Discovering NC Agriculture is a year-long series focusing on twelve N.C. grown, raised, caught, and made commodities. Tune in each month to see how an N.C. commodity is grown, harvested, packed for consumer use and more. Learn nutritional value, find fun recipes to try, hear from local chefs who use that product, and other unique commodity facts throughout the series. We look forward to helping you better understand some of our N.C. commodities and how they impact your everyday lives!
Have you ever wondered how N.C. peppers are grown and harvested? A passion for peppers has been a part of Randy Bailey’s identity since he was twenty-one years old. Growing up on a family farm, Randy learned at the hands of his father what it was like to work hard producing something that you love. As a lover of spicy food, it wasn’t hard for Randy to decide that he wanted to grow a wide variety of peppers. In 1989, Randy bought a portion of the family farm for himself and the journey to Bailey Farms, Inc. began!
Bailey Farms, Inc. based in Oxford, currently grows 18 different varieties of peppers year-round. With facilities in both North Carolina and Florida, they are able to keep a strong pepper supply available during the winter months. For the North Carolina grown and harvested peppers, Randy and his team begin each year by starting pepper seeds in the greenhouse. “Laying plastic mulch with a drop tube in the middle is the very first thing that we do each season,” he said. “Then we punch holes where the plants should go and hand-plant the transplants in each hole. These plants are started in our greenhouses, and it typically takes about six weeks to make a transplant.” After the transplants are moved to the outdoor fields, they are left to grow until harvest season begins in early July.
All peppers grown at Bailey Farms are hand-harvested! Randy and his family work with a team of H2A workers to ensure the peppers are picked at the perfect time. Harvest season typically runs from early July to mid-October. “Many people think that peppers, especially spicy peppers, have to be harvested with gloves, but they don’t because all the heat is trapped inside the pepper,” Randy said. “Once peppers are harvested from our fields, they are brought to our refrigerated packing facility, stored until needed, and then run across the various lines to bag or place in bulk containers.” One fun fact that Randy shared with us about pepper harvest and varieties, is that the heat levels in peppers can vary based on the growing conditions. For example, a hot jalapeño in the summer may be only half as hot in the winter!
From jalapeño and poblano peppers, to mini sweet and bellaffina peppers, Bailey Farms offers a variety of products for all customers to enjoy. Bellafina peppers, also known as baby bell peppers, are sold in bags, as well as Dulcefina peppers (a sweet, crispy pepper) and Shishito peppers (a mild pepper). Bailey Farms also offers a variety of mini hot and sweet peppers called Hotties, Sweeties and Sidekicks. In addition to their bagged peppers, they also sell fresh peppers, dried peppers, hot sauces and tomatillos. “Our products can be found in most major retailers along the East Coast, including Food Lion,” Randy said. “We encourage our customers to purchase a variety of peppers and try them as snacks, side dishes, entrees and desserts. Each type of pepper has a specific flavor profile that will add a unique twist to just about any dish.”
Although jalapeño peppers, poblano peppers, mini sweet peppers and bellafina peppers are the top sellers at Bailey Farms, Randy’s favorite are the Serrano peppers because of his strong love for spicy food. Stock up on peppers from Bailey’s Farm at a retailer near you and enjoy locally grown flavor today!
