As careers
go there can be no greater contrast between earning a living as a
computer software manager and bringing home the bacon as a chilli
farmer.
But lifelong chilli fans Steve Waters and Jason Nickels decided to
ditch their 9-to-5 existence to devote their lives to the tangy delicacies.
They now grow about 80 varieties of chilli at their Devon site ranging
from the tiny red hot Portuguese Piri Piri to the 12-inch New Mex
Big Jim.
The speciality chillies are sold across Devon and on the internet
to fellow chilli fiends throughout the UK.
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| Steve
Waters and Jason Nickels also sell chilli chocolate. |
Jason,
37, and Steve, 45, were working as computer software engineers when
they decided to take the plunge and indulge their personal passion.
They
took a lease on a plant nursery at South Milton in the South Hams,
planted their first crop and the South Devon Chilli Farm was born.
Buoyed
by the success of their initial crop, this year they have planted
almost 10 times more - 1,200 square metres of polytunnel crammed
with dozens of varieties.
Planting
takes place in early February and things start to hot up in July
when the plants begin to bear fruit with some individual plants
producing up to 1,000 tiny chillies.
Jason
and Steve are currently the business' only official employees but
come picking time the ranks will swell as their wives and others are
drafted in to help.
Jason said: "This is a busy time, we have to get up early to
work in the polytunnels before it gets too hot. And
it's going to get busier."
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| Chillis
have been been used for more than 9,000 years. |
In addition
to growing fresh chillies, the business also has a burgeoning sideline
making about 1,500 jars a month of chilli jams, sauces and oils -
all cooked by Jason and Steve.
And
to feed their customers' chilli habits through the winter the pair
dry what doesn't sell over the summer.
They
sell all their produce through a variety of outlets; farmers' markets
and local shops as well as through their website where enquiries
come from across the UK.
Plans
for the future remain fairly modest and they want to accommodate
the demands of what Jason calls the "Chilli heads" who,
not content with just buying chillies, also want to see the plants
growing for themselves.
"That
is certainly something for the future, to try to accommodate visitors
to the farm,
"We
get lots of requests from people who want to come and actually see
them growing."
Contrary
to the ambitions of many fledgling businesses the pair are content
to let the business grow organically.
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| More
than 80 varieties of chilli are grown at South Devon Chilli
Farm. |
They will
continue to supply local outlets and sell over the web but are uncertain
about the impact of a speedy expansion on what is essentially a cottage
industry.
Jason
said: "Expanding production would mean getting an industrial
unit.
"We
could lose our unique status and become a factory with a small chilli
farm stuck on the side, that's not what we want."
The
future is also about focusing on the development of new products,
they are working on what Jason describes as a 'Tabasco-style' hot
sauce as well as the launch of a new chilli chocolate.
So
can Jason explain the chilli's special allure?
"It's
certainly addictive, not in a chemical sense, but once people get
into chillies they just seem to want to explore further.
"It's
not always about the heat because not all chillies are hot, it's
also about the flavour."
Eighteen
months into the endeavour the decision to make their hobby their
livelihood is paying off with each now drawing a small salary.
And
Jason has no complaints about freeing himself from the office environment
to enjoy a life largely spent in the great outdoors.
"I
was disillusioned to a certain extent with the humdrum of 9-to-5
and now life couldn't be more different."
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