This document provides an overview of winter farming techniques for growing crops during the cooler months. It discusses timing winter plantings to take advantage of cooler fall temperatures while allowing crops enough time to mature. Certain plant families like brassicas, chenopods, apiaceae, alliaceae, and asteraceae are well-suited for winter growing. Season extension tools like high tunnels, row covers, and cold-hardy varieties can boost productivity. Proper soil nutrition, drainage, and record keeping are also important. Harvesting, storage, and value-added products provide opportunities to market winter crops through CSAs, farmers markets, wholesale, and more.

1. Accokeek Foundation’s Ecosystem Farm
Winter Farm Lecture Series – the Basics

2. What do farmers usually do in the winter?
It seems intuitive to snuggle up and tackle the
boxes of receipts from the busy growing season.
Every year, as the summer grows hotter and the
winter grows warmer, it seems that the cold
season affords one an opportunity.
At the Ecosystem Farm, we are trying a 3-season
model with the spring off. This is because of
poor soil and drainage that makes spring
farming difficult.

3. Winter Farming – Timing
• Plant growth slows when daylight drops to below 10
hours, mid-November to late January.
• Planting must occur with enough time that plants will be
healthy enough around the shorter winter days. In
Maryland this is late September, although
microclimates may differ.
• Succession plantings will increase productivity, and
prevent disease and bolting. For example, early
September plantings may bolt or rot, although they will
be big enough. Depending on fall weather, an early
October planting may not be big enough by mid-winter.

4. Winter Farming – Crop Selection
There are 5 main families of plants that do best
in cool weather:
• Brassicaceae
• Chenopodiaceae
• Apiaceae
• Alliaceae
• Asteraceae
• Miscellaneous (mache – Valerianaceae)

5. Brassicas
Brassicas

6. The Beet Family

7. The Umbellifers

8. The Daisy Family

9. Alliums

10. Winter Farming – Crop Selection
• Cold-Hardy Varieties for Field Growing
For Seed Sources, check Southern
Exposure, Fedco, High Mowing, Johnny’s
• Use Cold Tolerant Families in combination with
season extension techniques (fennel under row
cover, scallions in high tunnel)
• Volunteer Crops
• Wild Harvesting

11. Winter Farming – Soil and Nutrients
• Well-drained soil is very important. This is
determined by your natural soil structure and your
tilth.
• Most winter crops need a healthy amount of
nitrogen (brassicas) and a good amount of organic
matter.
• Trace minerals and micronutrients are important for
healthy plants and can help plants resists pests and
diseases.
• A thorough soil test is important to understand
your soil structure and composition.

12. Winter Farming –
Season Extension Tools
• High Tunnels
• Low Tunnels / Caterpillar Tunnels
• Row Cover
• Good Breeding
• Good Storage Abilities
• Creativity – Value!

13. Winter Farming - Harvesting
• Crops are slow to grow back – allow time for
regrowth and/or overplant
• Weather – need to make sure to harvest during
warmer parts of day, especially during frosts and
ice
• Post-harvest handling – wash, drain well, and
store in moderate temperatures

14. Winter Farming –
Value-Added Products
• Use drying for herbs and peppers, present in jars
or garlands.
• Rent a commercial kitchen or build one to
preserve fresh food.
• Make herbal products like salves or lotions.
• Plant extra and then braid garlic.
• Dry flowers and make wreaths or wall
arrangements.

15. Winter Farming – Storage Crops
With extra planning with winter in mind, and proper storage
facilities, these crops store well for winter markets:
- Sweet potatoes
- Potatoes
- Winter squash
- Pumpkins
- Beets, topped
- Onions
- Garlic
- Carrots
- Parsnips
- Celeriac

16. Winter Farming – Record-keeping
• Planting Record: when, where, how
much, varieties, days to maturity
• Field Log: inputs, when, where, how much, tools
used
• Harvest Record: when, where, how
much, quality, market
• Market Record: when, where, how much
brought, how much sold, dollar amount (can be
used for CSA as well)
• For determining “real estate”: estimate seed
cost, labor, inputs, value of space, product value

17. Winter Farming – Marketing
• Use everything you’ve got!
• Determine the best value for the space used
(real estate)
• Combine techniques: field, high
tunnel, storage, value-added, wild-crafting
• Find the market that works for you, before
beginning to grow…

18. Winter Farming – Possible Markets
Possible Market Pros Cons
CSA Steady income, Need to provide every
guaranteed market, can week, no room for error
provide CSA with
unusual produce
Farmers’ Market / Direct Can bring what’s available May be difficult to sell
Retail depending on weather unusual produce, weather
etc., popular items sell affects market,
very well, can get top competition, occasional
dollar for produce slow days create backlog,
can be a grind
Wholesale Guaranteed large amount May not make a high
of produce sold, develop margin for produce,
solid relationships difficulty collecting
payment at times,
occasional slow times

19. Winter Farming - Recap
• Timing
• Crop Families and Varieties
• Season Extension Tools
• Creativity with Products
• Finding a Market that Works
Resources: Winter Harvest Handbook by Eliot
Coleman; Extending the Season: Six Strategies for
Improving Cash Flow Year-Round on the Market Farm
from Growing for Market

20. Thank you!
Questions?