Chile Lovers News

Greetings Chile Lovers

When we started our little farm5 years ago, I knew there were other chile heads in Australia. What a pleasure it has been to discover so many of you share my passion. Last year, we grew so many varieties of chilies here at KV Farms that it became almost a nitemare. The seedling factory complained that we had to many varieties. Later in the season we had some sweet mini bell pepper seeds we had saved from the previous year come out hot. Not every one came out but one in 10 came out hot to the point that one customer at the farmers market came back and told me that her daughter loved them until she came across one hot one. I did warn the buyers about it in advance.

I was so busy last summer that I had planned on attending the Perth Araluen Chili Festival with my main Taste Tester Jaques. I live for making him cry with all the hot chilis we try to grow here. I make myself cry when I eat our super HOT Jalapeno peppers. For some reason I just grow them extra hot. I cannot share the secret with you but trust me it makes the ones you buy in the jars pickled taste sweet. I had a wholesale buyer track me down to complain about them as well. He mentioned that the Mexican Restaurants wanted more but not as HOT!

The new superhot varieties were the best-sellers of the 2008 season, along with a upswing in Spanish varieties. People must be cooking up some hot tapas plates. The Nagas, Bhuts Jolokias and Jalapenos sold out quickly and I already have a long waiting list for this season. In 2007 we grew the Bhut Jolokia, the worlds hottest chili pepper which made my Chief taste tester Jaques cry. Mind you he cried when he bit into our Mustard Habanero as well. I gave Robert at Harvey Cheese a sample to make the Worlds HOTTEST Cheese from them. They have success from that and I have tasted that cheese. Makes your sweat pour out.

I prefer not to grow hybrids and favor the superior taste of open-pollinated varieties.However many times Hybrids are the only available types for certain sweet capsicums and chilies. Keeping heirloom seeds alive and viable is the key to preserving our biogenetic diversity. My plants always have been and always will be grown naturally, without any chemicals or pesticides. When you see me selling fresh fruit and vegetables ; yes that includes hot chilies, you know you are purchasing a product that has been produced with methods to protect our environment and for future generations as well.

We also grow sweet peppers, tomatos and tomatillo plants. There is nothing to compare with eating a salsa fresh out of your own garden. Add some fresh Jalapeno to spice things up a bit too. It can make the difference in the flavors. We hope to trial some Jicama as well as some Papua New Guinea Jolokia Chili's

I enjoy meeting customers face to face at the Farmers market. Ask about all the varieties we have available. I had many requests for more of the Ancho style chiles from Mexico so will try to grow a few this summer. We have regular customers like Susan from Twisted Pickle Gourmet Pickles and Relishes who buys many different varieties of chilies and sweet peppers for their sauces, relishes and sauces. (www.twisted pickle.com.au)
If you wish to order just call or email and we can try to fulfill your order with a free delivery to Perth when we come up. I will publish in a few weeks the various varieties of chilies we plan on growing this summer.

Thinking about chilis, well we have made our own Chili Infused Olive Oil. We used our own home grown Bulgarian Carrot Chili to infuse our own Extra Virgin Olive Oil with. That is available this summer in 250 ml bottles.
Here's to a good growing season!


Farmer John