi ] [ Missouri ] [Montana] [Nebraska] [ Nevada ] [ New Hampshire ] [ New Jersey ] [ New Mexico ] [ New York ] [ North Carolina ] [ North Dakota ] [ Ohio ] [ Oklahoma ] [ Oregon ] [ Pennsylvania ] [ Rhode Island ] [ South Carolina ] [ South Dakota ] [ Tennessee ] [ Texas ] [ Utah ] [ Vermont ] [ Virginia ] [ Washington state ] [ West Virginia ] [ Wisconsin ]  [ Wyoming ]

Copackers by state: [ Alabama ] [ Alaska ] [ Arkansas ] [ Arizona ] [ California ] [ Colorado ] [ Connecticut ] [ Delaware ] [District of Columbia ] [ Florida ] [ Georgia ] [ Hawaii ] [ Idaho ] [ Illinois ] [ Indiana ] [ Iowa ] [ Kansas ] [ Kentucky ] [ Louisiana ] [ Maine ] [ Maryland ] [ Massachusetts ] [ Michigan ] [ Minnesota ] [ Mississippi ] [ Missouri ] [Montana] [Nebraska] [Nevada] [ New Hampshire ] [ New Jersey ] [ New Mexico ] [ New York ] [ North Carolina ] [ North Dakota ] [ Nevada ] [ Ohio ] [ Oklahoma ] [ Oregon ] [ Pennsylvania ] [ Rhode Island ] [ South Carolina ] [ South Dakota ] [ Tennessee ] [ Texas ] [ Utah ] [ Vermont ] [ Virginia ] [ Washington state ] [ West Virginia ] [ Wisconsin ] [ Wyoming ]  Disclaimer and Privacy Policy [Search]

 

Typical harvest dates in the United States

Of course, getting fresh local crops can be important, so it helps to know when they will be ripe! Below is a general month by month overview for the northern hemisphere (North America and Europe. Be sure to see the state or area-specific harvest calendar on each web page. Below, keep in mind this is very general, and , the South will be the earlier end, and the North, the latter:

• November to March - Citrus (oranges, grapefruit, mandarins, etc, in so Cal, AZ, NM, TX, FL
• March - April: Asparagus
• Late April-June: strawberries
• June- July: cherries
• June-August: blueberries, blackberries
• July-September: peaches, figs, tomatoes, green beans
• July-October: raspberries
• August - Figs, Fall raspberries start, early apples
• September-October: apples and grapes
• October: late apples, Pumpkins
• December: Christmas trees

Recipes for canning specific fruit and vegetable plus picking and preserving guides

These recipes closely follow lab-tested USDA recipes for safety. They use the same processing methods, times, ingredients, etc. We have add photos and more detailed instructions to make the recipes easier to follow.  If your state requires proof, we can supply it!

See these pages below for detailed, illustrated, step-by-step instructions that make it easy!