The Hottest Pepper Blog

June 3, 2009

The Box Jellyfish

Filed under: Information,surfing — admin @ 10:59 am

moz screenshot The Box Jellyfish

jellyfish The Box Jellyfish

I am sure that most of you have heard of this creature. It is a jellyfish that belongs to the Cubomedusae family and is found in subtropical and tropical waters. We usually do not have a problem with them on the North Shore but as I have written in my previous blogs, the Spring surfing has been very good here this year. And as the Spring rolled along, the water kept getting warmer and warmer. Our ocean temperature now is 80′ plus and this attracts jellyfish.

Box jellyfish have almost perfectly shaped square bells, with their tentacles hanging from each corner of the box. In parts of the world other than Hawaii such as the South Pacific and Australia, the sting from the Box Jellyfish can be fatal. It kind of short circuits the electrical system in your body. But, here in Hawaii we have only the non-lethal type that sting but do not kill.

Last week I was surfing Rocky Point and after “duck diving” a wave, I felt a tremendous burning sensation on several parts of my body. The worst was on my right leg just above the knee. I looked down and was surprised to see about 40 stings from the Box Jellyfish. This was the first time and hopefully the last time that I will get stung. I got out of the water and drove directly to the local fire department. Since I was familiar with the lethal type of Box Jellyfish from my travels, I went to there to make sure I wasn’t going to die. My leg started swelling and it felt like someone kicked me very hard in my groin with a size 18 shoe! The guys at the fire department informed me that as long as I didn’t have difficulty breathing I would be alright. As you can easily tell from this story, I did survive and am writing to you to tell you of this experience.

Tomorrow we will have great surf again as a nice NW swell hit this evening and the wind is perfect. It will be Gas Chambers at dawn with my friend Bob and hopefully no one else out. At least for awhile… So even though there are a few more hazards associated with the warmer water, I will gladly exchange a few hours of pain and suffering for more surf. Keep it coming-the surf that is.  Please!

Please!

May 29, 2009

Colony Collapse Disorder – Why our bees are agriculturally important.

Filed under: Bhut jolokia garden,Information — admin @ 9:16 am



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.
Colony Collapse Disorder Why our bees are agriculturally important.

May 21, 2009

White Flies and No Wind

Filed under: Bhut jolokia garden,Information — admin @ 9:14 am

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.

fregene cassava white+flies White Flies and No Wind

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

April 13, 2009

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

Filed under: Bhut jolokia garden,Fresh garden eating,Information,surfing — admin @ 9:06 am

ABOUT US

Jamie KocherJamie 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!

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