What is a harvest?

 

Have you ever planted and grown any fruits or vegetables? If so, you might already be a little familiar with the idea of a “harvest”!

You probably already know that all plants begin as seeds, and then grow bigger over time. Most plants, especially those that provide food, grow best at certain times of year when they can have the right types of temperatures and rain. In most places, the first crops are planted in the spring and continue into the summer and the fall. Throughout this time, the foods are harvested as they mature and ripen! By the end of the fall, this results in a big and important harvest of food!

Since very few edible things are able to grow in the winter climate of most places, there was a time when having enough food to last all winter relied on having a successful harvest of crops in the fall! Today, we have things like refrigerators, canned foods, and trade of food between regions with different growing seasons, which all make it easier for us to have food to eat through winter. Even though we may not think of it as often, a good harvest is still as important as ever – the food from your grocery store, farmer’s market, and backyard garden couldn’t exist without it! 

 

Do you know of certain foods that are ripe and ready to harvest at different times of year? It all depends a little on the weather where you live, but here are some general seasonal treats from mother nature!

Spring: Lettuce, rhubarb, summer squash, blueberries

Summer: Tomatoes, melon, eggplants, peaches, corn, cucumbers

Fall: Apples, pumpkins, beets, celery, carrots

Winter: Potatoes, winter squash, turnips, cabbage

What is the best season for some of your favorite foods? If you don’t know, ask a grown-up to help you find out!