Unbelievable Harvest 2025 — Millions of Tons of Fruits & Vegetables Collected with Modern Machines

Across fields and orchards from the east coast to the west coast, American farmers are racing against time to bring in millions of tons of crops before cold rains and frost arrive. In today's video, we'll follow how US farmers are rushing to harvest millions of crops during the 2025 harvest season. Our journey begins in the vibrant red apple orchards of Washington, Michigan and New York. These regions are the heart of the American apple industry, with this year's output expected to reach 11.7 billion pounds. Apples in the US are re-harvested entirely by hand. Each fruit is carefully selected, its stem gently cut or twisted, and then placed delicately into padded baskets. Apple harvest season in the US typically runs from August through October. Farmers start early in the morning while the weather is still cool, preventing the apples from wilting or softening. When their bags are full, they open the bottom and gently release the apples into large padded bins that protect the stems and skins from bruising. Although hand-picking requires more labour, it ensures uniform quality and preserves the shiny, flawless appearance of the fruit, an essential factor for export value. Leaving the orchards behind, we head to the vast sweet corn fields of Illinois and Florida. Sweet corn is one of the most important crops in America's fresh vegetable category. The harvest season falls between July and September, and the entire process has been fully mechanised. Specialised machines sweep through the fields, cutting each ear at peak ripeness, quickly loading them onto conveyors and then onto trucks. Even a delay of a few hours can cause the sugar content in the kernels to drop noticeably, so the corn is transported immediately to cold storage or processing plants for canning and freezing. On average, US farmers plant around 90 million acres of corn each year, with most of it concentrated in the heartland region, yielding around 6 billion pounds of sweet corn annually. Further south, the sugarcane fields of Louisiana and Florida are entering their busiest time of year. With an estimated output of 76 billion pounds, the US remains strong amongst the world's significant sugarcane producers. This is one of the most powerful sites of the American harvest season, where mechanisation transforms gruelling labour into fast, large-scale operations. At the front of the harvester, blades cut the cane close to the ground, while leaf strippers and fans remove tops and debris. The stalks are then chopped into segments and moved by conveyor onto trailers alongside. Thanks to this closed-loop system, a single machine can harvest between one and two million pounds of cane per day. The Florida harvest begins around October and lasts until early spring of the following year. Once cut, the cane is quickly hauled to processing mills within hours to preserve freshness and quality. In Idaho and Oregon, onion harvest season usually begins when the leaves turn yellow, dry out and fall over. This signals that the bulbs are mature and ready for long-term storage. Farmers bend down to pull each plant carefully from the soil, taking care not to tear the thin outer skin. Afterwards, the onions are laid out directly in the field for several days to over a week, allowing the skins to dry and cure, reducing spoilage during storage. Once the skins are dry, farmers gather their onions and sort them by size and quality. Market-ready bulbs are packed into mesh bags or ventilated plastic bins, then taken to storage facilities. This meticulous process helps onions retain their flavor and crisp sweetness by the time they reach consumers. Every year, the U.S. plants around 125,000 acres of onions, yielding more than 6.7 billion pounds. The Northwest alone, including Idaho and Oregon, accounts for roughly 40% of the acreage, supplying over 1 billion pounds each season. Together, these two states play a crucial role in the supply chain, with total production valued at hundreds of millions of dollars annually. Moving on to California, we encounter the harvest of cranberries. Large-scale farms often rely on machinery to speed up the harvest process. Water is pumped into the bogs, causing berries to float to the surface. Machines then gently stir the water to separate the berries from the vines. The floating berries are then corralled with booms and vacuumed up into trucks headed for processing plants. This wet harvesting method accounts for around 90% of U.S. cranberry production, primarily for juice and preserves. The water cushions the berries, preventing bruising or skin damage, while also reducing soil contact, limiting fungi and microbes. As a result, these berries are cleaner and more uniform before being washed and sorted. In 2024, U.S. cranberry production reached 8.24 million barrels. Wisconsin alone is expected to harvest around 4.9 million barrels, nearly a record high, representing more than 60% of the nation's total. Cranberries are among the few North American crops with a market value exceeding $1 billion. Wisconsin contributes nearly $1 billion in revenue and around 4,000 jobs thanks to cranberries. Exports are also rising sharply, especially to the EU, Canada and China. No less impressive is California's almond harvest. With production forecast at £3 billion in 2025, the U.S. remains the world's number one almond powerhouse. This harvest scene is striking. Specialised machines approach each tree, clamp onto the trunk and shake vigorously for a few seconds. The force is strong enough to bring down thousands of ripe almonds. Next, sweepers gather them into long rows and loaders transfer them onto trucks bound for processing plants. The almonds are hulled, dried and grated. From this point on, American almonds find their way into countless products. From confectionery and almond milk to gourmet foods. Continuing our journey, we arrive at California's vineyards. The peak season for table grapes runs from late summer through early fall. Unlike almonds, grapes are harvested by hand. Workers use small shears to snip the stems, carefully lifting each plump cluster to preserve its perfect shape. Each bunch is checked for ripeness. Only the fully mature, evenly coloured and unblemished grapes are chosen. Fresh grapes are packed right in the fields to lock in freshness, reduce handling time and prevent bruising. Some of these will become premium table grapes, while others will be destined for California's renowned wineries. In the cool climate region of Washington, Wisconsin, peas are harvested entirely by machine once the pods are full and plump with their green shells. Massive harvesters move steadily along the rows, with front-mounted blades slicing the plants at ground level. The cut vines are then fed into a conveyor belt inside the machine. The peas are carried through an automatic sorting system. Where leaves, stems and broken fragments are separated out, leaving only intact pods. As the machine moves, it can cover multiple rows at once, harvesting continuously. Each hour, it processes thousands of cubic feet of plants, achieving far greater efficiency than manual labour. Thanks to this mechanised process, US harvests billions of pounds of peas each year. Agricultural reports note that in major harvests, production of green peas has surpassed 1.8 billion pounds in a single season. On the white cauliflower fields of California and Arizona, the harvest begins when the heads reach full, uniform size. Unlike peas, this crop is harvested completely by hand, since only human precision can preserve this vegetable's delicate shape. Farmers bend down and use sharp knives to cut the stems at the base. With both hands, they carefully lift each head to avoid bruising or damaging the tender florets. Only the best are placed directly into baskets or crates strapped to their sides. Before being passed to trucks moving along the rows. Every year, the US produces around 2.4 billion pounds of cauliflower. With California serving as the heart of production, accounting for 85 to 90% of the national output. Next, we move to the date harvests of the Middle East and North Africa. Dates ripen high atop tall palms, requiring both skill and care to collect. As the fruit clusters form, breathable mesh bags are tied around them to protect them against birds, insects and harsh weather. The mesh allows airflow, preventing moisture build-up and ensuring an even ripening. When the dates are fully mature, harvest is simple. Farmers simply give the bags a gentle shake and then the ripe fruit falls neatly into the bottom. An efficient and hygienic method, without the need to pick up each date by hand. Global production in 2023 surpassed 21 billion pounds. Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Iran lead the industry, with Egypt alone producing 3.8 billion pounds annually. Leaving the deserts behind, we head to Cambodia and parts of South Asia. Where the Palmyra palm, closely related to the coconut, casts its shadow over the fields. Though production is small when compared to coconuts or date, these fruits carry deep cultural value. The harvesting method is unique. Farmers climb directly up the towering trunks, 15 to 25 metres high. Then they use sharp knives to cut entire clusters of fruit, before lowering them with ropes. The process requires skill and strength, as even the smallest mistake can be dangerous. Palmyra season peaks during the monsoon, from May to August, providing ingredients for many traditional foods and drinks. Finally, our journey takes us to the vast coconut groves of Indonesia and the Philippines. Together producing 136 billion pounds annually. Making coconuts one of the world's most important tropical crops. Farmers use long poles of bamboo, filled with sickle-like blades at the tip. Raising them high towards the treetops, they hook and pull down mature clusters with precision. Fresh coconuts are often harvested while still tender, when the water inside is at its best. Although coconuts can be harvested year-round, the peak season falls in the dry months. This maximises both yield and farmers' income. The end of the year is always the busiest time for farmers. After a year of diligent care, lush green vegetable fields and fruit-laden orchards are ready for harvest. In this video, let's follow the urgent, rhythmic and determined journey of farmers in the late 2025 harvest season. Strawberries are one of the most popular fruits worldwide. Currently, the US ranks second globally in the production of this fruit, with over 1.2 million tonnes each year. When the harvest season arrives, most strawberries are still picked by hand. Farmers bend over, moving slowly between rows, skillfully picking each ripe, plump strawberry. Each fruit, once detached from its stem, is gently placed into a small plastic container attached to a trolley to avoid bruising. These strawberry containers are then neatly packed into crates right in the field, ready for same-day distribution. Unlike strawberries, Brussels sprouts are a crop that requires a combination of machinery and human effort during harvesting. Farmers sit on machines, their hands swiftly pulling each Brussels sprout plant from the ground, keeping the long stem where the small sprouts grow closely together. Each plant is then fed directly into a cutting machine with rotating blades to separate the sprouts from the stem. These sprouts then fall onto a conveyor belt running along the machine. Here, workers stand by to inspect and remove any damaged or substandard sprouts. Only fresh, uniform and vibrant green sprouts are kept. Batches of these sprouts are then gathered onto lots and immediately sent to the processing plant, ready for the next stage of processing. Around 80-85% of the harvested produce is sent to the processing line, mainly for frozen products. Next, let's visit the lush green vineyards stretching across California, considered the capital of grape cultivation in the US. Approximately 99% of fresh eating grapes in the US is produced right here, with a cultivated area of over 120,000 acres. In these vineyards, the harvesting work remains manual and meticulous, as it has been for generations. Farmers hold shears, gently cutting each plump bunch of grapes, swaying under the green leaves. They move quickly along the rows, their hands swift but precise, avoiding bruising the fruit with the blades. Each cut bunch is immediately placed into crates, gradually filled with the glistening green of a bountiful harvest. Whilst grapes are typically harvested by hand, apples are fruit harvested using tree shaking machines. First, a large tarp is spread at the height of the tree trunk or at the base, wide enough to catch all of the falling apples. When ready, the machine clamps onto the tree trunk and shakes it gently, and in around two seconds, most of the apples on the tree fall into the tarp. This allows farmers to harvest thousands of apples in just a single day. Production of this fruit is predicted to reach 11.7 billion pounds in the US alone. Next, let's look at lush green rows of lettuce, a common vegetable in daily meals worldwide. To harvest lettuce, farmers have to bend deeply, carefully using a knife to cut each lettuce head skillfully. Each cut must be precise to maintain the leaf shape and avoid bruising or damaging the tender stem. Afterwards, the bundles of lettuce are placed onto a conveyor belt to be transferred into containers, ready for the next stage. Currently, many places have adopted harvesting machines to save labour. The giant machine glides slowly across the rows, its sharp blades evenly cutting each lettuce head. After cutting, the lettuce is transferred to an upper conveyor belt for preliminary cleaning. Workers stand on both sides of the conveyor belt to observe and inspect, keeping only the standard quality plants. Another common vegetable is the cauliflower. On average, each person cuts around three pounds of cauliflower per year. In the field, workers use sharp knives to cut each head of cauliflower at its base. Immediately after, they quickly trim away the long surrounding leaves, revealing the pristine white florets inside. The complete cauliflower heads are then placed directly onto a conveyor belt, running along the field and transferred to the packaging area. Here, workers carry out quality control. Only firm, uniform white florets are immediately packaged, preserving their freshness. This ensures that the product reaches consumers is always of the best quality. The next product is pears. After a record low harvest in 2024, US pear production is expected to rebound strongly in 2025, reaching around 625,000 tons. For these fruit, farmers typically harvest by hand, gently twisting the stem to detach the fruit from the branch. Each pear is then carefully placed into a basket worn by the farmer, ensuring its beautiful shape and fresh quality are maintained. When the basket is full, the empty pears are collected into bins in the middle of the orchard, preparing them for sale to traders. Cassava is also a crop that requires manual harvesting. Farmers carefully dig around the base of the plant, then pull the entire cassava bush from the ground by hand. Each bush typically has between three and five tubers, varying in size, which are then separated from the stem. After that, they quickly brush off any clinging soil and gather the tubers into piles, preparing them for transport to the collection point. Nigeria is the world's leading producer of cassava, with an output of over 60 million tons. Next, let's follow the bamboo harvesting process in Asia. Bamboo harvesting typically takes place at the end of the rainy season and the beginning of the dry season, when the bamboo stalks have reached sufficient hardness. Workers use axes or large knives to skillfully cut each bamboo stalk close to the base. After cutting, they chop the remaining base to prevent new shoots from growing too densely, but still retain a few healthy shoots for the bamboo clump to continue to grow. Each bamboo stalk can weigh between 33 and 66 pounds, so transporting them from the forest requires strength and agility. Workers often carry them on their shoulders or backs, moving the bamboo to collection points before selling. Bamboo is used to create many items, such as cutting boards, chopsticks, baskets, or exquisite handicrafts. Our next destination is the lush orange groves. The harvesting of this fruit primarily relies on immigrant labourers. They wear a canvas basket in front of their chest, gently plucking each plump orange and dropping it into the basket. When the basket is full, the oranges are poured into large bins placed at the base of the trees. Another fruit that requires meticulous harvest is the prickly pear. The ideal time to harvest prickly pears is late summer. Farmers wear thick gloves to avoid being pricked by the sharp thorns, then use tongs or a small knife to cut the stem. With just a gentle twist and a skilful turn, a ripe prickly pear would detach itself from the pan. Immediately after being picked, the prickly pears are washed to remove any of the tiny thorns that are still clinging to their skin. Then they are processed into various products depending on their intended use. Mexico alone harvested around 444,000 tons of prickly pears in 2024. The next product is straw mushrooms. These are fast growing and easy to cultivate mushrooms, often utilising readily available agricultural waste. Palm oil waste, cassava pulp or fermented straw are commonly used as fertiliser and substrates. After around 4-6 weeks, the entire growth cycle of straw mushrooms is complete. At this point, farmers carefully use small knives to cut the mushrooms close to the base, level with the substrate. This task requires skill, as even a slightly rough movement can bruise the mushrooms or affect the surrounding plants. Each cut mushroom is then collected, ready for sorting and distribution. Next, we'll look at how farmers use tree shaking machines to harvest plums. The machine's arm extends, clamps tightly onto the tree trunk and then shakes it vigorously for a few seconds. In just a short time, all of the ripe plums fall. Below, large tarps are already open to catch the fruit. From the tarps, the fruit quickly slides onto a waiting conveyor belt system. At the end of the conveyor, workers continuously remove any remaining leaves and dirt. Only quality fruit is transferred to the large bins. Thanks to machines like these, farmers can harvest up to 390,000 tonnes of plums each year. The next location on our journey is the sugar beet fields. This vegetable is typically harvested by machine. At the front of the machine, rotating blades quickly cut off the green tops of the beet plants. Immediately after, specialised components gently burrow into the soil, lifting each sugar beet from the ground. As the beets are lifted, they are transferred directly onto a conveyor belt attached to the machine. The conveyor belt carries the beets upwards and deposits them directly into the large collection bins running parallel to it. Sugar beet production in the US for the 2025-26 crop is projected to reach a high of around 35 million tonnes, thanks to excellent yields. Another agricultural product often harvested by machine is silage corn. At the front of the harvesting machine, a specialised component cuts and feeds the corn plants inwards. Once inside, a chopping system quickly grinds the entire plant into small pieces. These small pieces are then powerfully blown through a chute, directly straight into a truck running parallel alongside. When the truck is full, workers drive it to the storage facility. Thanks to this coordinated effort, one machine can harvest up to 1,500 acres of silage corn in just six days. Finally, let's look at how pine wood is harvested. In the forest, workers drive felling machines. Just a few seconds are enough to fell a pine tree dozens of feet tall. Once felled, the tree trunk is cut into smaller sections, and then the branches and leaves are also separated for easier transport and processing. All of these logs are neatly gathered at a storage area in the middle of the forest. Next, another machine moves in, using large grappling arms to pick up each log and neatly stack them into trucks. These trucks continuously transport the wood out of the forest for various purposes, such as fuel, paper production, plywood and many more. When the fruit baskets are full and the transport vehicles lead the fields and orchards, that's when the farmers can relax and smile, reflecting on a year of hard work. Today's video ends here. Thank you for watching. Goodbye and see you in the next video.