PickYourOwn.org
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 Michigan crop harvest calendar - When fruit and vegetables are normally ready to pick in MI.
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 This month's notes: August 2008: Blueberries are here all parts of the U.S. Peaches are here! Don't miss them! Blackberries are gone in the South but are still going strong in the north. Apples are coming soon! Find a blueberry festival, peach festival or apple festival near you! Organic farms are still not common, but any that are, have the word ORGANIC by their name! Check out my easy canning instructions/recipes, canning equipment guide or How to make ice cream and ice cream making equipment and manuals
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Crop Harvest Calendar for Michigan

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

Typical Crop Availability - When to Pick in Michigan

Fruit/Veg Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec
apples                         X X X X X X    
Asian pears                         X X X X X X    
asparagus         X X X X X                      
beans                 X X X X X X X X X X    
beets                       X X X X X        
blackberries                 X X X X                
blueberries                       X X X            
broccoli       X X X                 X X X X    
cabbage       X X X             X X X X X X    
cantaloupes                     X X X X X X        
cherries                   X X X                
Christmas trees                                     X X
cucumbers                     X X X X            
eggplant                     X X X X X X        
greens         X X X X X X X X X X X X X X    
Fruit/Veg Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec
herbs         X X X X X X X X X X X X X X    
nectarines                     X X X X            
peaches                 X X X X X X X X        
peas               X X                      
peppers                     X X X X X X        
plums                             X X X X    
potatoes             X X X X X X                
pumpkins                             X X X X    
raspberries                     X X X X X X        
rhubarb             X X X X                    
squash                 X X X X X X X X X X    
strawberries       X     X        
sweet corn                         X X X X        
sweet potatoes             x x x x
tomatoes                         X X X X        
watermelons                         X X X X X X    

The light green indicates light crops at the beginning, end, or in between seasons - dark green is when the bulk of the crop ripens and picking is best.

Typical apple ripening dates in Michigan

Apple Varieties Approx Ripening Dates Description & Uses
Jersey
(summer) Mac		 mid Aug -
early Sept		 Smaller and slightly sweeter than winter mac - eating, sauce, jelly.
Paula Red early Sept Crunchy and juicy - good for pies, baking, sauce, drying, jelly.
Whitney Crab early Sept Large - for spicing and jelly.
State Fair early Sept Sweet/tart, not a real hard apple - eating sauce, jelly, baking, salads.
Early Gold early-mid Sept Tart and crisp, a cross between transparent & a golden - eating, baking, pies, sauce.
Wealthy early-mid Sept Tart and tangy, an antique apple that's excellent for pies, sauce and baking, tart for eating.
Jona-Mac mid-later Sept Jonathan and Macintosh cross - eating, baking, sauce, jelly, pies.
Macintosh mid-late Sept The perennial favorite! - eating, baking, pies(cooks down), sauce, jelly.
Cortland mid-late Sept White flesh, crispy, a best seller! Excellent for eating, drying, pies, sauce, baking, jelly, salads.
Honeycrisp late September -
early Oct		 Large, firm, juicy dessert apple - our fastest selling eating apple (not recommended for baking).
Sweet 16 late September -
early Oct		 Crunchy, juicy, sweet - similar to Honeycrisp (but not quite as hard or large) - eating, salads, can bake.
Snow Apples early Oct Tiny, sweet, aromatic eating apple (an antique apple) - not a keeper!
Spartan early Oct Crunchy, tart, juicy - eating, salads, pies, baking, keeper too!
Gala early Oct Our sweetest apple! crunchy, non-acid eating apple, not large - good for lunch boxes, salads.
Wolf River early-mid Oct Giant, sour old-time pie apple.
Empire early-mid Oct Cross between a Mac and Red Delicious, juicy taste-test favorite! - eating, salads, sauce, drying, can bake.
Cameo early-mid Oct Crisp, sweet/tart eating apple! Great for applesauce
Red Delicious mid Oct A favorite old eating apple - salads and a good keeper.
Jonathan mid Oct Tart and aromatic - eating, pies (does not "mush"), baking, jelly, applesauce!
Golden Delicious mid Oct Sweet old favorite, stores well with moisture added - eating, salads, baking, pies, sauce.
Red Haralson mid Oct Tart and juicy. Excellent flavor for pies (cooks down), drying, baking, eating.
Jona-gold mid Oct Part Jonathan, part Golden Delicious - good eater, pies, baking, sauce, jelly, salads.
Ida Red mid-late Oct All-purpose apple! super keeper - pies, baking, eating (tart), drying, frying!
Northern Spy mid-late Oct Big and firm - pies, baking, drying, eating.
Double Red Stamen Winesap late Oct "Wine-like" flavor, creamy interior, not a large apple in the north - pies, baking, eating.
Yellow Newton Pippen late Oct Antique (Geo. Washington's favorite!) tart, crisp nutty flavor, good keeper and eater. Firm in pies and baking.
 

 

 

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.
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This page was updated on 19-Aug-2008

Remember to ALWAYS call the farm or orchard BEFORE you go - weather, heavy picking and business conditions can always affect their hours and crops!

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