Illinois · Garden vegetables
Typically mid-June to late October, with peak early July through late September.
Hatched chalk = early and late shoulders; solid = peak.
Southern Illinois runs about two weeks ahead.
From mid-June — first pickings, lighter supply, best prices come later.
early July through late September — full stalls, full flavor. This is the stretch to plan around.
Through late October — quantity for preserving, and the stalls start dealing.
about 19 weeks end to end, shoulders included.
Some diversified veg farms offer dig-your-own rows — loosen with a fork, never yank by the tops. The picking window tracks the band above: early trips get clean fields, peak (early July through late September) is the sure bet, late season is for quantity.
Farm-to-farm variation is real — up to two weeks either side of the typical window. Plan the trip, then call the farm before you drive.
Carrot peak moves across the map. After this window, it lands next in:
In Illinois, the carrot season typically runs mid-June to late October, with peak availability early July through late September. Exact weeks shift a little with each year's weather.
Aim for peak: early July through late September. An early trip around mid-June gets first choice of clean fields; a late one is for stock-the-freezer quantity. Any single farm can run up to two weeks either side of the chart — call before you drive.
about 19 weeks end to end — mid-June to late October. The early and late shoulders are real but lighter; the solid stretch of chalk on the band is the sure bet.