This behind the scenes look at basil harvesting is the first glimpse at herbs that we have been able to see on the blog! The basil harvesting process is all done by machines and requires a basil harvesting machine and a trailer to drive alongside of the machine to gather the harvested product.
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Basil Harvesting
Basil is harvested up to 4-5 times throughout the season, depending on the weather conditions. Weather plays a big role with the basil growing process because basil is sensitive to colder temperatures.
When basil is harvested, the machine harvester passes through the field and mows (cuts) the upper portion of the basil plant. The actual amount of the plant that is mowed is based on customer requirements. However, the grower and harvester benefit the most by the maximum amount of the plant being harvested. The average harvest goal is around 12-15 inches.
Steps Taken to Basil Fields in Between Harvests
In between the different harvesting passes, there are 4 steps that take place:
- Cultivate – A cultivator goes into the field to remove the weeds in the furrows (the space in between the rows of planted basil).
- Side Dress – Fertilizer is applied using side dressing, which means that liquid fertilizer is applied between the rows in the furrows.
- Irrigate – The crop is flood irrigated, where the water fills up the furrows in between the rows. This happens 1-2 times between each cutting (depending on the weather conditions and soil type – hotter weather and sandier soils result in more watering).
- Remove Weeds – The weeds are removed from within the growing area to prevent any mixing in of weeds with the harvested basil for when it is sent off to the processor.
Then, every 30-35 days, the basil is cut. When the basil is cut with the harvesting machine, the harvested basil is transported to the adjacent trailer. In this harvesting process, there are only two workers: one driving the harvesting machine and one driving the trailer. Once the adjacent trailer has been filled, it is transported to the processor and another one takes its place in the field.
Basil Harvesting Video
Click on the video below to see an overview of the basil harvesting process.
Basil Processing
In this case, the basil is being harvested and sent to an IQF (individual quick freeze) facility, where the basil will go through freeze tunnels to result in frozen basil, the leaf and stem will be separated and then the leaves will be packed and chopped according to the customer’s needs.
Featured Grower Information
I would like to send a big thank you to Bowles Farming Company for the tour and for allowing the content to be shared, and SupHerb Farms for the frozen basil pictures. Bowles Farming Company is a grower located in the Los Banos, California area, that grows cotton, tomatoes, melons and much more. You can also click here to see the watermelon harvesting and packing process that is performed at Bowles Farming Company.
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