Harvest of the Month features a variety of California grown fruits and vegetables for all seasons – fall, winter, spring, and summer. The schedule features seven to nine (7-9) produce items per season. These selections reflect an increased number and variety of fruits and vegetables to feature during each three-month season. This offers greater flexibility for schools and programs implementing Harvest of the Month.

By featuring more fruits and vegetables, Harvest of the Month showcases the diverse and, sometimes, extensive availability of some produce items within a season. While many California grown produce items are available in multiple seasons or year-round, the schedule is based on when the featured produce items are in peak season in most regions of California.

We highly recommend following the Harvest of the Month seasonal schedule. This will allow for better coordination and complementary activities with the Network’s Fruit, Vegetable, and Physical Activity Campaigns. It will also ensure consistency with local and statewide efforts to promote Harvest of the Month with retailers, produce organizations, commodity boards, and wholesalers. Working together, our efforts can more effectively communicate the Harvest of the Month message statewide – in the classroom, cafeteria, home, and community.

For more information about the new seasonality approach, read our Frequently Asked Questions (PDF).

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Season	Fruits	Vegetables
Fall	Apples* Kiwifruit Pears Persimmons	Tomatoes* Winter Squash Cooked Greens* Root Vegetables*
September October November
Winter	Mandarins Oranges Grapefruit	Broccoli* Cabbages* Sweet Potatoes Beets* Dry Beans*
December January February
Spring	Avocados Dried Fruit* Strawberries* Berries*	Asparagus Carrots Peas Spinach Cucumber*
March April May
Summer	Grapes Melons Peaches/Nectarines Plums	Corn Green Beans Potatoes* Salad Greens* Peppers* Zucchini
June July August
*Peak availability occurs in multiple seasons or year-round.

The Harvest of the Month Featured Produce was selected based on the following criteria:

• California grown
• In season during month featured
• Represent a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables
• Familiar to children
• Affordable when purchased in season
• Align with the Network for a Healthy California Campaigns and Programs
• Easy to use for classroom taste testing
• Recommended by school produce buyers for seasonal availability and cost

©2007 California Department of Public Health | Public Health Institute | Acknowledgements |
Visit or return to the Network for a Healthy California website at: www.networkforahealthycalifornia.net or Champions for Change www.cachampionsforchange.net.