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Nobody plans to move in the middle of harvest season.
And yet, here we are: three weeks out from our move date, and the garden is fuller than I anticipated. After 10 years on our 160-acre ranch in the central interior of BC, we’re relocating to a smaller 16-acre farm, and I need a plan for every single crop still growing out there.
The good news? A little strategic thinking in January meant I planted this season differently than any other. I scaled back the storage crops, pushed everything earlier than I normally would, and made peace with the idea that I might not harvest most of it. And then the weather cooperated beautifully, and I ended up with some of the best crops I’ve had in years.
This is the harvest plan I’m working with right now, crop by crop.
The Decision I Made Back in January That Changed Everything
When we listed the property in early spring, I knew our most likely move date would land somewhere in the summer, well before most storage crops would mature. I made two key decisions:
- I skipped the large storage crop garden. No 200+ onions, no massive carrot beds, no full squash patch. Without a root cellar at the new property and a move in the middle of the season, planting for storage didn’t make sense.
- I planted everything as early as I possibly could. I pushed plants out earlier than I normally would, knowing the risk of frost damage was worth it to give crops the best chance of maturing before we left.
The gamble paid off. The weather stayed frost-free through May, and by the time we had a confirmed possession date, most of what I planted had already started producing.
Tip: If you’re ever in a situation where timing is uncertain, pushing plants out early and accepting a bit more frost risk is often the better bet than planting on schedule and potentially leaving it all behind.
What’s Ready to Harvest Right Now
Potatoes
I planted two to three weeks earlier than usual and the results were remarkable. We’ve been harvesting potatoes for two weeks already, and they’re beautiful. Normally I’d plant three times this quantity to get us through an entire year, but even this smaller batch will take us well into January.
Since we won’t have a root cellar at the new property right away, we’re looking at a few options:
- freeze drying a portion,
- canning some, and
- using a room in the house as a short-term cold room until the root cellar is built.
Cabbage
The Copenhagen Market cabbages all matured in the last few days. We harvested them and went straight into sauerkraut (10 gallons’ worth), which should carry us through the year. Some cabbages planted further along in the season I’ve left for the new owners.
Onions
I planted far fewer than my usual 200+, but what’s there looks incredible. These will stay in the ground for another couple of weeks, then come with us to store in the cold room at the new house until I have time to process them. French onion soup is high on my canning list.
Kale
Kale can stay in the ground right up until frost, and it actually gets sweeter and more tender with cold weather, so I’m in no rush here. My plan is to harvest it all just before we leave and freeze dry it for green powder, which we use all winter in soups and smoothies.
Celery
This is probably the most rewarding crop in the garden this year. I’ll be cutting it all down within the next week and freeze drying it. If you’ve struggled with celery that turns out tough or too strongly flavoured, the fix is almost always consistent moisture. Don’t let it dry out. Harvest outer stalks as the plant grows rather than waiting for the whole head.
Tip: To get more tender celery, try placing a paper milk carton (with the top cut off) over the plant when it’s small. The shade keeps the stalks blanched and more delicate. I haven’t tried this myself, but have heard excellent results from others.
Carrots
I only planted one row of Bolero carrots this season, knowing storage wasn’t realistic. We’ll eat them fresh, and anything left at the end of the month gets freeze dried or frozen. Blanch them first before freezing, otherwise they can turn tough.
What I’m Preserving Before We Move
The plan had been to wait and do most of my canning after we settled at the new place. But with a much shorter drive than originally anticipated, I’ve changed course. I’m spending next week canning:
- Bulk tomatoes (ordered to arrive early next week)
- Peaches
Yes, that means moving filled jars. But the mental security of a stocked pantry is something I’ve sung the praises of for years, and the last several months of depleted shelves have confirmed it. My future self will be very grateful.
What’s Staying in the Ground (or Staying Behind)
Squash
I only planted four or five plants this year with the intention of leaving them for the new owners. A big hailstorm did some damage and fruit set has been slow, so it worked out well that I didn’t plant more. These will stay.
Dahlias
Every dahlia is already in a container, planted that way intentionally when we first found out we’d be moving. I’ll cut them down before the move, let the soil dry out so the tubs aren’t impossibly heavy, and lift the tubers at the new property in late September for overwintering.
Tip: When lifting dahlia tubers, avoid rinsing them and then storing immediately. Let the surface dry out first, otherwise you risk losing them to mould. (Learned this the hard way last year.)
Tomatoes
Honestly, this has been my worst tomato year in memory. The only ones producing so far are the Sun Gold cherry tomatoes. We’ll eat them fresh if they come in before move day, but there are no preservation plans from the garden this year.
Apple Trees
The one bright spot I didn’t expect: the apple trees are loaded. I’ve been thinning them aggressively for the last couple of years and the difference in health and production is remarkable. These will stay in the ground until October or November, then go into the cold room at the new house.
Printable Harvest Checklist: Planning Around a Move
Use these questions to think through every crop when your timing changes:
- Will it mature before move day? If yes, plan to harvest and process.
- Can it stay in the ground longer without damage? If yes, leave it and reassess closer to move date.
- Do you have root cellar space at the new property? If not, prioritize freeze drying and canning over raw storage crops.
- Is it in a portable container? Dahlias, herbs, and transplantable plants can travel with you.
- Can the crop store well in a temporary cold room? Onions, potatoes, and apples often can.
- Can the new owners benefit from what’s left? Leaving something behind is a good outcome too.
There is something unexpectedly beautiful about gardening through a season of uncertainty. This garden gave us far more than I planned for, and I’m grateful for every single row of it.
If you’d like to connect with a community of people who think about food, preservation, and practical skills the same way, I’d love to have you in the LMR Community. We share resources, do live Q&As, and support each other through every season, even the complicated ones. Join us here.