When we first started growing basil almost any Italian variety would work in North Florida. Then came along Basil Downy Mildew, a disease that killed any heirloom or European basil variety (including Thai and Genovese). We struggled for over five years to fight the disease using organic methods without much success. Abundance didn’t return to our fields until the plant breeders started releasing DMV resistant varieties. We currently plant a few of the Prosepera varieties to give us a range of colors and flavors of Italian Basil. We even have a DMV resistant Thai variety!
Because of improved genetics and the hay mulch we use to keep the roots and soil cool in the sweltering heat, our organic basil crops thrive until the cold fall weather returns. That means we focus on carefully harvesting beautiful basil for you to enjoy all summer long!
On our organic farm in Alachua County, FL, we harvest our basil as a ‘cut and come again’ crop. This means we can return to the plant for another pick every two to three weeks. Thanks to the skill and care of our harvesters, as well as the diligent work of the seed breeders, we can harvest basil for about half of the year at our farm!
Our basil is great with tomatoes, and you can surprise your guests with the purple variety to add some color to your plating!
Come visit us at one our our Northern and Central Florida farmer’s markets to smell our fresh Florida-grown basil yourself! You’ll most likely get inspired to include our basil in all sorts of refreshments and dishes!
Storage
We harvest your herbs and veggies to order – you’ll always get the freshest and best quality produce from us.
To help your basil last even longer you can simple treat it like a bouquet of flowers. They stay fresher when they stay in room temperature water on your counter with the ends of the stems trimmed.
If refrigeration is needed, store it covered with a plastic bag to protect the leaves in the fridge.
Basil is a tropical plant Central Africa to Southeast Asia, and would need that extra protection in the fridge.
While scanning our Instagram feed yesterday and I stumbled upon a delicious recipe from Chef Amy Rupert Secol using several ingredients from this weeks csa share, it’s like she read my mind.
Sweet Italian Basil, Japanese Eggplant, Green Beans and White Kennebec Potatoes are all NEW to this weeks share. They’re accompanied by some some familiar favorites such as Cured Sweet Onions, Colorful Rainbow Carrots, Green Cabbage, Fennel and Curly Kale. We predicted a large yield of sweet corn this week but apparently our eyes were bigger than our buckets so we gave our ears another week to grow. You will find first of the season green beans in your share as a replacement. The countdown is on..Only 3 more weeks of the CSA Season!
Japanese Eggplant- Eggplant is valued for the variety of ways it can be cooked, and Japanese eggplant is even more versatile because it has a much thinner skin and is practically seedless. The sponginess of its fleshy inside drinks in seasonings like soy sauce, miso and ginger. This particular variety is long and slender unlike the traditional oval shaped variety. Try it grilled, stir-fried or baked in thin slices. Tip: “Leave the skin on this vegetable because it will add fiber to your diet, causing you to remain full for longer periods of time while regulating your digestive system,” says Tracy Lockwood, a registered dietitian at F-Factor Nutrition.
By Rebecca Lang