Farmer's harvest (5) - Crossword Clue
Answer: CROPS
CROPS is the answer to this 5-letter crossword clue about what farmers gather during harvest season. Crops refer to cultivated plants or agricultural produce grown in significant quantities, especially cereals, vegetables, and fruits that are harvested for food, animal feed, or commercial purposes.
Understanding Agricultural Crops
- Farmers dedicate months of careful planning, planting, and maintenance before the harvest season arrives. CROPS encompasses everything from wheat and corn to soybeans, rice, and cotton - essentially any plant cultivated on a large scale for profit or sustenance.
- The term originates from the Old English word "cropp," meaning the top or head of a plant, which farmers would literally crop or cut during harvest.
- Different crops have distinct growing seasons and harvest times. Summer crops like tomatoes and corn typically harvest between July and September, while winter crops such as wheat and barley are gathered in late spring to early summer.
- Root vegetables like potatoes and carrots often harvest in autumn, making CROPS a year-round concern for agricultural communities.
Tips for Solving Agricultural Crossword Clues
- Look for farming context clues - Words like "harvest," "farmer," "field," or "agricultural" in the clue almost always point toward farming terminology, with CROPS being one of the most common answers.
- Consider the letter count - At 5 letters, CROPS fits perfectly into many crossword grids and is more likely than longer alternatives like "produce" or "harvest."
- Check crossing letters - If you have C_O_S, CROPS is virtually the only common English word that fits this pattern in an agricultural context.
- Think seasonally - Clues referencing autumn, harvest time, or gathering typically indicate CROPS as the answer.
- Watch for plural indicators - The clue will usually be plural ("harvests" not "harvest") since CROPS is already plural, indicating multiple types of agricultural products.
Farmer's harvest (5) - 7 Little Words - FAQs
Q: Why is CROPS such a common crossword answer?
CROPS appears frequently in crosswords because it's exactly 5 letters, uses common letters (C, R, O, P, S), contains valuable vowels, and relates to a universally understood concept. Crossword constructors favor it for its versatility and ease of cluing.
Q: What's the difference between crops and harvest?
CROPS refers to the plants themselves that are grown and cultivated, while harvest describes the act of gathering those crops or the season when gathering occurs. You harvest crops, but crops aren't harvest.
Q: Are there other 5-letter farming words that could fit?
Yes, alternatives include GRAIN (5), YIELD (5), or WHEAT (5), but these are more specific. CROPS remains the most general and commonly used answer for broad agricultural clues.
Q: Can CROPS refer to non-food items?
Absolutely. Cotton crops, tobacco crops, and industrial hemp are all considered crops even though they're not eaten. Any cultivated plant grown commercially qualifies as a crop.
