Plan the year with local food

CKF Seasonal Readiness Calendar

A free, full-year companion for what to prepare, grow, harvest, preserve, find, and enjoy as the seasons change. No email address is required to view, print, or download it.

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Showing: National starter. Seasonal timing varies by region, weather, variety, and growing conditions. Use local growers and extension guidance for exact timing.

Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Store tools clean and dry

Remove soil and plant debris, dry tools, and oil or sharpen them as appropriate before putting them away.

Make a local Thanksgiving list

Build a flexible Thanksgiving shopping list and check the CKF Market search. Product availability and holiday schedules vary, so confirm details with the market or seller.

Search CKF farmers markets →

Check preserved-food labels

Make sure containers are dated and identifiable, keep storage areas cool and dry, and discard anything showing signs of spoilage without tasting it.

Explore CKF preservation guides →

Plan holiday market visits

Confirm market dates, preorder deadlines, pickup details, and vendor hours before the busiest holiday weeks.

Find local food →

Decorate for Thanksgiving

Bring out Thanksgiving and late-fall decorations and begin preparing the home for the holiday.

Ready the winter kit

Check weather radios, flashlights, batteries, safe water, pet needs, and routine supplies before winter travel or outages.

Thanksgiving

A harvest-season gathering centered on shared meals, regional ingredients, family recipes, preservation, and preparing the home for guests.

Save leaves for garden use

Shred clean leaves for mulch or compost where appropriate, and keep diseased plant material out of home compost.

AVAILABLE IN NOVEMBER
  • Root vegetables
  • Greens
  • Cranberries
  • Winter squash
THIS MONTH

Check preserved-food labels, holiday-market schedules, winter supplies, and the garden tools that should be cleaned before storage.

Today follows Central Time (America/Chicago). Calendar rows expand automatically for each month and year.

January 2026

SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
AVAILABLE IN JANUARYCitrusWinter greensRoot vegetablesStorage apples
1New Year's Day
2
3Rotate stored foods
4
5
6
7
8
9Protect pipes and hoses
10
11
12
13
14Review the seed box
15
16
17
18
19
20Give tools winter care
21
22
23
24
25
26
27Check winter supplies
28
29
30
31

February 2026

SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
1
2
3Order seeds
4
5
6
7
8
9Test garden soil
10
11
12
13
14Valentine's Day
15Check seed-starting dates
16
17
18
19
20
21Inspect jars and lids
22
23
24
25
26Check bird feeders
27
28
PRESERVE NOWWinter citrus can become zest, juice, marmalade, or candied peel. Use a current tested recipe for shelf-stable preserves.

March 2026

SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
1
2
3Prepare garden beds
4
5
6
7
8
9Inspect irrigation
10
11
12
13
14
15Check freezer capacity
16
17
18
19
20Spring Equinox
21Plan pruning carefully
22
23
24
25
26
27Ready outdoor spaces
28
29
30
31
COMING SOONBerries, asparagus, tender greens, and herbs begin appearing at different times as local soils warm.

April 2026

SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
AVAILABLE IN APRILStrawberriesAsparagusPeasFresh herbs
1
2
3Ready berry supplies
4
5
6
7
8
9Prepare pots and planters
10
11
12
13
14
15Plan the next sowing
16
17
18
19
20
21Seasonal food tip: berries
22
23
24
25
26
27Check storm supplies
28
29
30
PRESERVE NOWFreeze sound berries for later use or choose a current tested jam recipe before buying a large flat.

May 2026

SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
AVAILABLE IN MAYStrawberriesLeafy greensPeasNew potatoes
1
2
3Plan a market routine
4
5
6
7
8
9Ready preservation supplies
10
11
12
13
14
15Harvest herbs often
16
17
18
19
20
21Watch soil moisture
22
23
24
25
26
27Check outdoor equipment
28
29
30
31
THIS MONTHPrepare jars, lids, labels, freezer containers, and a little extra cold-storage space before summer abundance arrives.

June 2026

SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
AVAILABLE IN JUNEBerriesTomatoesCucumbersSummer squash
1
2
3Freeze extra berries
4
5
6
7
8
9Inspect canning equipment
10
11
12
13
14
15Check plants in cool hours
16
17
18
19
20
21Summer SolsticeSeasonal food tip: cucumbers
22
23
24
25
26
27Plan the next harvest
28
29
30
PRESERVE NOWBerries freeze well in small batches, while cucumbers can become refrigerator pickles or a tested shelf-stable pickle.

July 2026

SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
AVAILABLE IN JULYTomatoesSweet cornPeachesBerries
1
2
3Seasonal food tip: tomatoes
4
5
6
7
8
9Recheck freezer space
10
11
12
13
14
15Whole-food idea: sweet corn
16
17
18
19
20
21Start seed-saving notes
22
23
24
25
26
27Bring an insulated market bag
28
29
30
31
CKF PICKBuild meals and preservation plans around tomatoes, sweet corn, peaches, and berries while they are abundant.

August 2026

SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
AVAILABLE IN AUGUSTTomatoesPeppersMelonsPeaches
1First Harvest Day
2
3Seasonal food tip: peppers
4
5
6
7
8
9Plan fall plantings
10
11
12
13
14
15Check drying equipment
16
17
18
19
20
21Whole-food idea: watermelon
22
23
24
25
26
27Save garden and market notes
28
29
30
31
PRESERVE NOWFreeze or dry suitable peppers and herbs, and preserve ripe fruit in batches sized for the time and equipment available.

September 2026

SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
AVAILABLE IN SEPTEMBERApplesPearsGrapesWinter squash
1
2
3Seasonal food tip: apples
4Prepare greenhouse for overwintering potted plants
5
6
7
8
9Gather herbs before frost
10
11Turn compost pile
12
13Pick apples and make applesauce
14
15Plan outdoor water care
16
17
18Harvest potatoesTake plant cuttings
19
20Pick green tomatoes for chutney
21Save selected seedSow greens in cold frames
22Fall Equinox
23
24Plant cool-season seedlings
25
26
27Pick raspberries and make preservesFind fall harvests nearby
28Begin planting spring bulbs
29Harvest Home
30
COMING SOONCool nights bring storage crops, pumpkins, fall greens, frost preparation, and the last tender-herb harvests.

October 2026

SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
AVAILABLE IN OCTOBERPumpkinsWinter squashApplesSweet potatoes
1
2
3Store winter squash well
4
5
6
7
8
9Watch for frost
10
11
12National Farmer's Day
13
14
15Store outdoor items
16
17
18
19
20
21Whole-food idea: pumpkin
22
23
24Plan holiday market visits
25
26
27Begin fall garden cleanup
28
29
30
31Halloween

November 2026

SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
1
2
3Store tools clean and dry
4
5
6
7Make a local Thanksgiving list
8
9Check preserved-food labels
10
11
12
13
14
15Plan holiday market visitsDecorate for Thanksgiving
16
17
18
19
20
21Ready the winter kit
22
23
24
25
26Thanksgiving
27Save leaves for garden use
28
29
30
THIS MONTHCheck preserved-food labels, holiday-market schedules, winter supplies, and the garden tools that should be cleaned before storage.

December 2026

SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
AVAILABLE IN DECEMBERCitrusRoot vegetablesWinter greensStorage crops
1
2
3Whole-food idea: citrus
4
5Verify holiday market hours
6
7Ask about bakery preorders
8
9Review the preserve shelf
10
11
12Choose local food gifts
13
14
15List tool repairs
16
17
18
19Keep market foods safe
20
21Save local-food favoritesWinter Solstice
22
23
24
25Christmas
26
27Sketch next year’s garden
28
29
30
31New Year's Eve
CKF PICKUse pantry preserves in everyday meals, save citrus zest or juice, and record what should return to next year’s calendar.

Use what is in season

Turn seasonal finds into meals and preserves with CKF recipes and learning resources.

Find it nearby

Search CKF for farmers markets, farm stands, U-pick farms, CSA programs, and local producers.

Discover local food

Print or use in Excel

  1. Select PRINT for a clean January-December print layout.
  2. Select EXCEL / GOOGLE to save the real .xlsx file for Excel or Google Sheets.
  3. Open it in Microsoft Excel, Apple Numbers, LibreOffice, or upload it to Google Sheets.

Add the .ics file to your calendar

  • Google Calendar: On a computer, open Settings, choose Import & export, then import the downloaded .ics file.
  • Apple Calendar or iPhone: Open the downloaded file, choose the destination calendar, then add all events.
  • Outlook: Choose Add calendar, then Upload from file. Outlook desktop users can also use File, Open & Export, Import/Export.
  • Android: Import the file into Google Calendar on the web using the Google account on your phone. The events will sync to Android. Some phones can also open the file directly.

The file adds monthly touchpoints and dated core readiness reminders that repeat each year. Importing it does not subscribe you to email.

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