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Growing chillies and cooking chillies - regular postings throughout the year from the South Devon Chilli Farm
After a bit of a pause, we are pleased to be able to offer Bhut Jolokia seeds again. Last year we found that the germination was so variable with this variety, that we decided not to sell them. Having tried a few new methods, we have managed to increase the germination success rate and we are happy to put them on sale again.
 
As you probably know, this chilli is VERY, VERY HOT (over 1million Scoville units). Here are a few tips on growing this variety from seed:

 
1. Pre-soak the seeds overnight. We have found that pre-soaking in diluted Chilli Focus can halve the germination time. In the trials we ran, seeds pre-soaked in Chilli Focus germinated between 14 and 20 days later at 25C. Seeds from the same batch that were not pre-soaked took between 28 and 40 days. We also found that the germination rate was increased with the pre-soaked batch.
 
2. Warm it up. If you have a thermostatic propagator that can offer 30C, this is also be a great help with these seeds. We usually warm our seed compost to 25C, but 30C works better for Bhut Jolokia.
 
3. Light exclusion. We have found an inprovement of about 20% with Bhut Jolokia seeds kept in the dark until germination - check for progress every day.

The seeds we sell have germinated in 8 days using the first too steps - we didn't need the light exclusion with the stock this year, but it's a useful trick when all else fails.

We have a special offer online when buying Bhut Jolokia seeds with a 100ml bottle of Chilli Focus.

Good luck.

 


- See competition to win one of seven sets of six chilli seedlings in our January newsletter - www.newsletter.sdcf.co.uk

We can now offer Chilli Seedlings through the post - for UK mainland delivery addressed! 

Advance orders can be place for two delivery periods:

Mid-March to Mid-April and Mid-April to Mid-May.

The seedlings available have been selected as sets of six and are shipped as seedlings with one or two sets of true leaves in Jiffy-7 plugs all ready to pot-on into pots. 

We currently have the following sets of six available:

Hot Six - Six very hot seedlings  (including Bhut Jolokia and five varieties of Habanero)

Tasty Six - Six varieties that are great to cook with.

Super Six - Six chilli plants we return to year after year.

Sweet Six - Six less-familiar sweet peppers - all with great flavour.

Stunning Six - Six really stunning chilli plants just right for a windowsill and adding some heat, flavour and colour into your cooking.

Extreme Six - Six Bhut Jolokia seedlings. If you have tried to germinate Bhut Jolokia in the past, you may have noticed they can be difficult - so why not start with seedlings.

Same Six - Six all the same; you choose.

The seedlings are germinated and cultivated in Jiffy-7 plugs and mailed in robust blister packs, with full care instructions. We recommend potting-on into John Innes No.1 or No.2 into 10cm pots and keeping the seedlings warm (20c -25c). 

Read more on our shopping page: Chill Seedlings.


December Newsletter

Posted by: Steve

Tagged in: Product News

Steve

We will be making the draw for the two SDCF Hamper winners at 9am on the 18th and will contact the winners by email with a view to sending them by FedEx the same day. If you haven't entered yet, please see the link in our current newsletter: www.newsletter.sdcf.co.uk.

Good luck and Happy Christmas and New Year to all our customers and Forum readers from all at SDCF: Heather, Kaz, Martin, Jayne, Kirsty, Scott, Alan, Lucy, Elsa, Mary, Sally, Olivia and Steve.

 


Newsletter November 2012

Posted by: Steve

Tagged in: Product News

Steve

Our newsletter for November is now out: www.newsletter.sdcf.co.uk. For a trail two-week period, we have changed the shipping costs on the site - all orders to addresses in the UK have a fixed £4.50 shipping charge, and shipping is free for orders over £50.

The shipping has been changed in line with a general trend to simplify and reduce the cost of shipping online orders. For the majority of orders placed on our site, this will offer good sayings to our customers. Please let us know if you have any feedback - either via our testimonial reviews, product review, or email (see our contacts page).

Also in the newsletter, we have a big hamper of South Devon Chilli Farm products to give away - just enter using your email (see the newsletter above). The draw will take place on the 18th of December. Good luck.

Checkout all the great chilli gifts we have to offer this Christams too.

 


New items for Christmas 2012.

Posted by: Steve

Tagged in: Product News

Steve

New for Christmas 2012

We've just added a new section in the online shop for Christmas - all these products and more are available from our farm shop.

Chilli Chocolate Drinking Mug - hand made and glazed for us in Devon.

SDCF Logo Jute Bag - recyclable and very strong

SDCF Logo Cotton Bag - even bigger.

SDCF Tee Shirts - two designs in four sizes.

And our newly created Chilli Chocolate Crunchy Cake! Thanks to all those that help us in the trails. Please leave comments on the product page - we are always looking for feedback on how we are doing.

Happy Christmas 2012.

 

 


Get Pickled!

Posted by: Steve

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Steve

It’s time to start pickling! Here is a simple recipe that we use at the farm -

Find a wide jar with a good lid – avoid metal lids unless they are lined with plastic.
Wash and dry the jar and lid. Cut some medium-heat chillies into slices  - about 5-7mm thickness works well. Cram the chillies into the jar.                                                                                                                      You will now need a vinegar mix – usually about 2/3rd of the volume of the jar. Mix equal parts white-wine vinegar and water, then add about 10g of sugar for every 100ml of the total liquid volume. 
Bring the mix (vinegar/water/sugar) to the boil, take off the heat, pour into the jar until the chilli slices are covered. Seal the jar and leave in a cool cupboard for at least four weeks. 
We sell a pickling kit with Santa Fe Grande chillies (seasonal):  

South Devon Chilli Farm - Taste of the West Awards for 2012

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Steve

Our Taste of the West Awards for 2012

To add to the awards we have won over the years, we entered some of our newer products this year. We are very pleased to have won 5 more awards:

Gold - For our new Honeycomb chilli chocolate. A big favourite with the customers visiting the shop.

Silver - Cold Pressed Rapeseed Chilli Oil, Hot Pepper Relish, and Smokey Chipotle Salsa. Three of my favourite products at home.

Bronze - Serrano Chilli Sauce. Made with freshly picked serrano chillies. This sauce is made with just chillies, cider vinegar and a pinch of salt, so it carries a lot of flavour from the chillies.

If you are in the area and would like to try any of these products, please pop in to our shop near Loddiswell, in the South Hams district on South Devon (TQ7 4JT). We have tasters out for all our products and are open all week. Enjoy the wonderful views from our cafe.

 


Fresh Chillies

Posted by: Steve

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Steve

We're picking lots of fresh chillies now. All available by post and from our shop.

We pick the chillies fresh each morning to get them to you in tip-top condition. If you are used to chillies from supermarkets, you won't recognise these!  They are very firm and juicy. 

Our prices are very competitive and we pride ourselves in the quality of the fruits sent out.

All our chillies are grown on our farm without the use of herbicides or pesticides.

Take a look at our recipe section for some ideas.

We have just added a mixed bag 6 different chillies (two of each) for you to try. 

As the season is short for us, we freeze a lot of our crop to see us through. They keep very well and don't lose any of their heat or flavour.

Let us know if you have a killer recipe - share it in our chilli-lovers forum.

Happy eating!


Handy Links

Posted by: Steve

Tagged in: Untagged 

Steve

 

I've added a few 'sdcf' shortcuts to say typing/remembering where things are:

www.brochure.sdcf.co.uk

www.newsletter.sdcf.co.uk

www.subscribe.sdcf.co.uk

www.blog.sdcf.co.uk

www.forum.sdcf.co.uk

www.facebook.sdcf.co.uk

www.twitter.sdcf.co.uk

 

Kind Regards, Steve

 

 

 

 


Official Opening of new Farm Shop and Cafe - 21st September 2011

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Steve

South Devon Chilli Farm Press Release, 5th September 2011.

South Devon Chilli Farm are holding the official opening of their new chilli-themed Farm Shop and Café on the 21st of September, 2011 (from 9.00am to 10.30am). David Fitzgerald from BBC Radio Devon will be in attendance to cut the ribbon.

The directors of South Devon Chilli Farm, Jason Nickels and Steve Waters, are very pleased to announce the official opening of the new building on the farm: “The view from the new café is wonderful. Our customers have been saying what a difference the new shop and café have made,” said Steve. 

The new building has taken 12 months to complete and has resulted in a bright, airy and welcoming space for eating, drinking and shopping. The shop shelves are filled with chilli preserves, sauces and chocolates made on-site with chillies grown on the farm. The shop also stocks a range of chilli-based products from other chilli specialists (UK-based and abroad).

Customers visiting the farm can enjoy tasters of all the South Devon Chilli Farm range of products and wander through the chilli display area featuring over 100 varieties of chilli plants. The farm is free to visit and is open all year. The café is available for special events and there are plans to add evening opening in the near future. 

The new café has an array of chilli-themed dishes as well as traditional Devon café options such as cakes, Cream Teas, pasties and jacket potatoes. For chilli fans, the menu includes Mexican dishes such as Burritos, Quesadillas and an ever-changing list of spicy specials.

South Devon Chilli farm can be found near Kingsbridge, on the B3196 just North of Loddiswell. There is ample parking with a large disabled parking area immediately outside the shop.


South Devon Chilli Farm
Wigford Cross
Loddiswell
Devon TQ7 4DX

Phone: 01548 550782 (option 4) Email: sales@sdcf.co.uk Web: www.sdcf.co.uk
Twitter: www.twitter.sdcf.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.sdcf.co.uk Brochure: www.booklet.sdcf.co.uk


For PDF version:
Press Release - Official opening of shop and cafe


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