seasonal food schedule
An important part of buying local is making an effort to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables when they are in season in your area. Although today’s global marketplace allows us to buy foods grown virtually anywhere in the world all year round, these options are not the most sustainable.
By purchasing local foods in-season, you eliminate the environmental damage caused by shipping foods thousands of miles, your food dollar goes directly to the farmer, and your family will be able to enjoy the health benefits of eating fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables. Buying seasonal produce also provides an exciting opportunity to try new foods and to experiment with seasonal recipes. And it simply tastes better!
Even if you don’t want to change any of your eating habits, you can at least make sure to buy local produce when it’s available, rather than purchase the same type of food from 3000 miles away!
— from Sustainable Table
| Fruits & Berries | Early | Most Active | Late |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apples | July 15 | Sept. 1 – Oct. 25 | Oct. 31 |
| Blackberries | July 10 | July 15 – July 30 | Aug. 10 |
| Blueberries | June 20 | July 5 – Aug. 10 | Aug. 15 |
| Cherries | June 10 | June 10 – June 25 | June 25 |
| Cranberries | Sept. 20 | Oct. 1 – Nov. 1 | Nov. 10 |
| Grapes | Aug. 25 | Sept. 10 – Sept. 20 | Sept. 30 |
| Peaches, Nectarines | July 5 | July 20 – Sept. 1 | Sept. 15 |
| Pears | Aug. 1 | Aug 10. – Aug 31 | Sept. 10 |
| Plums | July 1 | July 15 – Aug. 15 | Sept. 1 |
| Red Raspberries | |||
| Traditional | July 1 | July 5 – July 21 | Aug. 1 |
| Fall Bearing** | Aug. 15 | Sept. 1 – Sept 20 | Oct. 15 |
| Strawberries | May 20 | June 1 – June 10 | June 25 |
| Vegetables | Early | Most Active | Late |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asparagus | Apr. 23 | May 1 – May 30 | June 25 |
| Beets | June 1 | July 1 – Oct. 31 | Nov. 30 |
| Broccoli | June 20 | July 1 – Oct. 31 | Nov. 1 |
| Cabbage | June 1 | June 10 – Oct. 31 | Nov. 15 |
| Cauliflower | Sept. 1 | Oct. 5 – Nov. 20 | Dec. 5 |
| Collards | May 15 | Aug. 20 – Oct. 31 | Nov. 20 |
| Cucumbers | June 25 | July 5 – Aug. 15 | Sept. 15 |
| Eggplant** | July 10 | July 20 – Sept. 30 | Oct. 15 |
| Lettuce | |||
| Late Spring | May 15 | May 20 – July 15 | Aug. 31 |
| Early Fall | Sept. 1 | Sept 15. – Nov. 15 | Nov. 30 |
| Lima Beans | July 10 | July 15 – Aug. 31 | Oct. 31 |
| Okra** | July 15 | Aug. 15 – Sept. 15 | Oct. 15 |
| Onions | June 25 | June 25 – July 31 | Sept. 30 |
| Peas | May 20 | June 15 – June 25 | July 5 |
| Peppers | July 5 | July 15 – Oct. 31 | Nov. 5 |
| Potatoes | July 10 | July 20 – Sept. 30 | Oct. 15 |
| Pumpkins | Sept. 15 | Oct. 1 – Oct. 15 | Oct. 31 |
| Snap Beans | June 10 | June 20 – July 20 | Aug. 31 |
| Squash | June 15 | June 25 – Sept. 1 | Sept. 30 |
| Spinach | April 15 | May 5 – June 25 | June 30 |
| Sweet Corn | July 1 | July 5 – Aug. 31 | Sept. 25 |
| Tomatoes** | July 5 | July 10 – Sept. 15 | Oct. 15 |
| Other | Early | Most Active | Late |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everlastings, Flowers, Herbs | |||
| July 1 | July 15 – Sept. 15 | Oct. 1 |
| ** Late date is Oct. 15 or killing frost |
