Description: Basil is most commonly used fresh in recipes. In general, it is added last, as cooking quickly destroys the flavour. Basil is one of the main ingredients in pesto, an Italian sauce with olive oil and basil as its primary ingredients.
Locations of harvest:
Time period of harvest:
Harvest Process: Basil can be harvested up to four to five times during the season depending on the
weather conditions. Weather plays a big role with the basil growing process because basil is sensitive to colder weather. When basil is harvested, the machine harvester passes through the
field and mows the upper portion of the basil plant. The actual amount of the plant that is mowed is based on customer requirements, but the goal is to get around 12 to 15 inches. In between the
different harvesting passes there are four steps that take place:
- A cultivator goes into the field to remove weeds in the furrows.
- Fertilizer is applied using side dressing
- The crop is flood irrigated where the water fills up between the rows. This happens 1-2 times between each cutting depending on the weather conditions and soil type.
- The weeds are removed from within the growing area to prevent any mixing in of weeds with the harvested basil when it is sent off to the processor.
Then every 30-35 days the basil is cut. When the basil is harvested, it is transferred to the adjacent trailer. Once a trailer has been filled, it waits on the outskirts of the field to be transferred to the processor and another trailer enters the field to take its place.
Dehydration process: A dehydrator is an electrical machine that removes the moisture content of Basil. It is comprised of trays, heating elements, vents, and a fan for circulation. The dehydrator’s heating element raises the temperature inside the machine, the fan evenly circulates the heat and removes the moisture, while the trays hold the Basil which is to be dehydrated.
