Seasonal Harvest Mats Harvest Harmony
Seasonal Sorting Mats
Part 1: Warm & Refreshing
Directions: Place the produce cards onto the correct seasonal mat. Use the clues and catchphrases to help you!
The Spring Mat
Season of Awakening & Refreshing
Catchy Rhyme:
"Spring brings shoots and leafy greens, waking up our internal machines!"
Place Spring Cards Here
How Spring Foods Grow:
Fresh & Green: Spring foods are young plants, fresh herbs, and leafy greens. They grow fast in cool, wet dirt. These foods help wake up our bodies after a cold, slow winter.
The Summer Mat
Season of Sun & Hydration
Catchy Rhyme:
"Summer sun means juicy water, cooling down when days get hotter!"
Place Summer Cards Here
How Summer Foods Grow:
Juicy & Cooling: Summer foods are full of water. They grow fast under the hot sun. Eating foods like melons and cucumbers keeps us cool, hydrated, and full of energy on hot days.
Harvest Harmony
Seasonal Sorting Mats
Part 2: Earthy & Hearty
Directions: Place the produce cards onto the correct seasonal mat. Use the clues and catchphrases to help you!
The Autumn Mat
Season of Gathering & Grounding
Catchy Rhyme:
"Autumn winds and roots that ground, solid, earthy foods are found!"
Place Autumn Cards Here
How Autumn Foods Grow:
Sweet & Tough: As the weather cools down, plants grow thick skins or hide their food deep underground in roots. Sweet potatoes and pumpkins give us strong energy for winter.
The Winter Mat
Season of Storage & Immunity
Catchy Rhyme:
"Winter chill brings sturdy greens, root-filled pots, and citrus dreams!"
Place Winter Cards Here
How Winter Foods Grow:
Strong & Healthy: Most plants grow very slowly in winter. We eat tough greens like kale, stored root foods, and sweet oranges. These fruits and vegetables protect our bodies and keep us from getting sick!
Seasonal Harvest Cards Florida Harvest Matching Game
Produce Sorting Cards
Page 1 of 3
Directions: Cut along the dotted lines. Use the descriptions to match Broward County's favorite foods to their season!
π Leaf
π₯¬
Callaloo
Vegetable
A leafy green used in famous Caribbean soups. It loves the warm spring rain and damp Florida soil.
π₯ Fruit
π₯
Mango
Fruit
The king of South Florida fruits! It blooms with beautiful flowers in late spring, getting ready to ripen.
πͺ΅ Root
π₯
Yuca
Vegetable
A long, starchy root crop with a waxy brown skin. It is harvested in spring to make yuca con mojo!
π Fruit
π
Papaya
Fruit
A giant, sweet tropical fruit with soft orange flesh. It ripens on tall tree-stems during warm spring days.
π Fruit
π
Guava
Fruit
Known as guayaba. This small fruit has a pink, sweet-smelling inside that is perfect for pastries!
πΏ Herb
π±
Culantro
Herb
An aromatic herb with long serrated leaves. It loves damp spring soil and is used to make flavorful sofrito.
π₯ Fruit
π₯
Aguacate
Fruit
Huge, smooth green-skin avocados. They need tons of hot summer rain to grow creamy and delicious.
π₯ Pod
π₯
Okra
Vegetable
Also called quimbombΓ³. These crunchy green pods love the hot, wet Florida summer and are used in stews.
π Starch
π
Plantain
Fruit
Called plΓ‘tano. This banana cousin gets sweet and ripe under the blazing summer sun. Perfect for tostones!
π₯ Root
π
Malanga
Vegetable
A popular root crop with hairy skin and white flesh. It grows beautifully in warm, swampy summer soil.
π Fruit
π’
Breadfruit
Fruit
A giant, bumpy green tropical fruit. It ripens on big trees in the hot summer and tastes like warm bread when baked.
β Fruit
β
Starfruit
Fruit
Also called carambola. This yellow summer fruit is sweet and juicy. When you slice it, it looks like a perfect star!
Florida Harvest Matching Game
Produce Sorting Cards
Page 2 of 3
Directions: Cut along the dotted lines. Use the descriptions to match Broward County's favorite foods to their season!
π Squash
π
Calabaza
Vegetable
A round green pumpkin with bright orange inside. It gets harvested in autumn to make comforting stews.
π₯ Root
π
Boniato
Vegetable
Known as the Cuban sweet potato. It grows deep in the warm autumn dirt and has delicious, white flesh.
π£ Fruit
π
MaracuyΓ‘
Fruit
Passion fruit! It grows on long vines and turns purple and wrinkled in autumn, ready for sweet juice.
π Squash
π
Chayote
Vegetable
A light green, pear-shaped squash. It grows on hanging autumn vines and has a mild, crisp, sweet taste.
π Citrus
π
Key Lime
Fruit
Tiny, tart yellow-green limes. They ripen on thorny Florida trees during late autumn, perfect for pies!
πΈ Fruit
πΈ
Dragon Fruit
Fruit
Also called pitaya. It has hot-pink skin and sweet white flesh with tiny black seeds, harvested in autumn.
π
Nightshade
π
Tomato
Fruit
Winter is tomato season in Florida! While other states freeze, Florida plants give us juicy, red tomatoes.
π Citrus
π
Orange
Fruit
Florida's world-famous oranges ripen in the cool winter breeze. They are sweet, juicy, and full of Vitamin C.
π« Pepper
π«
Bell Pepper
Vegetable
Grows beautifully in sunny Florida winter fields, making sweet, crunchy walls that are perfect for salads.
π½ Grain
π½
Sweet Corn
Vegetable
South Florida's winter corn is extra sweet and crispy! It is harvested all winter long in sunny local fields.
π‘ Citrus
π‘
Grapefruit
Fruit
Called toronja. Big, juicy pink grapefruits ripen in peak winter to help protect our bodies from catching colds.
π Nightshade
π
Eggplant
Vegetable
Known as berenjena. This deep-purple vegetable loves Florida's sunny, frost-free winters to grow large and tender.
Florida Harvest Matching Game
Produce Sorting Cards
Page 3 of 3
Directions: Cut along the dotted lines. Use the descriptions to match Broward County's favorite foods to their season!
π Citrus
π
Sour Orange
Fruit
Called naranja agria. A tart spring citrus fruit that is famous for making pork marinades and mojo sauce!
π« Pod
π«
Tamarind
Fruit
Known as tamarindo. These brown, sticky bean pods grow on big trees. They taste wonderfully sweet and sour in spring.
π₯¬ Leaf
π₯¬
Chaya
Vegetable
Also called spinach tree. It loves the warm Florida spring heat. These leaves must be cooked before eating!
π΄ Berry
π΄
Lychee
Fruit
Small, bumpy red shells with sweet, juicy white fruit inside. They ripen in South Florida's early summer.
π Fruit
π
Jackfruit
Fruit
The largest fruit in the world! It grows on tree trunks and smells like sweet bubblegum during summer.
π‘ Berry
π‘
Longan
Fruit
Called dragon's eye. A small, sweet tropical fruit with a brown shell. It ripens in late Florida summer.
π« Root
π«
Ginger
Herb
Known as gengibre. A warm, spicy underground root harvested as South Florida's rainy summer comes to an end.
π Fruit
π
GuanΓ‘bana
Fruit
Also called soursop. A large, spiky green fruit with creamy, sweet-and-sour white flesh harvested in mid-autumn.
π’ Lime
π’
Mamoncillo
Fruit
Spanish limes! These small round fruits grow on big trees. Crack the green shell to eat the sweet pulp inside.
π Berry
π
Strawberry
Fruit
While most states are frozen, sweet Florida strawberries ripen beautifully in peak winter sunshine!
π« Pod
π«
Green Beans
Vegetable
Crisp green bean pods that grow wonderfully in South Florida's frost-free winter farm fields.
π§
Root
π΄
Radish
Vegetable
A crunchy, peppery root harvested weekly during our dry, sunny winter months in South Florida.
Harvest Season Guide Client Reference Guide
Harvest Harmony
South Florida & Caribbean Seasonality Guide
Mnemonic Focus Climate & Catchy Rhymes
The Seasonal Connection
Nature grows exactly what our bodies need. Instead of memorizing long lists of foods, use these two easy tricks: Catchy Rhymes (to help you remember) and Climate Cues (simple weather rules).
1. Spring Awakening
Catchy Rhyme
"Spring brings shoots and leafy greens, waking up our internal machines!"
How Spring Foods Grow
Fresh & Green: Spring plants are young and grow fast. Because the ground is damp and cool, spring crops have thin, soft skins. These fresh greens wake up our bodies after a cold, slow winter.
Key Florida Harvest:
π₯ Mangoes π₯¬ Callaloo π₯ Yuca (Cassava) π Papaya
2. Summer Hydration
Catchy Rhyme
"Summer sun means juicy water, cooling down when days get hotter!"
How Summer Foods Grow
Juicy & Cooling: Summer crops hold lots of water (like melons and cucumbers) to stay alive under the hot sun. Eating them keeps us cool and hydrated on warm days.
Key Florida Harvest:
π₯ Aguacate (Avocado) π Plantains π₯ Malanga β Starfruit
3. Autumn Grounding
Catchy Rhyme
"Autumn winds and roots that ground, solid, earthy foods are found!"
How Autumn Foods Grow
Sweet & Tough: As the weather cools down, plants pack their food deep underground in roots or grow thick outer shells (like pumpkins and squash) to stay safe from cold autumn nights.
Key Florida Harvest:
π Calabaza Squash π Boniato π Key Limes πΈ Dragon Fruit
4. Winter Immunity
Catchy Rhyme
"Winter chill brings sturdy greens, root-filled pots, and citrus dreams!"
How Winter Foods Grow
Strong & Healthy: Plants grow very slowly in cold dirt. We eat tough greens like kale (which gets sweeter in the frost!), stored roots, and bright winter oranges packed with Vitamin C to keep us healthy.
Key Florida Harvest:
π
Tomatoes π Oranges & Citrus π« Bell Peppers π½ Sweet Corn
Lenny's Golden Harvest Tip
When shopping, ask yourself: "Does this food look like it grew under a hot summer sun, or deep in cold, frozen dirt?" The shape of the food will tell you its season. Your body and your wallet will thank you!
Harvest Season Key Teacher Grading Resource
Harvest Harmony Answer Key
Quick reference guide for the 36 Broward County & Caribbean produce cards.
Game Layout 9 Cards Per Season
How to Teach This: Remind clients that in South Florida, winter is actually the main season for growing standard temperate garden crops (like tomatoes, sweet corn, and peppers) because our winter is mild, sunny, and dry. Summer is reserved for ultra-tropical crops (like okra, malanga, and breadfruit) that thrive in heavy rainfall and extreme heat.
Spring Mat Answers (9)
Key Theme: Young leaves, fresh herbs, and early sweet stone fruits.
π₯¬ Callaloo Leafy Green
π₯ Mango Ripens Spring-to-Summer
π₯ Yuca Spring Root Crop
π Papaya Sweet Tree Fruit
π Guava (Guayaba) Pink Sweet Fruit
π± Culantro (Recao) Sofrito Herb
π Sour Orange Margarita/Mojo Citrus
π« Tamarind Sweet/Sour Pods
π₯¬ Chaya (Spinach Tree) Cooked Greens
Summer Mat Answers (9)
Key Theme: Extremely heat-loving and water-rich tropical foods.
π₯ Aguacate (Avocado) Green Florida Avocado
π₯ Okra (QuimbombΓ³) Heat-Loving Pod
π Plantain (PlΓ‘tano) Sun-Loving Starch
π Malanga Hairy Tropical Root
π’ Breadfruit Large Bumpy Fruit
β Starfruit (Carambola) Juicy Star Slices
π΄ Lychee Early Summer Red Fruit
π Jackfruit Giant Tree Fruit
π‘ Longan Late Summer Berry
Autumn Mat Answers (9)
Key Theme: Thick-skinned squashes and starchy, grounding autumn roots.
π Calabaza Squash Caribbean Pumpkin
π Boniato White Sweet Potato
π MaracuyΓ‘ Wrinkly Passion Fruit
π Chayote Pear-Shaped Vine Squash
π Key Lime Tiny Florida Pie Lime
πΈ Dragon Fruit (Pitaya) Hot Pink Skin Crop
π« Ginger (Gengibre) Spicy Underground Root
π GuanΓ‘bana (Soursop) Prickly Custard Fruit
π’ Mamoncillo Spanish backyard lime
Winter Mat Answers (9)
Key Theme: Florida's premium winter harvest of standard field crops.
π
Tomato Vibrant Winter Red
π Orange Sweet Florida Citrus
π« Bell Pepper Sunny Winter Fields
π½ Sweet Corn Extra Sweet & Crispy
π‘ Grapefruit (Toronja) Pink Immunity Booster
π Eggplant (Berenjena) Frost-Free Purple Crop
π Strawberry Florida Winter Berries
π« Green Beans Crisp Field Pods