Fernihurst farmers say their property has perfect growing conditions for Mexican chillies

Northern Victorian farmer Neville Tonkin had never tasted a chilli in his life.

That was until his partner Jude Hannah convinced him to sidestep traditional farming and he had a crack at growing jalapeno, Habanero and Cayenne chillies on their property.

After spending two decades in the United States, Ms Hannah moved back to northern Victoria and wanted to recreate some of her favourite Mexican flavours.

“So, I said to Nev I’d really like to put in a decent veggie garden, and it took off.

“I put in some jalapenos plants and every time we picked them they just kept reproducing, again and again.”