Mariquita Farm Pop-Up Calendar Summer ’26

Hi Folks: Since otherwise rational people can argue over whether the best pesto is made from Genovese basil, or Napolitano basil, or Basilico Piccolo Fino Verde, the casual citizen can be excused for supposing that basil is somehow an “Italian” herb. But it’s not. Basil originally came from Southeast Asia or, as they called that region back during the time of Columbus, “The Indies.”

Basil’s ‘s Asian family roots are perhaps easier to understand in Spanish than in Italian or English. In Spanish basil is called “albahaca.” Almost all of the Iberian peninsula was conquered by Arabic speaking armies in the 8th century, and most of what we think of as contemporary Spain and Portugal spent hundreds of years under the rule of various Muslim administrations and the peninsula was known as Al Andaluz. Naturally, during the period of the Caliphate lots of Arabic words were absorbed into the various Latin dialects spoken across the former Roman colonies of Hispania.

The letters “al” spell out the definite article in Arabic. “Albahaca” is one of the thousands of words in Spanish that trace their roots back to Arabic and it is derived from “al habaqah,” meaning “the sweet smelling herb.” English picked up some words from Arabic too, as early scholars looked to the Muslim world for the most advanced studies in science, magic, and agriculture; think “algebra”, “alchemy,” or “almond” for example.

Basil is a heat loving tropical plant that feels sad and dies when the temperatures drop. If you are a gardener your basil will almost always be happiest if you can convince the plant that it is still back home in India, Thailand, or thereabouts. Here along the Central Coast of California around the 38th parallel we can grow nice basil once the soil is warm and the days are long. Basil’s optimum growing conditions here in California overlap with the tomato’s happiest time, which is convenient since they do so well on the plate together.

In the mid 1990’s I had the opportunity to help a friend and business partner start a farm in the Mexican State of Baja California Del Sur, near Todos Santos, along the  23rd parallel. The basil grew like a weed there. Some of the Genovese basil that we planted weren’t turned under at the end of the season when we turned the field under and planted a cover crop. The following spring when I went back to Mexico to check in on the progress on the farm I was surprised to see “Genovese” basil plants that stood 4 feet tall with woody trunks as thick as my arm. I’ll bet you anything Genovese basil doesn’t grow like that in Genoa, way up north along the 44th paralle.

lIf we can’t give the Italians credit for inventing basil, at least we can appreciate that they cleverly foreign married basil with their domestic olive oil and pine nuts. It’s not a contest- we’re all winners when basil is in season. And pesto? The best pesto is made with love and shared with friends.

We’ll be popping up around the Bay Area with lots of basil and tomatoes, citrus, and cut flowers. Look for us in front of Jett & Rose in Corralitos on August 15th, from 10 am to 4 pm. On the 16th of August we’ll be back in SF in front of Piccino in Dogpatch, 1001 Minnesota Street, from 9:30 to 12:30. On August 23rd we’ll be in Berkeley at Brocc Cellars with our friends from Linger Longer, details TBA. All kinds of wines pair well with basil! We’ll be back in Berkeley for Labor Day Weekend at 9th between Cedar and Virginia. We happily take cash, but Venmo and Zelle work too. We can’t take credit cards, I’m sorry. Thank you, Andy & Starr.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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