This month's notes: May 2013: The cool weather has delayed blooms and slowed growth by a couple of weeks, but don't miss strawberries: they started in most Southern areas in late April, and in late May up north. Click here for strawberry facts and picking tips, and this page for easy strawberry jam making directions. Blueberries will come in June in most areas. Of course, Florida, southern Texas, and other very warm areas are already picking both crops! See this page for hundreds of easy canning and freezing instructions/recipes, canning equipment guide! Also make your own ice cream - see How to make ice cream and ice cream making equipment and manuals. Then see each state's crop availability calendar for more specific dates of upcoming crops. Organic farms are identified in green!  See our guide to local fruit and vegetable festivals!. Please tell the farms you found them here - and ask them to update their information!!

Bookmark and Share Subscribe to our: Email alerts Follow us on Twitter or via RSS: Pick your own farms RSS feed  Add this page to your favorites! - Email this page to a friend, or to yourself


Virginia Harvest Calendar and Crop Availability for Fruits and Vegetables Grown in Virginia

Typical Crop Availability - When to Pick in Virginia

Click here to go back to the Virginia farms page

Fruit/Veg January February March April May June July August September October November December
apples                        
asian pears                        
asparagus                        
beans                        
blackberries                        
blueberries                        
broccoli                        
cabbage                        
cantaloupes                        
cucumbers                        
eggplant                        
greens                        
herbs                        
nectarines                        
peaches                        
peas                        
peppers                        
potatoes                        
raspberries                        
pumpkins                        
squash                        
strawberries                      
sweet corn                        
sweet potatoes
tomatoes                        
watermelons                        

Detailed Information for Specific Varieties in Central Virginia

LOW ACID (MILD) PEACH VARIETIES
Variety Flesh Color Average Date Peak* Comments
Sugar May White/Clingstone July 3 Small size but good peach
Sweet Scarlet Yellow/Clingstone July 6 Small, but very distinctive flavor
White Lady White/Clingstone July 20 Standard White Flesh Peach
Sugar Giant White/Freestone August 8 The Prettiest Peach We Grow
Snow Giant White/Freestone August 28 Callous around seed, but great peach
September Snow White/Freestone September 10 Excellent late season low acid
Snowball White/Freestone September 18 Very small peach, but very tasty
HIGH ACID (TRADITIONAL) PEACH VARIETIES
Variety Flesh Color Average Date Peak* Comments
Crimson Lady Yellow/Clingstone June 28 Small but tasty
Sentry Yellow/Clingstone July 7 Good early season peach
Redhaven Yellow/Semi-clingstone July 18 Old Standard. Excellent peach
Salem Yellow/Freestone July 24 First freestone
Loring Yellow/Freestone August 3 Large size. Excellent for canning
Blake Yellow/Freestone August 15 Excellent for freezing
Encore Yellow/Freestone August 28 Medium size. Good peach.
Laurol Yellow/Freestone September 2 Excellent late season all-around peach
Autumn Prince Yellow/Freestone September 10 Small size but excellent flavor
Fairtime Yellow/Freestone September 14 Large size. Mild-flavored California variety.

 * Average Date Peak Harvest -

  APPLES  
Variety

Approximate Dates When Available

(check in advance)

Comments
Gala August 10 - September 30 Flavorful. Great for Pies
Golden Delicious September 15 - October 15 Great for eating, applesauce & baking.
Red Delicious September 25 - October 25 Eating
Fuji Oct. 5 - Nov. 7 Our favorite apple. Retains shape when cooked.
Pink Lady November 1 - Nov. 7 Complex Sweet/Tart Flavor

 

 


This page was updated on

Ball Enamel Waterbath Canner, Including Chrome-Plated Rack and 4-Piece Utensil Set
Don't forget the Ball Blue Book!

Home Canning Kits

Features:


* All the tools you need for hot waterbath canning - in one comprehensive set!
* Complete with 21 1/2 qt. enameled waterbath canner
* Also includes canning rack, funnel, jar lifter, jar wrencher, bubble freer, tongs and lid lifter.
* A Kitchen Krafts exclusive collection.

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. It's much cheaper than buying the items separately. You'll never need anything else except jars & lids (and the jars are reusable)! There is also s simple kit with just the canner and rack, and a pressure canner, if your want to do vegetables (other than tomatoes). To see more canners, of different styles, makes and prices, click here!
Ball Enamel Waterbath Canner, Including Chrome-Plated Rack and 4-Piece Utensil Set

Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
 

     

Lids, Rings, Jars, mixes, pectin, etc.

Need lids, rings and replacement jars?  Or pectin to make jam, spaghetti sauce or salsa mix or pickle mixes?  Get them all here, and usually at lower prices than your local store!

Get them all here at the best prices on the internet!

 


Picking Tips

[General picking tips and a guide to each fruit and vegetable] [How much do I need to pick? (Yields - how much raw makes how much cooked or frozen)] [Selecting the right varieties to pick] [All about apple varieties - which to pick and why!]  [Picking tips for Vegetables] [ Strawberry picking tips] [ Blueberries picking tips]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Illustrated Canning, Freezing, Jam Instructions and Recipes

All About Home Canning, Freezing and Making Jams, Pickles, Sauces, etc. ] [FAQs - Answers to common questions and problems] [Recommended books about home canning, jam making, drying and preserving!] [Free canning publications to download and print]