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Crop dates by placeAlfalfa hay Planting Dates by State and Region
Published alfalfa hay planting windows for 37 places, with the source and the caveats you need before you use them.
| Place | Planting | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Feb 15 to Dec 1 | |
| Arkansas | May 1 to Sep 15 | |
| California | Feb 15 to Nov 20 | |
| Colorado | May 23 to Nov 9 | |
| Delaware | May 13 to Nov 19 | |
| Idaho | May 22 to Oct 20 | |
| Illinois | May 9 to Sep 21 | |
| Indiana | May 15 to Sep 20 | |
| Iowa | May 24 to Sep 29 | |
| Kansas | May 10 to Nov 1 | |
| Kentucky | May 5 to Sep 15 | |
| Maryland | May 12 to Nov 30 | |
| Michigan | May 31 to Oct 14 | |
| Minnesota | May 25 to Sep 24 | |
| Missouri | May 16 to Sep 1 | |
| Montana | Jun 18 to Sep 23 | |
| Nebraska | May 19 to Oct 15 | |
| Nevada | May 20 to Oct 15 | |
| New England 1/ | May 25 to Oct 31 | |
| New Jersey | May 15 to Nov 1 | |
| New Mexico | May 1 to Oct 20 | |
| New York | May 25 to Oct 10 | |
| North Carolina | Apr 30 to Nov 15 | |
| North Dakota | Jun 10 to Sep 6 | |
| Ohio | May 17 to Sep 24 | |
| Oklahoma | Apr 20 to Oct 13 | |
| Oregon | May 5 to Sep 20 | |
| Pennsylvania | May 15 to Nov 15 | |
| South Dakota | May 29 to Sep 20 | |
| Tennessee | May 1 to Oct 1 | |
| Texas | Apr 15 to Sep 20 | |
| Utah | Jun 1 to Oct 25 | |
| Virginia | May 1 to Oct 20 | |
| Washington | May 15 to Oct 1 | |
| West Virginia | May 20 to Oct 1 | |
| Wisconsin | May 20 to Oct 10 | |
| Wyoming | Jun 6 to Oct 5 |
Calendar view
| Item | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona harvest | Harvest window in February | Harvest window in March | Harvest window in April | Harvest window in May | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | Harvest window in October | Harvest window in November | Harvest window in December | |
| Arkansas harvest | Harvest window, most active in May | Harvest window, most active in June | Harvest window, most active in July | Harvest window, most active in August | Harvest window, most active in September | |||||||
| California harvest | Harvest window in February | Harvest window in March | Harvest window in April | Harvest window in May | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | Harvest window in October | Harvest window in November | ||
| Colorado harvest | Harvest window, most active in May | Harvest window, most active in June | Harvest window, most active in July | Harvest window, most active in August | Harvest window, most active in September | Harvest window, most active in October | Harvest window in November | |||||
| Delaware harvest | Harvest window in May | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | Harvest window in October | Harvest window in November | |||||
| Idaho harvest | Harvest window in May | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | Harvest window in October | ||||||
| Illinois harvest | Harvest window, most active in May | Harvest window, most active in June | Harvest window, most active in July | Harvest window, most active in August | Harvest window, most active in September | |||||||
| Indiana harvest | Harvest window in May | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | |||||||
| Iowa harvest | Harvest window, most active in May | Harvest window, most active in June | Harvest window, most active in July | Harvest window, most active in August | Harvest window, most active in September | |||||||
| Kansas harvest | Harvest window, most active in May | Harvest window, most active in June | Harvest window, most active in July | Harvest window, most active in August | Harvest window, most active in September | Harvest window, most active in October | Harvest window in November | |||||
| Kentucky harvest | Harvest window, most active in May | Harvest window, most active in June | Harvest window, most active in July | Harvest window, most active in August | Harvest window, most active in September | |||||||
| Maryland harvest | Harvest window in May | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | Harvest window in October | Harvest window in November | |||||
| Michigan harvest | Harvest window in May | Harvest window, most active in June | Harvest window, most active in July | Harvest window, most active in August | Harvest window, most active in September | Harvest window in October | ||||||
| Minnesota harvest | Harvest window in May | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | |||||||
| Missouri harvest | Harvest window in May | Harvest window, most active in June | Harvest window, most active in July | Harvest window, most active in August | Harvest window in September | |||||||
| Montana harvest | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | ||||||||
| Nebraska harvest | Harvest window in May | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | Harvest window in October | ||||||
| Nevada harvest | Harvest window in May | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | Harvest window in October | ||||||
| New England 1/ harvest | Harvest window in May | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | Harvest window in October | ||||||
| New Jersey harvest | Harvest window in May | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | Harvest window in October | Harvest window in November | |||||
| New Mexico harvest | Harvest window in May | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | Harvest window in October | ||||||
| New York harvest | Harvest window in May | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | Harvest window in October | ||||||
| North Carolina harvest | Harvest window in April | Harvest window in May | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | Harvest window in October | Harvest window in November | ||||
| North Dakota harvest | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | ||||||||
| Ohio harvest | Harvest window, most active in May | Harvest window, most active in June | Harvest window, most active in July | Harvest window, most active in August | Harvest window, most active in September | |||||||
| Oklahoma harvest | Harvest window in April | Harvest window in May | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | Harvest window in October | |||||
| Oregon harvest | Harvest window in May | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | |||||||
| Pennsylvania harvest | Harvest window in May | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | Harvest window in October | Harvest window in November | |||||
| South Dakota harvest | Harvest window in May | Harvest window, most active in June | Harvest window, most active in July | Harvest window, most active in August | Harvest window, most active in September | |||||||
| Tennessee harvest | Harvest window in May | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | Harvest window in October | ||||||
| Texas harvest | Harvest window in April | Harvest window in May | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | ||||||
| Utah harvest | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | Harvest window in October | |||||||
| Virginia harvest | Harvest window in May | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | Harvest window in October | ||||||
| Washington harvest | Harvest window in May | Harvest window, most active in June | Harvest window, most active in July | Harvest window, most active in August | Harvest window, most active in September | Harvest window in October | ||||||
| West Virginia harvest | Harvest window in May | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | Harvest window in October | ||||||
| Wisconsin harvest | Harvest window in May | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | Harvest window in October | ||||||
| Wyoming harvest | Harvest window in June | Harvest window in July | Harvest window in August | Harvest window in September | Harvest window in October |
Frost-date caveat: ranges blur real differences inside a state or region. Use them to plan, then fit them to your last frost date, soil temperature and field conditions.
Related guides
- Alfalfa Planting Calendar: Establishment and Cutting
- Hay Planting Calendar by Region
- Harvest Timing for Hay and Forage
- Hay Harvest and Storage Calendar
Last reviewed: November 2026. Source: USDA NASS, Field Crops Usual Planting and Harvesting Dates (October 2010 edition, copy hosted by Cornell University Mann Library). Dates are the usual start and end of the period when about 5% to 95% of the crop is planted or harvested, from long-run state progress data. They are historic averages, not a forecast.