Updates
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A Day in the Life of a Trainee Horticulturalist at the South Devon Chilli Farm
by Amrit MadhooBy Izzi Wright Morning Bliss: Nestled in the picturesque landscapes of South Devon, my day begins early with the soft glow of the rising sun, painting the South Devon Chilli Farm in a warm glow. As a trainee horticulturalist, my role varies depending on the seasons, but I will be talking about my routine over the late autumn and winter months. The morning routine involves freshly picking a variety of our chillis for the online orders that come in. I work hard to ensure that only the best chillis are harvested which requires me to look at the overall health of the chilli whether that is its colour, size or shape. The vibrant colors of red, orange, and green create a visually stunning harvest, showcasing the farm's commitment to quality produce. Hands-On Learning: One of the perks of being a trainee at the South Devon Chilli Farm is the hands-on learning experience. Trainees work side by side with the horticultural manager, absorbing knowledge about soil composition, pest management, and the intricate series of events that lead to robust plant development. The farm becomes a classroom for me, offering lessons that extend far beyond the boundaries of textbooks. Navigating the polytunnels: The heart of the farm lies within its expansive polytunnels, where rows of chilli plants stretch far. Trainees learn the art of maintaining optimal growing conditions – adjusting temperature, soil conditions, and added nutrients to mimic the native habitats of these fiery peppers. Navigating through the maze of greenery, trainee horticulturalists play a vital role in ensuring each plant thrives. Seed harvesting: As the day progresses, excitement builds as I begin my next phase which is seed collecting. Armed with baskets, I carefully pluck ripe chillies from specific areas that sit under nets. These are to stop cross pollination from occurring. Once I select the best chillis, I will take them up to one of our polytunnels which harbours my seed collecting station where I begin the process of harvesting the seeds from individual varieties. Community Connection: Beyond the agricultural aspects, life at the South Devon Chilli Farm is also about fostering a sense of community. Trainees often talk with the general public who are able to come and visit the farm with any questions they may have about their own chilli plants or who are just curious! Conclusion: A day in the life of a trainee horticulturalist at the South Devon Chilli Farm is a journey marked by dedication, knowledge, and the sheer joy of cultivating nature's spicy treasures. From nurturing the plants to chatting with the public, each moment is a stepping stone in the growth of both chilli plants and aspiring horticulturalists alike. The South Devon Chilli Farm stands not only as a supplier of premium chillies but as a living testament to the passion and hard work that goes into bringing a little heat to the world.
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Building a sustainable farm: 20 years of the South Devon Chilli Farm!
by Amrit MadhooBy Ben Robey, Operations Manager This year marks the 20th anniversary of the South Devon Chilli Farm, half of which I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of. What appealed to me was that this was something different, not the traditional farm I grew up working on - we were one of the first not just in the UK but in Europe! There was a buzz about the place, it still had a start-up feel to it when I joined and it was an exciting opportunity. It also meant I could get my daily chilli fix! Everything starts with a seed here, hence our motto “from seed to sauce”. These are nurtured by the team in our nursery before being planted out in the spring ready for a summer harvest. Once ripened, the fruits make their way a few hundred yards from our polytunnels to our production kitchen ready for use in our range of award-winning sauces, preserves & chocolates. Everything is produced onsite and is handmade in small batches to retain a home cooked flavour & minimise wastage. The first product ever made on the farm was our “Hot Apple Jelly”, made from chillies grown in our tunnels and apples from our orchard – it doesn’t get anymore local than that! An ethos that is still the foundation of our recipes today; simple, natural & local. As you’d expect there’s been many changes on the farm over the years but the core principle remains the same; to build something sustainable. One of our main goals is to be as self-sufficient as possible, something that will give us more security in the long-run, which has proved more apparent over the last few years. We are now almost completely self-sufficient of seeds, each year our seed collection program gets bigger & bigger and this year we’ve collected more than ever! We are also dedicating more space than ever to our dried chillies, next year we are aiming to offer a full range of home-grown dried & flaked chillies as well as some exciting new products….. stay tuned! In addition to this we recognize the need to reduce our footprint and having already added more growing capacity earlier this year, we also have a solar project lined up for next year which we anticipate will produce enough energy over the summer months so that we are almost fully off-grid (more on this in the new year!). Balancing growth with ‘doing the right thing’ is no small task and we’re always conscious of the impact we’re having. We understand there is more to be done but we’re confident we’re on the right path. Here’s to another 20 years!
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Report from our Fulfilment Manager Corrina
by Amrit MadhooAs Fulfilment Manager at the South Devon Chilli Farm, my days are filled with a unique blend of challenge and coordination, and the unmistakable aroma of our fabulous fresh chillies, sauces and jams. Our team works tirelessly every day to ensure that each step of the fulfillment process, from planting to packaging, is executed with precision and care. It's a labour of love that begins with selecting the finest seeds, nurturing them with devotion, and watching them transform into a kaleidoscope of colours and flavours. Harvest is an exciting celebration - a time to show our dedication and passion for all things chilli. This year's has been bountiful. Next up is preparation for the Christmas season as the team ensure that gift boxes are prepared, parcels are packed and our products are well stocked and ready for dispatch. The count-down has begun! And finally, for anyone needing a helping hand with their Christmas crackers this year...how do you measure the heaviness of a Red Hot Chilli Pepper? Give it a weigh, give it a weigh, give it a weigh now...
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A word from Amrit and Jenny...
by Amrit MadhooWow! What a year 2023 has been... Our first full year as owners of the South Devon Chilli Farm, we've now seen through a full 12 month cycle of sowing, growing, harvesting, cooking, assembling, promoting and really getting to grips with our wonderful business.Now we have our feet firmly under the table, we're turning our attention to even more exciting new ideas for 2024. We have new recipes, new events, talks and attractions all in the works, and we can't wait to share them with you as they all develop and come to fruition over the coming year.Not forgetting of course everything we've already accomplished! Our new White Chilli Chocolate has been flying off the shelves, our stunning Favourites Chocolate Gift Set has launched in time for Christmas, as well as winning a Gold 5 Flower RHS Rosemoor award for our chilli show garden & delivering a talk at the RHS show on all things chilli. Phew! 2023 has been pretty eventful on the home front as well, with the arrival of little Lily into the gang.Cheerio!Amrit & Jenny
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Autumn 2023 Update - from our Horticulture Manager
by Amrit MadhooHere at the Farm, as Autumn approaches, our tunnels are at full capacity with chillis ready to pick. We have already been harvesting hundreds of kilograms of chillis throughout the summer but the bulk of our crop is currently being picked. We are still waiting on some varieties to ripen, usually all the Superhot chillis, and hope there’s a bit more sunshine to help them along. Most of our chillis are processed on site by either mashing (in an industrial sized blender), dried (in an industrial sized dryer) or frozen (yep, in an industrial sized freezer). Along with the chilli picking we are extremely busy with seed collecting from selected plants. We will have collected in excess of a million seeds by the end of the season that all require careful preparation and viability tests. We keep our own seed to grow from for next year and the rest are counted into packets and made available to buy. If you have chillis growing at home you will, hopefully, be doing the same as us and harvesting the fruits of your labour. As the colder weather begins to return and the drop in daylight hours becomes more evident, chillis will gradually stop producing flowers and new growth. Fruit will continue to ripen if left on the plant and some growers who have the time and space will start the over wintering process. Check our over wintering tips if you would like to keep any plants for next year; https://southdevonchillifarm.co.uk/pages/growing-faqs?_pos=4&_sid=23bd70d89&_ss=r In case you hadn’t heard a little earlier this year we attended the RHS Rosemoor Flower show as an an exhibitor. This was an incredible experience for the whole team at the Farm and we were very pleased to receive a five Flower award at our first RHS event! Amrit and Jenny designed a show stopping chilli garden that received a huge amount of praise over the course of the weekend. Pictured is Amrit with the award.
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