Teresa, Shelf life of seed varies depending on how it is stored. I routinely use seed that is as old as 5 or 6 or 7 years old with really great germination rates, although at that age, the germination rate is a little lower than it was when the seed was fresh. I believe the oldest pepper seed I've ever successfully germinated was probably 7 or 8 years old. Since that is an anecdotal answer, I checked Suzanne Ashworth's book to get you a more science-based answer, and she says pepper seed will retain 50% viability for 3 years if stored in a cool, dry location. That's not bad when you consideration that the Federal Germination Standard for commmercially sold pepper seed is 55%. There are many ways to store seeds. I have so many seed varieties that I keep them in their original packets taped shut with painter's purple masking tape (because it peels off easily when I need to open a packet and take out seed) stored in gallon-sized zip-lock bags inside a large plastic storage tote that's probably about a 32-quart tote. If you have smaller quantities of seeds, you can store them in airtight containers (zip-locks, jars, plastic food-type food storage boxes, etc.) in your freezer. Cold storage of seed is the best method to use if space allows. (I can't do it.....I'd have to have a freezer just for seeds.) The second-best method is to store in airtight containers in the refrigerator. If storing at room temperature as I do, keep the seed in airtight containers in a cool, dry location where the temperature and humidity remain as stable as possible. An unheated pantry or closet is a great place to store seed. I store my seed crate in the tornado shelter/root cellar much of the time....at least when I'm not busy starting seeds. If you save your own seeds, make sure they are as dry as possible before you put them in an airtight container to store them. You want your saved pepper seeds to be so dry that one will break in half if you try to fold it in half with your fingers. If it bends but doesn't break, it needs to dry some more before you put it up for storage. Hope this info helps. Dawn

SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 31 47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2005 INTRODUCED BY Nancy Rodriguez A JOINT MEMORIAL REQUESTING THE STATE RECORDS CENTER TO CONDUCT A STUDY TO DOCUMENT CHIMAYO CHILE'S CULTURAL, TRADITIONAL AND INDUSTRIAL CONNECTION TO PRESENT WAYS OF LIVING IN CHIMAYO AND THE SURROUNDING NORTHERN NEW MEXICO COMMUNITY; REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO CONDUCT A SEED, SOIL AND INDUSTRY STUDY OF CHIMAYO CHILE AND WORK WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY IN PLANNING CHIMAYO CHILE'S LONG-TERM CULTURAL ASSET PRESERVATION AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT; RECOGNIZING CHIMAYO CHILE AS A LIVING HEIRLOOM OF NORTHERN NEW MEXICO HISPANIC CULTURAL, FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL TRADITIONS. WHEREAS, it is the desire of the New Mexico legislature that Chimayo chile as a New Mexico Hispanic cultural asset be preserved as a living tradition; and WHEREAS, to preserve the traditional and cultural value of chile as a symbol of a way of life and a living cultural asset of the great state of New Mexico, it is imperative that a written document be compiled, that historic records be maintained and that the story be made accessible to the citizens of New Mexico; and WHEREAS, it is right and proper for all people to know and understand the unique history of chile, the role it has played and the legendary status it has achieved in the formation of the state's food traditions; and WHEREAS, Chimayo chile followed a cultural, industrial, agricultural and political pathway from 1598 to 1821, when the Spanish flag flew over New Mexico; and WHEREAS, between 1821 and 1846, when the Mexican flag flew over New Mexico, Chimayo chile acquired a legendary status on established trade routes due to its particular taste; and WHEREAS, Chimayo chile is still grown in the northern New Mexico mountain valley that the early Spaniards called La Canada and that is now known as Chimayo; and WHEREAS, for the first two hundred fifty years of northern New Mexico Hispanic history, Chimayo proudly maintained its food traditions, customs and culture, adapting and integrating chile traditions with native counterparts as an act of thanksgiving and faith; and WHEREAS, in 1846, New Mexico became a territory of the United States, achieving statehood in 1912; and WHEREAS, four hundred three years later, Chimayo chile still enjoys the legendary status begun by the industrious growers who developed the first chile trade routes to the north; and WHEREAS, Chimayo growers continue to proudly herald and celebrate the state's living food traditions, customs, culture and faith; and WHEREAS, the Hispanic children of New Mexico should understand that their roots are in the proud status of Chimayo chile and the land where it grows; and WHEREAS, Chimayo chile has achieved legendary status as a food heirloom in oral history; and WHEREAS, that status as an oral heirloom enables ongoing cultivators of Chimayo chile to take pride in the four-hundred-year development of their living food traditions along with the economic well-being it affords them; and WHEREAS, New Mexico's Hispanic history and food traditions are unique among all the states in the union; and WHEREAS, it is important to keep Chimayo's agricultural and cultural asset alive and well preserved through organized study and practicums; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that Chimayo chile be recognized as a living heirloom of northern New Mexico Hispanic cultural, food and agricultural traditions that is worthy of preservation; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state records center be requested to conduct a study to document Chimayo chile's cultural, traditional and industrial connection to present ways of living in Chimayo and the surrounding northern New Mexico community, and that a written report on the history of Chimayo chile be provided to the governor and the legislature by December 31, 2005; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico department of agriculture be requested to conduct a seed, soil and industry study of Chimayo chile; to work with the local community in planning Chimayo chile's long-term cultural asset preservation and industrial development; and to provide a written report of its recommendations for preserving Chimayo's chile seeds, soil composition, land, growers and industrial development to the governor and legislature by December 31, 2005; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the New Mexico department of agriculture and the state records center.

Doesn't that chile & the air smell good when those roasters are going?! WalMart had six roasters going at once on a weekend! We made our smaller roaster like those but instead of an electric turner ours is manual & the whole neighborhood can smell the chile roasting & the 'squeal' of the roaster as my husband turns it! Wouldn't you like to have patented that first chile roaster ... who ever designed & built the first one sure should have! Sure beats the 'old days' way of doing it on the wood burning stove, on a platillo on the gas range or on the BBQ outdoors. We used to have to ship our relatives in Austin fresh green chile to them via UPS (UPS in the Fall sure smelled good then too!)so now y'all can get yours locally!! :) My husband uses the roasted & peeled green (either the fresh or frozen)chile chopped up with garlic, onion, & pork or beef small pieces previously cooked & with a bit of flour to thicken while cooking... & uses it every night like a sauce/gravy over everything on his plate! I like to also add some chopped potatoes & tomatoes so it is more like a stew. Tell me it's not addicting!! :) With the red pods x the ristras we make in the Fall x the chile that has turned red we make the same kind of sauce but with the dried red chiles: soak dry red pods over night in water, rinse well & run through a blender. Then run the blended red chile through a sieve: press the blender ground chile through the sieve leaving the seeds & skins in the sieve. Proceed as for the green chile. We freeze the green roasted chile in zip loc baggies in quantities for a batch.

My husband is a 7th generation New Mexican & since retiring, the self-taught family 'expert/guru' on growing chile so I will get him to answer any specific ?'s He grew these this year that I know: Joe T. Parker, Heritage Big Jim, Biker Billy Jalapenos (HOT!!),New Mexico 6, Bhut (to challenge his friends who claim to be able to eat the 'hottest of hot'!)& one he grows x seed he saves every Fall that has that never had a name so I call it John's 'Sin Nombre' chile (also very hot!). Our New Mexico State University Chile Institute in Las Cruces, NM has developed most of the chile strains being planted today & I think this year they have even a newer variety. We live near the County Extension Office where they are so helpful with our questions too! Our seed all comes from NMSU every year except for our 'Sin Nombre' for which we keep some chile pods to dry & save seed for the next season year after year. The different varieties in the garden are somewhat separated & bloom at varying times so any seed we save from year to year like the 'Sin Nombe' is pretty pure & hasn't changed from what we can tell over the years. Our chile & other gardens are on soaker hoses on auto timers so watering is automatic all season & hubby does use Miracle Gro fertilizer: higher nitrogen in the beginning weeks to get good growth of plants & then switching to higher ? P (middle number!)for bloom & fruit later during the season. Not all areas of New Mexico can grow chile well either but the soil, climate & ? seem to be the best in the Hatch & Las Cruces, NM areas. Area around Albuquerque/South Valley does very well also. What was the variety of chile you tasted x Hatch? So many people think there is a specific variety called 'Hatch chile' but there isn't... instead Hatch is only the town/area in SW New Mexico where the many different varieties are grown. Two of the farms that sell in local stores here are Young Guns & Gillis Farms in Hatch & Sickler's here south of Albuquerque & they have specific varieties that they each grow to sell too I believe. We haven't been to NMSU to visit the Chile Institute & the trial plots ... must be SO interesting & would love to go visit! Isn't this chile forum interesting & so informitive? I didn't realize how many are growing chile in pots & keeping them year to year successfully! Tried it once but had no success at all so gave up!