New World Survival · Community Garden Field Manual
Harvest & Postharvest Workbook
Use this workbook to decide when to harvest, prepare clean tools and containers, protect produce from heat and contamination, choose storage, coordinate donations and route surplus into safe preservation.
Visible animal-feces contamination is a reject condition. Washing is not a substitute for preventing direct contamination. Institutional receiving programs may apply stricter rules.
1. Plot and season
Primary household / donation destination
2. Harvest Decision Cards
| Crop | Maturity cue | Harvest method/tool | Storage category | Wash stage | Use/share/preserve trigger |
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3. Harvest frequency calendar
| Crop | Expected harvest period | Check frequency | Backup harvester |
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4. Preharvest contamination walk
☐ No visible animal feces on harvestable produce
☐ No widespread animal contamination in harvest area
☐ No flood/runoff contamination concern requiring local guidance
☐ Rotten produce identified for removal
☐ Harvest area free of chemical/waste handling activity
Hold / no-harvest area
5. Harvester hygiene check
☐ Hands washed with soap and running water
☐ Cuts/wounds appropriately covered
☐ Harvester is not moving directly from animal/manure handling without hygiene change
☐ Institutional illness/exclusion rules checked if applicable
6. Harvest tool record
| Tool | Harvest-only / shared? | Cleaned before use? | Condition | Storage location |
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7. Harvest container record
| Container ID | Food-suitable? | Prior use known? | Clean / good repair? | Reject / retire reason |
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| ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | |
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| ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | |
| ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | |
8. Harvest log
| Date/time | Crop/variety | Quantity | Weather / heat | Destination | Notes |
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9. Damage / rejection log
| Date | Crop | Finding | Decision | Likely cause |
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| | ☐ bruise ☐ rot ☐ animal contamination ☐ overmature ☐ other | | |
| | ☐ bruise ☐ rot ☐ animal contamination ☐ overmature ☐ other | | |
| | ☐ bruise ☐ rot ☐ animal contamination ☐ overmature ☐ other | | |
| | ☐ bruise ☐ rot ☐ animal contamination ☐ overmature ☐ other | | |
| | ☐ bruise ☐ rot ☐ animal contamination ☐ overmature ☐ other | | |
| | ☐ bruise ☐ rot ☐ animal contamination ☐ overmature ☐ other | | |
| | ☐ bruise ☐ rot ☐ animal contamination ☐ overmature ☐ other | | |
| | ☐ bruise ☐ rot ☐ animal contamination ☐ overmature ☐ other | | |
10. Field-heat / shade record
| Crop | Harvest time | Shaded by | Time to cooling/storage | Quality result |
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11. Storage category planner
| Crop | Category | Actual location | Temperature/humidity reference | Known chilling / moisture issue |
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| ☐ cold/moist ☐ cool-not-cold ☐ cool/dry-cured ☐ other | | | |
| ☐ cold/moist ☐ cool-not-cold ☐ cool/dry-cured ☐ other | | | |
| ☐ cold/moist ☐ cool-not-cold ☐ cool/dry-cured ☐ other | | | |
| ☐ cold/moist ☐ cool-not-cold ☐ cool/dry-cured ☐ other | | | |
| ☐ cold/moist ☐ cool-not-cold ☐ cool/dry-cured ☐ other | | | |
| ☐ cold/moist ☐ cool-not-cold ☐ cool/dry-cured ☐ other | | | |
| ☐ cold/moist ☐ cool-not-cold ☐ cool/dry-cured ☐ other | | | |
| ☐ cold/moist ☐ cool-not-cold ☐ cool/dry-cured ☐ other | | | |
| ☐ cold/moist ☐ cool-not-cold ☐ cool/dry-cured ☐ other | | | |
| ☐ cold/moist ☐ cool-not-cold ☐ cool/dry-cured ☐ other | | | |
12. Wash-stage decision
| Crop | Visible soil? | Wash before storage? | Wash before use? | Institutional SOP if different |
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| | | ☐ running water | |
| | | ☐ running water | |
| | | ☐ running water | |
| | | ☐ running water | |
| | | ☐ running water | |
| | | ☐ running water | |
| | | ☐ running water | |
| | | ☐ running water | |
| | | ☐ running water | |
| | | ☐ running water | |
13. Refrigerator / storage check
Refrigerator thermometer present?
☐ yes ☐ no
Clean storage area?
☐ yes ☐ no
Raw meat separated from produce?
☐ yes ☐ no
Produce off floor / protected?
☐ yes ☐ no ☐ household not applicable
14. Donation recipient requirements
Refrigeration / traceability 15. Institutional traceability record
Use when required by the receiving institution. USDA school guidance recommends keeping garden produce identifiable by source.
| Crop/variety | Harvest date | Garden/source | Harvesters | Quantity | Receiving record |
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16. Preservation routing
| Crop | Method considered | Research-based source | Equipment ready? | Process date |
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| ☐ freeze ☐ can ☐ dry ☐ pickle/ferment ☐ other | | ☐ | |
| ☐ freeze ☐ can ☐ dry ☐ pickle/ferment ☐ other | | ☐ | |
| ☐ freeze ☐ can ☐ dry ☐ pickle/ferment ☐ other | | ☐ | |
| ☐ freeze ☐ can ☐ dry ☐ pickle/ferment ☐ other | | ☐ | |
| ☐ freeze ☐ can ☐ dry ☐ pickle/ferment ☐ other | | ☐ | |
| ☐ freeze ☐ can ☐ dry ☐ pickle/ferment ☐ other | | ☐ | |
| ☐ freeze ☐ can ☐ dry ☐ pickle/ferment ☐ other | | ☐ | |
| ☐ freeze ☐ can ☐ dry ☐ pickle/ferment ☐ other | | ☐ | |
17. Spoilage and waste audit
| Crop | Amount lost | Where loss occurred | Cause | Next-season change |
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| | ☐ plot ☐ transport ☐ fridge/storage ☐ donation ☐ preservation delay | | |
| | ☐ plot ☐ transport ☐ fridge/storage ☐ donation ☐ preservation delay | | |
| | ☐ plot ☐ transport ☐ fridge/storage ☐ donation ☐ preservation delay | | |
| | ☐ plot ☐ transport ☐ fridge/storage ☐ donation ☐ preservation delay | | |
| | ☐ plot ☐ transport ☐ fridge/storage ☐ donation ☐ preservation delay | | |
| | ☐ plot ☐ transport ☐ fridge/storage ☐ donation ☐ preservation delay | | |
| | ☐ plot ☐ transport ☐ fridge/storage ☐ donation ☐ preservation delay | | |
| | ☐ plot ☐ transport ☐ fridge/storage ☐ donation ☐ preservation delay | | |
18. End-of-season harvest summary
Storage system that worked Storage / handling system to change 19. Capability check
☐ I know the maturity cue for my main crops.
☐ I use clean hands, tools and food-suitable containers.
☐ I reject direct animal-feces contamination and rot.
☐ I protect produce from sun, heat and crushing.
☐ I know the storage category for my main crops.
☐ I know when washing should wait until use.
☐ I wash household produce under running water and do not use soap.
☐ I know recipient requirements before institutional donation.
☐ I use research-based preservation instructions.
☐ I record losses so next year's planting plan improves.
20. Handoff note
List the crops currently in storage, where they are, what must be used first, pending donations, and any produce already committed to a preservation process.