What's In Season: Early-Fall Produce Guide

Written By Judy Doherty

Fresh picks for early fall — better flavor, better prices, better nutrition.

As summer winds down, the harvest shifts to hearty, storable crops full of flavor and nutrition. Here's what to look for at the farmers market or grocery store as fall begins.

Fruits

  • Apples: at their peak and best value

  • Pears: ripe when they give near the stem

  • Grapes: late-season sweetness

  • Figs: best early fall

  • Cranberries: fall harvest

  • Pomegranates & persimmons: late fall

Vegetables

  • Winter squash: butternut, acorn, spaghetti

  • Pumpkins: for cooking and roasting

  • Sweet potatoes: hearty and vitamin-rich

  • Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli

  • Cabbage: crisp and long-keeping

  • Kale & hardy greens: sweeter after frost

  • Beets, carrots & other roots

  • Onions, garlic & mushrooms

Tip: peak season and best price usually line up. If a fruit or vegetable here looks abundant and inexpensive, it's likely at its seasonal peak.

Note: availability shifts by region. Check your local farmers market or extension office for timing in your area.

Judy Doherty

I am a food, beverage, and CPG product photographer specializing in photos, stop motion, and video, with over 90,000 photos and motion graphics delivered. Clients hire me for my eye, creative direction, and passion for taking their idea to the next level.

My strength lies in a nimble and lean creative process. Clients love getting creative content at a reasonable cost since my studio can art direct, style, and shoot their images quickly and on budget. My studio features an extensive surface library and prop house with a fully equipped kitchen and two shooting studios.

My experience as a chef, stylist, and photographer has earned many awards, including APA Top 100, ACF Gold Medal, and a juried fine art photo exhibit at Art Basel Miami. I was Executive Pastry Chef for two Hyatt Hotels and Resorts before completing two post-baccalaureate certificates for Visual Art and Graphic Design at U.C. Berkeley Extension in San Francisco.

https://judydohertyphotography.com
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