Home / Guides / Harvest, Storage & Post-Harvest Timing
Harvest, Storage & Post-Harvest TimingMarket Harvest Scheduling Calendar
For market sales, the calendar runs backward from the sale. Pick the day, work back through cooling and packing, and time harvest to fit.
Key points
- Work backward from the sale to set harvest time.
- Use postharvest guidance for cooling and handling each crop.
- Watch the forecast and keep a backup plan.
- Review after each market and adjust.
- Write the schedule down and cross-train your crew.
Why schedule harvest backward from the sale?
Customers care about freshness on the day they buy. If you start from the market or delivery time and work backward, you can see when to harvest, how long to cool and pack, and when to load. This avoids last-minute rushes and wilted produce.
The approach works for farmers markets, farm stands, subscriptions and wholesale orders alike.
Write the plan down. A schedule on the wall of the packing shed beats one that lives in your head, especially on busy days when people are tired and in a hurry. Review the plan with the crew the day before, so everyone knows start times and who is doing what.
How do you build the schedule?
Write down each sale day, such as a Saturday market or a Tuesday delivery. List the crops you plan to sell, and for each, note how long it takes to harvest, wash, cool, pack and load. Work back from the sale to set the harvest time.
For example, if you load the truck at dawn for a market, tender crops such as greens and herbs might be picked the afternoon or evening before and cooled overnight, while hardy crops can be picked earlier in the week. Use postharvest guides from extension to judge each crop. Check your numbers against what actually sold, and trim the list of crops that regularly come home unsold.
- Sale day and time
- Load time and travel
- Pack and cool
- Harvest time and crew
How does weather change the plan?
Heat shortens harvest windows. Pick in the cool part of the day, keep crops shaded and cool them quickly. Rain makes fields hard to work and can lower quality. Use the forecast from the National Weather Service to plan.
Build in a backup plan, such as harvesting earlier on a day when storms are expected, or reducing the number of crops on a very hot day.
A worked example: on a hot market week, you might start harvest before sunrise, pull the most tender crops last so they spend the least time in the field and move everything to the cooler within minutes of picking. Remember that crops picked in wet weather may need extra drying before packing.
How do you match harvest to demand?
Keep records of what sold and what came home. Over a few markets, you will see patterns, and you can harvest closer to what customers actually buy. Preorders, subscriptions and wholesale orders give you firm numbers.
Harvest a little extra for perishable items only if you have a plan for unsold product, such as a food bank, a preserving plan or the cooler.
Do not overpromise to wholesale buyers. Give them honest numbers and tell them early if weather changes what you can deliver.
What about cooling and handling?
Cool crops soon after harvest and keep them cool until sale. Extension postharvest guides explain which crops need cooling, which are chilling sensitive and which should not share space. Keep product clean and protected from sun and dirt.
Wash and pack in the sequence that keeps the cold chain intact, and use clean containers. Follow your state's rules for produce sales.
Keep the truck or trailer shaded and clean, and load tender items last so they are not crushed. Check your state's rules on selling produce, including labeling, scales and any needed permits.
How do you plan the crew?
Decide who harvests, who washes and packs and who loads. Schedule the work so that people are not waiting on each other. Training helps, so show new workers how to pick, handle and sort.
Include breaks and safety measures, such as water, shade and sun protection.
Cross-train your crew so the schedule still works when one person is out. Set a simple weekly meeting, even five minutes, to go over the next market's plan.
How do you review the plan?
After each market, note what sold out, what was left and what slowed you down. Adjust the calendar for next week. At the end of the season, review the whole year.
Share your findings with other market vendors, and ask your extension office about postharvest practices. Write down what customers asked for and could not find, as ideas for next season.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: November 2026. Educational information, ranges only. Confirm timing with your county extension office.