Eleven Year Old Wants to Sell Fresh Herbs
Answered by: Conrad Richter
Question from: Randy
Posted on: September 30, 2006

I’m 11 years old and grow a basil plant. I do not spray the plant with chemicals, never did and never will. I have a friend who just potted sage, and wish to go into a partnership with him. I was wondering if this would be safe to sell after being washed?

Both basil and sage are suitable for sale in fresh form. Fresh herb producers generally prefer not to wash for two reasons: the extra labour is prohibitive and 2) water clinging to the foliage can reduce shelf life and make it harder to handle. At times however there is no choice because the herbs get dirty in the field, especially after a heavy rain. In your case, because the batches will be small and you likely will be selling direct to the consumer, you should wash your product first. Be sure to allow the excess moisture to drain away before packing the product.

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