the gathering of a ripened crop
"Farmers spent the morning harvesting wheat from their fields before the first frost arrived."
The gathering of a mature crop; a harvest.
"The farmers spent the entire morning harvesting wheat before the first frost arrived."
In plain English: Harvesting is the act of gathering crops after they have grown and are ready to be collected.
"The farmers spent all summer preparing for the harvesting of wheat and corn."
Usage: Use this form when referring to the specific act or season of collecting crops, rather than the general concept of a "harvest." It often appears in agricultural contexts where precision about the timing of collection is important.
present participle of harvest
"The farmers are harvesting wheat before the first frost arrives."
In plain English: Harvesting is gathering crops from fields after they have grown and ripened.
"The farmers are harvesting wheat before the rain comes."