🧺👥 Harvest Groups
To make harvest planning more efficient and to avoid fruit losses, all cultivated and semi-wild plants on the finca are assigned to one of four Harvest Groups. These groups determine how often each plant should be checked for harvesting or maintenance.
Each group reflects the plant’s current yield status and helps coordinate our scheduled harvest walks and monitoring routines.
🚫 R0 – Not harvested
Definition:
Plants that are not harvested for food or materials. This may be due to ecological value, non-edibility, ongoing observation, recovery after stress, or their function in the landscape (e.g. as living fences or for erosion control).
Check frequency:
No regular harvest check. However, health and condition may still be observed during weekly walks – especially in cases of recovery from pruning, transplanting, or damage.
Examples:
- Guachipelin (Diphysa americana) used as living post
- Tithonia diversifolia for soil regeneration
- Decorative or unclassified plants
- Species under evaluation
- Recently transplanted or recovering plants not yet ready for harvest
🌱 R1 – Always available
Definition:
Plants with constant or nearly year-round edible yield, especially leaf crops or herbs. These are checked and harvested during the regular weekly walks through each quarter.
Check frequency:
Once per week, during the scheduled walk for the corresponding quarter.
Examples:
- Katuk (Sauropus androgynus)
- Chicasquil (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius)
- Kulandro Coyote (Eryngium foetidum)
- Aztec Pepper (Piper auritum) – leaves used regularly for toilet paper substitute
Note:
R1 plants usually remain in this group permanently unless severely damaged.
🌿 R2 – Weekly check
Definition:
Plants without active fruiting or with seasonal/occasional yield. This is the standard group for most species, especially fruit trees outside their fruiting phase or root crops with flexible harvest timing.
Check frequency:
Once per week, according to the walk schedule
(e.g. Monday = Southwest Quarter, Tuesday = Southeast, etc.)
Examples:
- Papaya outside fruiting phase
- Mamon Chino (Nephelium lappaceum) during off-season
- Mango during off-season
- Malanga (Xanthosoma sagittifolium)
Note:
Plants in R2 may temporarily move to R3 when fruiting or entering a sensitive phase.
🍍 R3 – Fruiting or sensitive
Definition:
Plants that are currently producing fruit or are sensitive to overripeness, pests, or animal interference. These require close daily observation to prevent losses or damage.
Check frequency:
Daily, by any team member.
Telegram group R3:
All active R3 plants are listed in a dedicated Telegram group for easier coordination.
Once the fruiting phase is over, the plant is removed from the list and returns to R2.
Examples:
- Any fruit with short shelf life or high animal risk
- Fruit-bearing pineapple
- Starfruit (Carambola)
- Bilimbi
- Tomatoes during ripening
📝 Special note on non-fruit harvests
The Harvest Group system applies not only to fruit but also to other parts used regularly, such as:
- Leaves (e.g. Root Beer Plant, Katuk)
- Roots (e.g. Malanga)
- Stems or wood – if harvested intentionally and cyclically (otherwise use R0)
If a plant is never harvested, assign it to R0 and explain its role under Observations or General Description.