The Hottest Pepper Blog

Colony Collapse Disorder - Why our bees are agriculturally important.

2009-05-29T11:40:00.000-07:00

Fruits and vegetables that we enjoy everyday such as watermelon, oranges, carrots, onions and many more, often require more than just planting a seed in soil, watering and a little sun. In fact we owe much of our agricultural harvest success to a tiny little worker, that aids in pollination, called the bee. Pollination is defined as "process by which pollen is transferred in plants, thereby enabling fertilization and sexual reproduction" (Wikipedia)

Worldwide, there are over 20,000 species of bees, but the most efficient and commonly found one in agriculture is the European Honey Bee. More than half of our vitamin C intake is from plants that are pollinator dependent. Some pollinators include birds, butterflies and bats but none are as efficient as the honey bee.

In October of 2006, an epidemic occurred in which affected the population of honey bees greatly. Honey bees were dying in masses and became a phenomenon called "Colony collapse disorder (CCD). This was first seen happening in Pennsylvania, then Florida and spread from there. In California the decline in bee population threatened about 6 billion dollars in crops. By 2007, farmers began the purchasing and importing roughly 700,000 bees.
Though not one single reason has been accredited to the cause of CCD, The U.S Department of Agriculture conducted studies and research that showed possible related ties to poor nutrition, parasites, lack of genetic diversity, Pesticides - Insecticides, Antibiotics, and genetically modified crops that are designed to be insect resistant.

Currently researchers are looking to create a stronger and more resilient bee, by blending the population's genetics with stronger European honey bees.

What we eat, how we treat our earth and it's inhabitants creates a cycle of actions that affect us all. Support true organic agriculture and learn more to know where your food comes from and what's in it.

White Flies and No Wind

2009-05-29T08:27:00.001-07:00

Aloha,

We have had an extremely hot period here on the North Shore. The surf has been flat for several days. It ‘s too bad because the conditions have been perfect. But a lack of surf translates into great diving conditions with 100’ plus visibility. And the water has warmed up to 80 degrees which is very warm for Hawaii.. Anyway, back to the White flies. I can tell you that they are one of the worst pests in the garden. They literally suck the life out of your garden with a propensity to attack the Bhut Jolokia plants. They do not have the receptor that would transfer the Bhut’s heat back to them, so they come in swarms in the early morning and late afternoon and look like little explosions of dandruff around the plants. A no trade wind weather pattern here makes it easy for the little “buggahs” to multiply and attack.

There are several things you can use for white flies, but really nothing works that well. We use organic neem oil, and rosemary oil, and a hot pepper spray that we make here. It’s a matter of staying on top of it and not letting them get the upper hand. And since we have several hundred Bhut Jolokia plants, it’s a lot of work. If anyone out there in Cyberspace knows a more effective organic way to fight the White flies, please get back to me ASAP.

Mahalo and Aloha,

Jamie

The Surf Stoke

2009-05-08T08:13:00.000-07:00

It’s just after 9:30am and I just got out of my hot, soothing shower, a luxury most of us take for granted here in the States. I was up at 5:30 am doing my mandatory slug hunt and intuitively knew that the surf was going to be good again! I hurried through my check finding 3 bastard slugs and then headed for the kitchen where an over steeped 100% Kona organic coffee was waiting for me in the French Press. My wetsuit and 6’ 4” rounded pintail surfboard were already in the bed of my truck eager to hit the surf. The 1.3 mile drive took about 3 mintues and by 6:00am I was in the water at Rocky Point. And oh what a morning! The surf was a solid 3-5’ traditional Hawaiian scale (6-10’ faces) and absolute sheet glass. For those of you rookies—sheet glass is water that is so smooth that it appears to be like glass—so smooth and perfect without a ripple on the face of the wave nor on the surface of the ocean. With only 3 of us out this is “Dawn Patrol” at its finest and today everyone is stoked. There are no bad vibes from overcrowding, there are only smiles, and each of us giving the other surfers waves—“You go Brah!”

The Spring surf on the North Shore of Oahu can be hit or miss but this Spring has been very, very good- lot of waves and a lot of days with no crowds. It does get crowded, but not at dawn and this is when I like to surf the best. Today was a 3 hour session that yielded about 20 waves for me. Not bad for a 55 year old “Geezer” that still tries to charge. The “kids” are stoked seeing guys like me out in the water riding short boards, and taking off “deep”. They are stoked because they know that someday they too will be the old guy out in the water, or so they hope. “True” surfers will always surf and this comes from the heart-- not from the clothes or from the latest in sunglasses trends. I am as stoked at 55 as I was at 18! There is no better way to start your day than to surf good waves with a few friends. For me this is what life is all about. Everything else can wait—has to wait! There are just too many variables with surfing-swell, tide, wind, crowd, etc. so when the surf is good-you gotta go! Surfing is the sole of my existence and is almost pious to me. I have lived my entire life making surfing as a priority. I wish that I could give everyone the peace that I feel out in the water. I don’t think about anything bad, I just concentrate on the present, taking all that is offered to me and am thankful for each and every wave. And when I see the kids ripping and doing airs- I get even more stoked! Life is finding things like surfing where nothing can interfere, where you are protected and safe- a place where you find solace and peace of mind and become a better person because of it.

Just Another Day in Paradise...

2009-05-04T05:03:00.000-07:00

It's 5:30 AM and I am sitting on a home made rock bench in my garden. I often sit here with the hopes of slowing time down. But, time stands still for no one...

The first sign of dawn spreading it's wings approaches in a hurry and it's going to be another glorious day in "The Country." I am here in the garden with a flashlight in hand for the purpose of putting a temporary halt to the damage caused by slugs, cockroaches and millipedes. This is 2 hours of my day, everyday-- an hour in the early morning, and another hour before I go to bed. I will never win this war, but I can win a battle or two every now and again. And although this is a huge pain in the butt, I will never resort to the conventional method of pest eradication using chemicals. You are what you eat, and by eating mostly from my garden since I was 18, I am hoping to avoid the carcinogens that are in just about everything we eat and breathe.

The surf will be good today. The waves are crashing on the beautiful reef in front of my house and I know that it's double overhead plus. The palm fronds are silent and that means we are in a light and variable wind condition. I will surf Gas Chambers as soon as I get finished here. I must work rapidly now so I can avoid the early morning surf crowd but I am still glued to the rock bench. Why do I continue to sit? As I approached the garden I witnessed an incredible moon setting over the Pacific. I was once again reminded of how lucky I am to live in Hawaii. The North Shore of Oahu has been surfings "Mecca" for more than 50 years, and I live right smack in the middle of the 7 Mile Miracle. This stretch of beaches is home to more than 20 surf breaks that can attain "world class" status when swell size, swell direction, tide and wind all come together. And I know from experience that this is going to be one of those days. But still I sit and ponder and thank God for my good fortune. And I thank God for my good health. As I grow older I know that someday I will not be able to compete with the "kids" in the water and I know that someday my body will begin to crackle and ache and I know that my time on this planet will end all too soon. And because of this, I sit and breathe deeply the perfect unspoiled Hawaiian air and I do slow time down if only for a minute of two...

The Slug Hunt

2009-05-01T00:45:00.000-07:00

It’s just before Midnight and I just woke up on the couch. I was watching the ten o’clock news and made it to 10:20 before I fell asleep. Two surf sessions of double overhead surf today at Rocky Point in not so pristine conditions wore me out. A lot of North wind means a lot of paddling to stay in the lineup. And that is exhausting!

Anyway, I am contemplating not going into the gardens tonight to look for slugs. I am just too tired. I lie on the couch for another five minutes, and drag myself up. I literally am half asleep and stumble into the kitchen to get a flashlight. Even though I thought how nice it would have been to go straight to bed, there was never a chance. This is a responsibility that I have to my garden because all that is in it deserves to be protected. There is also the matter of putting the protective containers back over the “Bhuts” so the many assassins cannot enter. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a better balance between the nocturnal and the diurnal? Where is my garden toad? I haven’t seen it in a month. Why don’t the rock lizards hunt by night?

I find 4 slugs in the garden above the beach, and 25 slugs in the garden in the front of the house. This takes about an hour and my back is aching from bending over. I am now fully awake and it is after 1:00 AM. So much for getting up at 5:30 to surf. I take a long, hot shower and head to the computer to write down my thoughts. The garden is a wonderful place to think, especially at night. It is a very clear night here in Hawaii and there is no light pollution where I live on the North Shore of Oahu.. The stars look as though you can touch them and it doesn’t take but a few seconds to look up and see a shooting star. By the way, did you know that the average size of a shooting star is smaller than a grain of sand? I am at peace in my garden, especially at night because there is no noise except the waves crashing upon the reef. I am so lucky to live here and enjoy all that Hawaii has to offer. It is perfect for me as the surf is fantastic, the running and mountain biking trails are world class and we have great basalt rock for climbing 10 miles from my house. You throw in kite surfing, diving, paddling, swimming and well you get the picture. I am living a dream, a dream that started when I moved here from California in 1975. Everyone must have a dream. I think that we all dream when we are children. In fact, we sometimes get punished for being a dreamer. “Hey, quit day dreaming and get back to work. You are chasing a pipe dream. You’ll never be an airline pilot.” Those things I heard often when I was young from people who didn’t have a dream or forgot about their dream. They were trying to spoil mine. It is sad people lose their dreams and are relegated to living a life that is full of concessions. I thank God that I am so strong willed and have never accepted anything less than great. I remember telling my friend Otis this when he told me I was chasing a pipe dream. “If there is one airline pilot job available, I will be the one who gets hired.” Of course I got hired and had a great career and traveled the world. So, live your dreams my friends, don’t listen to the naysayer and never, never accept mediocrity.

Good Night

Healthy Breakfast

2009-04-22T10:26:00.000-07:00

Good Morning,
This is my typical breakfast. Everything out of my garden except for the eggs which come from my neighbor and her free-range chickens. Here in Hawaii it is easy to eat "locally" and easy to "know your source."

Here it is:

free-range eggs soft boiled

cherry tomatoes

cilantro

parsley

jalapenos

swiss chard (under eggs)

green onion tops (bases keep growing)

cucumbers

The pepper flakes on top of the eggs are from my Bhut Jolokia peppers. This is the way food is suppose to look. If you eat like this you don't need to take vitamins, you are eating the way nature intended. It's easy to have a small garden in your backyard. A good book from way back is 'The Postage Stamp Gardening Book' by Newcomb. So, what are you waiting for? It's Spring so get going!!!

About us & The Hottest Pepper in the World - The Bhut Jolokia

2009-04-13T10:51:00.000-07:00

ABOUT US

Jamie Kocher, the President of The Waimea Bay Chile Pepper Company has been organic gardening and farming for more than 35 years. His interest in organic gardening began at age 18 when he rented several community garden plots from the city of Long Beach while attending college. He has always had organic gardens, and to this day enjoys the satisfaction of growing most of his food and from sharing his knowledge and tricks of the trade to friends and acquaintances. He started an organic nursery in San Diego in 1985 and introduced the first “Mainland” hybrid bananas to this area in 1988. He moved back to the North Shore of Oahu in 1997 to surf more, and to get back to basics. As an airline pilot for American Airlines for 24 years he had the flexibility to commute to Los Angeles to work but would fly right back to Hawaii for his airline trip. His gardens utilize raised beds and the French intensive method, and the results are incredible. Typical Bhut Jolokia plants are 2 or 3 feet high and produce 30-50 fruits, but Jamie's organically grown Bhut Jolokia plants are 6-8 feet tall, with very thick trunks, and produce 200-250 fruits. He attributes this to his homemade compost, lots of TLC, and a lot of luck!

MISSION STATEMENT

Our website is dedicated to the Bhut Jolokia pepper. It has merits way beyond it’s intense heat. It is our intent to educate the reader on the amazing healing powers of this pepper, and other peppers that contain capsaicin. Capsaicin is the chemical compound found in the intestinal tract of the pepper and is what generates the sensation of heat. The health value of peppers has been known for hundreds of years in many parts of the world, but is just now being recognized as a viable, and accepted treatment in the Western world. Capsaicin is being used today for many, many types of treatments. Please see our health benefit section for more information.

At The Waimea Bay Chili Pepper Company, we offer the best organic Bhut Jolokia seeds that money can buy. We offer a no frills, no BS website that is simple to use and gives the reader a good working knowledge of capsaicin and its great healing powers. Is capsaicin recognized by the AMA? No it is not. Have we done any clinical testing relating to the healing powers of capsaicin? No we have not. Our claim is this—We use the Bhut Jolokia in our lives everyday. We believe in its healing abilities, and want to share our good fortune. Do we want to profit from the sale of our seeds? Of course we do, but founder Jamie Kocher is a successful businessman, and a retired airline pilot and will contribute 25% of the profits from this company to The Surfrider Foundation, and the Nature Conservancy of Hawaii. Aloha.

WHAT IS ORGANIC?

Many people think that the term "organic" means the growing of any living thing without the use of man made chemical fertilizers or pesticides. This is partially true. However, a more correct definition is a sustainable type of growing plants, and animals that does no harm to the land. To grow something organically whether it is plant or animal is to grow with a sense of responsibility and to have a stewardship for the land. To grow organically is to enhance the soil and prevent erosion. In organic farming one raises mixed crops, rotating a heavy feeder with nitrogen producing legume, uses mixed vegetable and animal wastes to make humus. In organic farming there is no waste. There is a balance between the living and the dying and there is no damage to the Earth. Here at the Waimea Bay Chili Pepper Company, we utilize each and every concept of organic farming. Our soils are filled with earthworms and micro organisms that enhance the growing process. There is no chemical runoff that destroys the rivers and oceans. We take pride in each and everything we grow and revere the soil and its ability to sustain and heal!