Waiting List Information

     Due to many complaints about customers being unable to purchase certain varieties or sizes of fresh peppers, we have set up a waiting list option for customers. Many of our fresh peppers are selling out minutes after updating our inventory each week. We are looking into several solutions that would continue to keep the purchasing process fair and give more customers the opportunity to buy those peppers that are in high demand.

     The waiting lists are for individual products. If you find a fresh pepper product that is "out of stock", there will be a button next to the product photo that will read "Add me to the waiting list". Clicking this button will bring up a window where you can submit your name, phone number and email address. We DO NOT require a valid phone number and we are not going to be calling customers. Adding your contact information adds you to the waiting list for that specific product and size, if the same variety becomes available in a different size, you will not be notified unless you sign up for the waiting list for both sizes. Once that specific product becomes available, you will receive an email letting you know it is back in stock. As long as waiting lists do not grow too large, this should help alleviate some of the issues with ordering.

      The waiting list DOES NOT reserve your order or guarantee you will be able to purchase the product. Purchases will still be on a first come first served basis. Everyone on the waiting list will receive an email at the same time, so if you are unable to visit our website right away, then the product may sell out before you get the opportunity.

      Our inventory system does not remove an item from the inventory until the purchase is completed. This means that if the first person to visit the website after a "back in stock" notification is sent out places all of the stock into their shopping cart, the next visitor may see the product as "in stock" and begin the checkout process. The customer that completes the checkout process first will receive the product. After the product is removed from inventory, the next customer may have to change the quantity they wish to purchase or may receive an error stating the item is sold out.

     We are looking into other ways to help get these high demand peppers to more customers.


Website/Ordering

Q. Is there a phone number I can call/Can I place an order by phone?
A. No, we are a small, family owned and operated business and we do not have the staffing to man the phone lines. We find most customers that want to speak to us on the phone simply want to chit chat about peppers for long periods, we do not have time for casual discussions about peppers, please do not ask. There are many online forums dedicated to the hobby and we suggest finding a community that likes to talk peppers.

A.We do not accept orders over the phone because the process exposes your credit card details to us. Placing orders on the website keeps your payment information secure and never exposes the details of your credit card. Not allowing phone orders protects us and protects our customers, there are no exceptions! If you are unable to successfully place an order online please email us and we will do our best to assist you.

Q. I grew some peppers in my yard and now I have too many, will  you buy them from me?
A. No, we will not buy surplus peppers you have grown. We do not purchase fresh peppers from any other farms/growers NO exceptions. 

        Q. But, I planned to start a business like yours and grew way more peppers than my market can support. I thought it would be easy to sell them at my local farmer's market now I can't do anything with them.
           A. Still no, your poor planning does not constitute us making an exception to our rules. Next time you start a business do your market  research. 


Q. What is the hottest pepper you have available?
A. Unfortunately, this is no longer a simple question to answer. The hottest peppers we will be selling this season will be the Reaper, Trinidad Scorpion Moruga, and the 7 Pot Primo. The Reaper is the current official world record holder at just over 1,500,000 SHU. We had the Primo tested in 2013 at 1,469,000 SHU and the Moruga Scorpion has tested at near 1,450,000 SHU.

Any one of these individual peppers may be hotter than an individual pepper of the other varieties. These numbers are averages for each variety, and each pepper can vary from the average up to 30%. So a particularly hot Primo can easily be hotter than an average Reaper.
Many different environmental factors can effect the heat of individual peppers or entire crops.

This answer to this question is further complicated by the fact that many of our peppers have not been independently tested in the lab. Hopefully we will be able to have all varieties that we grow tested by the end of this year. Furthermore, next year will likely see the world record change hands yet again, so the answer will always be changing.

Q. Why aren't fresh peppers available all of the time?
A. Fresh peppers, have a short season in the Midwest. Typically our fresh peppers are available from July through October, but we frequently sell out. We also have periods during the season when no peppers are available due to the natural cycle of the plant.

Q. I saw fresh peppers for sale on your website yesterday, but today your website says "out of stock"?
A. It is very common for us to sell out of peppers during any given day, sometimes within minutes. If we are sold out of the variety you are interested in, check back the following harvest day to place an order. We do this so that we do not get behind on orders.

Q. Why are can I not see the fresh pepper items on the "Fresh Peppers" page?

A. When items are out of stock, or out of season, we do not display the item on our website. Having dozens of items that are out of stock causes confusion and frustration for our customers. If you would like to know what varieties will be offered during the season, check out our "News" page where we publish updates regularly.

Q. Why do fresh peppers only ship on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays?
A. We ship all fresh peppers via USPS Priority Mail. Priority mail takes 2-3 business days, so shipping on these days ensures that the peppers are not sitting for any extra time at mail sorting facilities during the weekend.

Q. Do you offer a quantity discount on the 1 ounce dried peppers and powders?
A. Yes, we have wholesale pricing for retailers on our retail-ready 1 ounce dried peppers/powders. You must create an account on our website and contact us in order to have your account upgraded to a wholesale account. Once your account has been upgraded, wholesale prices will be displayed on the qualifying products. There is no cost for a wholesale membership.

Q. I have ordered a product from you before, but now I cannot find it on your website?
A. If you are unable to find a product, it is most likely out of stock. You are welcome to contact us to inquire when the product will be restocked.



Handling/Cooking/Eating

Q. If I touch a ghost pepper with bare hands will it burn my skin?
A. Yes! We highly recommend that you use latex or nitrile gloves when handling the peppers or the seeds. Also, use plastic utensils when cutting the peppers because the oil can stay on metal utensils for several washings.

Q. I have already touched a ghost pepper with bare skin, what can I do to stop the pain?
A. There are several ways to remedy this situation with things you may have around the house. Mechanics soap, with pumice, is a tried and true method, the pumice works to get all the capsaicin out of the pores. Capsaicin is alcohol soluble so rubbing alcohol can also help to remove it, as well as gin, vodka or any other high proof spirits.

Q. What should I expect when eating the ghost pepper?

A. The ghost pepper is unlike any other chili we have eaten. The first flavor you will notice is an intense sweet chili flavor, the heat does not kick in for 30 - 45 seconds. Once the heat kicks in, a whole host of things will occur. Sweating, watery eyes, hiccups and shortness of breath are likely side effects, but the endorphine rush will make you forget all about it. The burning generally intensifies over 10 - 15 minutes and subsides after 30 - 40 minutes.

Q. What can I do to stop this mind blowing, just absolutely crazy freaking burning that is happening in my face?
A. Ice cream, milk, or yogurt will help the most. Anything carbonated is definitely a bad idea.


Growing

Q. Can I grow peppers from the seeds that are in the peppers I bought?

A. Maybe, The peppers that we sell whole are not isolated from our other pepper varieties. So the seeds in the peppers that you bought are very likely to be a hybrid. You can grow the seeds but the peppers that result will not be true to their variety, but they could always be an interesting cross-breed so we encourage you to do so.

Q. How often should I water my pepper plants?
A. My general rule of thumb is to water them once the soil has dried pretty well. Constantly moist soil may breed fungi that this plant is not tolerant against.

Q. What kind of fertilizer should I use on my pepper plants?
A. We recommend a balanced ( i.e. 10-10-10 ) fertilizer from start to finish with this plant. Chili plants do not generally benefit any more from a flowering blend of fertilizer.
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