In Victoria, we all know you can experience four seasons in one day. However, unless you're a farmer, you might not have heard about the lean season.
The lean season refers to the period between winter and summer when certain produce can't be grown locally. During this time (usually between August and October) you will see less variety in fresh produce at the markets as local farms slow down, with winter crops finishing and beds are prepared and planted for summer crops. Some market stalls like Save our Soil will pause their markets, until the soil temperatures and daylight hours increase, and they start harvesting summer season veggies, herbs and fruit.
Lean season happens between winter and summer when harvest slow down
What happens in lean season?
- Cool Temperatures: Early spring still experiences cool weather and occasional frosts, which slows the growth of many vegetables.
- Limited Warm-Season Crops: Crops like tomatoes, capsicums, zucchinis, and cucumbers are typically planted in late spring but won't be ready for harvest until early summer.
- Slow Growth of Spring Vegetables: While spring is the time to start new plantings, vegetables sown in late winter and early spring (such as beans, peas, and lettuces) are still immature and not ready for early spring harvests.
To ensure a steady supply of fresh vegetables and produce, farmers often stagger plantings, use protected cropping systems, and grow hardy varieties that tolerate cooler temperatures.
Greenhouse and Covered Crops
Many Victorian farmers will use greenhouses or polytunnels during the lean season to get a head start on warm-season crops. This protection from the cold allows them to have produce like tomatoes, cucumbers, and capsicums ready slightly earlier in late spring or early summer. Farms like Lonsdale Tomato Farm use protected greenhouses to grow summer crops all year and provide a steady supply of tomatoes.
Wildwood Organics recently constructed polytunnel will extend their growing season
What's available during lean season?
Despite the challenges, several cool-season crops can still be harvested during this time, often overlapping with the tail end of winter crops. These include:
- Brassicas: Cauliflower, broccoli, kale, and cabbage are still available, especially in early spring.
- Leafy Greens: Spinach, silverbeet, and lettuces that tolerate cooler temperatures.
- Root Vegetables: Carrots, turnips, beets, and potatoes, often harvested from late winter plantings.
- Leeks and Onions: These crops continue to be available through early spring.
- Peas: Spring peas and snow peas begin to appear by mid-spring.
During lean season you will still see some of the hardier winter veg & leafy greens
When will we transition out of lean season?
By late spring (November), the lean season transitions to a more abundant period as we head into summer. Warm-season crops like tomatoes, zucchini, and beans become available for early harvest. And as we hit summer you'll see capsicums, cucumbers, eggplants, and zucchinis, along with tender herbs like basil, which struggle to grow in the colder months at the farmers' markets. Keep an eye out for our summer seasonality guide to find out what to expect next season at the markets.
Basil seedlings from last Spring at Coburg Farmers Market.