ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
P.O. Box 3657
Fayetteville, AR 72702

Western Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education
(SARE) Farm Internship Curriculum and Handbook

The printable PDF version of the entire document is available at:
http://attra.ncat.org/intern_handbook/pdf/harvesting.pdf
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Harvesting - Field Exercise

Demonstration (Demonstrate harvest techniques for three different crops)

Roots - carrots, beets, radish, parsnips, etc. Use digging fork or shovel to loosen soil, if necessary. Pull roots, using wooden baskets for container. Should be set in shade until washed. If this will be more than an hour and it's a hot day, remove greens from the roots to prevent dehydration.
Fruits - nightshades, cucurbitae, etc. Determine which will be harvested based on ripeness. For nightshades, gently pull, or snip, the fruit from the plant. For cucurbitae, cut at stem with knife. Skin of fruits is more sensitive, so a lined wooden basket or a plastic container is used. Should store in shade until washing or boxing.
Greens - lettuce, spinach, broccoli. Determine which plants to harvest based on maturity. Demonstrate proper use of harvest knife for cutting heads. Also demonstrate picking or cutting technique if only leaves are harvested. Quick cooling of greens is essential. Keep out of sun and wash as soon as possible.

Post Harvest

Timing of Harvest

Many crops must be harvested in the cool of the morning, when they do not have the accumulated heat of the day. (Important for greens and berries.)
Other crops (most fruits and roots) can be harvested in the late afternoon or evening.
Avoid any harvesting in the heat of the day.
Make sure that enough time is allowed to get the crop into its optimal storage conditions.