A Handy Guide to Harvesting Vegetables

by Niki Jabbour • Comments (4)

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Growing your own vegetables is a great way to provide your family with homegrown,
organic food, but it’s not always easy to tell when crops are ready to harvest. Harvesting at
the right time can have a big impact on crop yield and quality, and in order to help you get
the most from your garden, we wanted to share our best tips on harvesting vegetables.

4 Tips to Harvesting Vegetables:

1. Bigger isn’t always better – Many vegetables are at their peak of quality and
tenderness when still immature; salad greens, zucchini, cucumbers, beans, peas,
potatoes, and turnips for example. Others, like tomatoes and watermelons are best when
picked when they are fully ripe and their flavors have been given ample time to develop.
2. Avoid wet weather – Vegetable gardeners know how important it is for plants to
receive regular moisture, but generally it’s a good idea to stay out of the garden when
it’s raining. This is especially important with disease-prone crops like tomatoes,
cucumbers, squash, and beans, and you should avoid harvesting from or working around
these vegetables in wet weather.
3. Harvest often – Anyone who grows zucchini will tell you that a tiny fruit can go
from 2 inches to 2 feet in mere days. Therefore, it’s a good idea to stay on top of
harvesting. Frequent harvesting can result in higher quality and better tasting
vegetables, but it can also encourage a larger yield.
4. Use proper tools – For many vegetables, harvesting tools are unnecessary; beans,
peas, lettuce, kale, and so on. But, for certain crops like zucchini, large-fruited tomatoes,
potatoes, cucumbers, and carrots, it pays to use a sharp knife, pruning shears, garden
fork, or other implement to prevent damage to the plant or the part being harvested.
Damaged plants provide an entry point for disease, and fruits, like zucchini or tomatoes,
can bruise easily which will decrease storage and eating quality. Place harvested
vegetables in a basket, trug, or handy garden colander to prevent damage and allow
easy washing.
Marketing your fruit and vegetables
NAMC
February 10, 2016 2:28 pm

Providing a steady supply of quality

products when marketing your fruit
and vegetables will lead to
success.

Farmers can sell their produce

on any of the 16 fresh produce
markets around the country.

Finding an outlet to sell your produce as well as marketing your fruit and
vegetables are vital if you want to switch from growing for yourself
(subsistence) to making money from your efforts. But as many growers have
found, this is often easier said than done.

For one thing, marketing your fruit and vegetables involves planning. Find a
market before planning your crop. In other words, it’s not a case of growing the
vegetables, then finding somewhere to sell them.

You first need to find out what’s needed (the demand), then you must plan for
the required quality and correct quantity, and make sure you can provide a
continuous supply for your outlet.

This last point is very important when marketing your fruit and vegetables.
Think how hard it would be if you had to find a new outlet for your produce
every month – it’s the same with markets.

They need to know you can supply them what they want on a regular basis. So
there must be a continuity of quality, quantity and supply.

There are many projects to help emerging farmers market their produce (see
box: Definition: Marketing), but do some research on your own to know what
options you have – especially since these are decisions you have to make before
planning your crop.

In this way, you’ll get the best out of whatever project you choose.
Here is a brief overview of the markets available to a fruit and vegetable
producer:

National fresh produce markets 

Farmer can sell their produce on any of the 16 fresh produce markets around
the country. These markets usually encourage farmers to use agents – people
who sell your produce for you.

A good agent will work hard to get the best possible price for you. A 7,5% levy
is paid to the agent, while the market opens a special account for each new
farmer.

The income from the produce sold is paid into the account one day after the
sale. Produce should be packed in bags or crates.

Chain stores 
Chain stores like Spar and Pick n Pay buy vegetables from a farmer with a
proven ability to deliver fresh produce throughout the season. Contracts are
negotiated every year. Some stores require that the produce be kept in a cold
room on the farm and transported in a refrigerated truck.

You may also have to pre-package and label according to the store’s
specifications. Quality standards are normally high.

The store may give technical support to the contract grower.

Greengrocers
Greengrocers buy produce in bulk and add value by re-packing it into smaller
bags. They may enter into contracts with farmers to supply specific produce.

Informal market
Some hawkers buy directly from producers. Competition is strong and profit
margins are usually low – but the informal trade offers a good opportunity for
the small producer of quality vegetables.

Export 
There are a lot of rules and regulations when it comes to entering the export
market. The National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) can provide
information about the requirements if this option is for you.