The demise of South Lincs Chilli Boys

[Jang]

Apologies if this should have been in Off topic. I was undecided.

I was looking online at Aji chillis and I came across this apparently small scale set up, specialising in unusual chillis but especially Rocoto, very close to where I live. Not a lot seems to happen in South Lincs (!) so I was interested and impressed. Judging by their Facebook page they seemed to have been actively growing and supplying chilli seeds and plants up to a couple of weeks ago yet their website and Facebook shop were no longer operational.

I emailed last night and woke to a quick reply, written at 3am, which contained this couple of paragraphs....

I am more than happy to sort you out with whatever seeds you need, for free. We are unable to operate due a change in legislation surrounding plant passports, which includes capsicum seeds. In a nutshell it makes internet based plant selling difficult, expensive and adds a layer of red tape.

Jan just let me know what you want and I will see if I have it for you. Pass me your address please and I can sort it out next week.

Hope that’s ok?

Apart from feeling both disappointed that they had felt unable to continue and touched that the writer was offering his seeds so generously, I was left with quite a few questions in my mind.

One was whether some fresh changes had come into force recently or whether the well known restrictions which have been around for some time had simply overtaken them. Any thoughts?

A second was how to respond best to such a generous offer. I’d welcome any suggestions as to what to ask for - perhaps one or two pubescens and baccatum types. I’d also be very happy to enquire after and share any particular varieties that anyone might have been hoping to get and which SLCB might have spare.

[jayb]

They sound really helpful, a real shame. I must admit I've not come across this company before. It's good to have local firms, I think the only one kind of near me is Real Seeds.

I know the EU Approved list of seeds/plants restricts what can be sold here and also grown for commercial purposes. Which is why so many of our heritage varieties are under threat. I remember reading about a further tightening of rules but I'm not sure of details. Each vegetable variety must be maintained which is costly to the companies. There is an amateur variety list but again I believe has a cost and full of red tape.

I'd have a look through their FB page and see what varieties they list and choose from there, make a check that they are not varieties you can source easily enough somewhere else. I had a quick look and they seem to have been growing a smashing selection. Or you could describe the types you are looking for and let them pick?

[Jang]

Yes, great advice. It would be a pity to waste the opportunity to ask for one or two varieties not easily available elsewhere. Research begins! And yes, I had thought I might also suggest a type or two and ask them to pick any they’d like to have grown and hopefully helped to keep going.

Nice to be living near Real Seeds. I think this setup was very much smaller - probably a committed and enthusiastic sideline. Still a pity that such initiatives have to struggle to be viable. As you say, they do seem to have been growing an interesting and impressive range.

Having said that not much happens in South Lincs, I do also live quite near to Seed Co-operative. Not to be overlooked!

[Galina]

Seed cooperative is another new to me seed company. We need to update the seed company pages on A4A I think.

[Galina]

What a crying shame. I have never heard of them. Lima market amarillo WoW and the rocoto with just a number Cap 1242, lovely orange fruit. What super looking chilis. Sad they are closing the business.

[Galina]

Jang you wrote "One was whether some fresh changes had come into force recently or whether the well known restrictions which have been around for some time had simply overtaken them. Any thoughts?" My guess is the same reason that RealSeeds are dreading Brexit. It will pretty much stop their cooperation with ReinSaat in Austria or at best make is much more expensive. I guess the same applies to the chili guys. Generally speaking, now is the time to order from seed companies where that will be much more difficult when they will be third countries.

[jayb]

Yes, seed buying and sharing looks like it may change a lot in the near future. It makes growing your own coupled with seed saving all the more important in my mind.

[jayb]

Good luck with the research, exciting.

The Seed Co-operative sounds excellent, what a great way to help preserve our seed heritage for everyone to enjoy. I've bookmarked them thanks.

[Jang]

Yes, it's a very worthwhile organisation. They largely adopt biodynamic principles and methods. Their seed range isn't as varied as some but they grow much of it themselves and are slowly expanding to include more. I've attended an open day which was very enjoyable. They have a very interesting array of smallish-scale seed-sorting devices which I particularly liked! One of the very small number of UK organic seed producers who keep free of the big seed companies

[jayb]

That does sound an interesting open day. their seed range is more a non-hybrid commercial range, not so much heritage varieties, but each has its place. I quite fancy the burdock, I've never tried growing a named variety of it.

[Jang]

Update: Through the post this morning has come a very interesting selection of seeds from the bow expired South Lincs Chilli Boys.
Much research and experimentation to look forward to.
Again, it seems a great pity that they don’t feel they can continue.

[jayb]

What a lovely selection they sent, you are going to have fun with these. And two rocotos - fab .
Are you planning on growing them all this year?

[jayb]

Must admit just recently I've come across Lincs Chilli Boys quite a bit while looking up different varieties, such a shame they no longer have a shop or site.

[Jang]

Yes, hoping to grow them and a few others. Today though also received a wonderful package from the A4A seed circle with 21 varieties of tomato! Going to be a mad year I think.

[Galina]

Enjoy Jang, lets hope for the best of weather and sunshine for all these peppers and tomatoes

[jayb]

A Chilli mad and tomato mad year, I can't fault that! Happy growing and eating.

[Jang]

Not to mention beans - and hopes for greater success with peas. And a bit of an addiction to trying different varieties of cauliflower, and perennial alliums (new). ........
But thank you for your encouragement - and I look forward to sharing my chaos!