diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1e92ef464..ee03da4ef 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -227,7 +227,19 @@ There's a few things on our immediate TODO list
 will be built into the `cargo-pgx` subcommand and make use of https://github.com/zombodb/postgres-parser.
  - More examples -- especially around memory management and the various derive macros `#[derive(PostgresType/Enum)]`
 
-## Experimental Features
+
+## Feature Flags
+PGX has optional feature flags for Rust code that do not involve configuring the version of Postgres used,
+but rather extend additional support for other kinds of Rust code. These are not included by default.
+
+### "time-crate": interop with the `time` crate
+This crate once used direct interop with the excellent [time crate][timecrate].
+However, due to complications involving performance and accurate interop with Postgres,
+this feature is now considered deprecated in favor of a lower-overhead interop.
+You may still request implementations of `TryFrom<time::Type> for pgx::MatchingType`
+and `From<time::Type> for pgx::MatchingType` by enabling the `"time-crate"` feature.
+
+### Experimental Features
 
 Adding `pgx = { version = "0.5.0-beta.0", features = ["postgrestd"] }` to your Cargo.toml
 will enable a **highly** experimental variant of `pgx` designed for integration with `postgrestd`,
@@ -269,3 +281,4 @@ Use of this source code is governed by the MIT license that can be found in the
 ```
 
 [Discord]: https://discord.gg/hPb93Y9
+[timecrate]: https://crates.io/crates/time
diff --git a/pgx-tests/Cargo.toml b/pgx-tests/Cargo.toml
index 645d0390f..a3b40a78f 100644
--- a/pgx-tests/Cargo.toml
+++ b/pgx-tests/Cargo.toml
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ rustdoc-args = ["--cfg", "docsrs"]
 owo-colors = "3.4.0"
 once_cell = "1.10.0"
 libc = "0.2.126"
-pgx = { path = "../pgx", default-features = false, version= "=0.5.0-beta.0" }
 pgx-macros = { path = "../pgx-macros", version= "=0.5.0-beta.0" }
 pgx-pg-config = { path = "../pgx-pg-config", version= "=0.5.0-beta.0" }
 pgx-utils = { path = "../pgx-utils", version= "=0.5.0-beta.0" }
@@ -47,3 +46,9 @@ shutdown_hooks = "0.1.0"
 time = "0.3.9"
 eyre = "0.6.8"
 thiserror = "1.0"
+
+[dependencies.pgx]
+path = "../pgx"
+default-features = false
+features = [ "time-crate" ] # testing purposes
+version= "=0.5.0-beta.0"
diff --git a/pgx/Cargo.toml b/pgx/Cargo.toml
index 8207fb3bb..bbad8e511 100644
--- a/pgx/Cargo.toml
+++ b/pgx/Cargo.toml
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ pg11 = [ "pgx-pg-sys/pg11" ]
 pg12 = [ "pgx-pg-sys/pg12" ]
 pg13 = [ "pgx-pg-sys/pg13" ]
 pg14 = [ "pgx-pg-sys/pg14" ]
+time-crate = [ ] # TODO(0.6.0): add "dep:time"
 
 [package.metadata.docs.rs]
 features = ["pg14"]
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ pgx-utils = { path = "../pgx-utils/", version = "=0.5.0-beta.0" }
 serde = { version = "1.0.137", features = [ "derive" ] }
 serde_cbor = "0.11.2"
 serde_json = "1.0.81"
-time = { version = "0.3.9", features = ["formatting", "parsing", "alloc", "macros"] }
+time = { version = "0.3.9", features = ["formatting", "parsing", "alloc", "macros"] } # TODO(0.6.0): add `optional = true`
 atomic-traits = "0.3.0"
 heapless = "0.7.13"
 uuid = { version = "1.0.0", features = [ "v4" ] }
diff --git a/pgx/src/datum/date.rs b/pgx/src/datum/date.rs
index 4c50854f8..828b0e524 100644
--- a/pgx/src/datum/date.rs
+++ b/pgx/src/datum/date.rs
@@ -53,11 +53,12 @@ impl Date {
     #[inline]
     #[deprecated(
         since = "0.5.0",
-        note = "the repr of pgx::Date is no longer time::Date \
-    and this fn will be removed in a future version"
+        note = "the repr of pgx::Date is no longer time::Date and this fn will be broken in a future version\n\
+    please use pgx's `time-crate` feature to opt-in to `From<time::Date> for pgx::Date`"
     )]
     pub fn new(date: time::Date) -> Date {
-        date.into()
+        // TODO(0.6.0): remove this
+        timecrate_date_to_pg_date(date)
     }
 
     #[inline]
@@ -96,13 +97,21 @@ impl Date {
     }
 }
 
+#[cfg(feature = "time-crate")]
 impl From<time::Date> for Date {
     #[inline]
     fn from(date: time::Date) -> Self {
-        Date::from_pg_epoch_days(date.to_julian_day() - POSTGRES_EPOCH_JDATE)
+        timecrate_date_to_pg_date(date)
     }
 }
 
+// This function only exists as a temporary shim while the deprecation cycle for Date::new is running
+// TODO(0.6.0): remove this
+#[inline(always)]
+fn timecrate_date_to_pg_date(date: time::Date) -> Date {
+    Date::from_pg_epoch_days(date.to_julian_day() - POSTGRES_EPOCH_JDATE)
+}
+
 impl TryFrom<Date> for time::Date {
     type Error = i32;
     fn try_from(date: Date) -> Result<time::Date, Self::Error> {