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P. Dreadie Memorial Group Grow 2016

Long-time THP veterans mourned the loss last August of Amarillo, Texas musician/songwriter/silversmith/chilehead Erin Mason, known to us here on the boards as P. Dreadie. Erin was an enigma, one of the most interesting and creative, yet gentle and loving guys I ever knew. Many of us may be unaware that he played harmonica in one of the original Austin, Texas bands of the early 1970s "Cosmic Cowboy" era, Alvin Crow and the Pleasant Valley Boys. When Erin decided to step off of Alvin's perpetually-touring bus and return to Amarillo, he travelled to Jamaica, fell in love with the Reggae beat, collected the best Scotch Bonnet fruit he could find, and his alter-ego Papa Dreadie was born.

In 2013 Erin sent me a few pods of the Scotch Bonnets he had been breeding, carefully selected descendants of the original fruit he brought back from the Caribbean all those years ago. I harvested every single seed from those pods, and stored them away, as I focused increasing attention on other varieties. When his wife Liz gave us the news last August that Erin had passed, I knew what I had to do with those seeds: a community grow in his memory. I have already shared about half of them, and I will continue to share them with experienced growers of the Scotch Bonnet until they are gone.

Papa Dreadie Scotch Bonnet Select, grown by Erin in 2013:

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Lifetime memories posted by Liz Mason on Erin's FB page. Liz is an extremely talented professional photographer:

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The legendary bus:

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Trident chilli said:
A lot of standard pods ....

A select with tail .... and moisture split
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Those look great, John! Can you characterize the textural/sensory experience of biting into one of those pods? I'm wondering how the P. Dreadie Standard compares with the Select in that regard, and I don't want to influence your impressions... :P
solid7 said:
No kidding!

What are the main differences between the MOA and the P Dreadie Select?
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S7, it's possible that the Dreadie and the MoA are genetically very similar, but the two varieties could not have been bred in more different environments, one in the Caribbean, the other on the high plains of Texas: the MoA at the Jamaica Ministry of Agriculture, and the Papa Dreadie by our late friend Erin Mason, in Amarillo, Texas...
It would be very interesting to do a side-by-side grow of the two...Something that definitely needs to be done, in several locations around the world...
 
windchicken said:
S7, it's possible that the Dreadie and the MoA are genetically very similar, but the two varieties could not have been bred in more different environments, one in the Caribbean, the other on the high plains of Texas: the MoA at the Jamaica Ministry of Agriculture, and the Papa Dreadie by our late friend Erin Mason, in Amarillo, Texas...

It would be very interesting to do a side-by-side grow of the two...Something that definitely needs to be done, in several locations around the world...
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Well, that can be arranged. I have a beautiful MoA specimen, that would love a partner.
 
solid7 said:
Well, that can be arranged. I have a beautiful MoA specimen, that would love a partner.
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Awesome! I should have another reapings-worth on the plants sometime next week....
Jase4224 said:
I'm growing the Dreadie SS and the MoA this year, both germinated a couple of weeks ago so will be a while before I can report my results but should be interesting
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Cool Jase! I'll be watching that...
 
Hybrid Mode 01 said:
     WOW!  :shocked:  So pretty!
 
 
 
 
 
 
     Here's a shot of my standard right before I picked another pound and half of pods off it. 
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Wow, Carlton, that plant was a pod factory! I'm wondering how the Standard fruit compares in texture and flavor to the Select? If the difference is only the pod shape, that would be real interesting, as if Erin was intentionally breeding two grades of Papa Dreadie fruit. By the appearance of your plant, judging from the amount of fruit set and generally vitality of the plant, I would say they are very close...But I have no idea about the experience of eating the fruit....
 
Is there a story with that white frame farmhouse in the background? I have a feeling about it....
 
Gary
 
windchicken said:
 
 
Wow, Carlton, that plant was a pod factory! I'm wondering how the Standard fruit compares in texture and flavor to the Select? If the difference is only the pod shape, that would be real interesting, as if Erin was intentionally breeding two grades of Papa Dreadie fruit. By the appearance of your plant, judging from the amount of fruit set and generally vitality of the plant, I would say they are very close...But I have no idea about the experience of eating the fruit....
 
Is there a story with that white frame farmhouse in the background? I have a feeling about it....
 
Gary
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     Yeah, considering the size of the plant and the small (4-5 gallon) pot it's in, I'd say this one is a pretty serious producer! I wish I were in a position to compare fruit from the two varieties, but I only have this one standard. All I know is the standard is my favorite SB I've tried so far. The flavor is very bright and sweet. 
     The only story behind that house that I know of is that my neighbors live there. The only reason it's in the shot is because I perched the plant up on the porch railing so the sun would better illuminate the fruit. What is this feeling you have about it?  :think:
 
Hybrid Mode 01 said:
 
     
     Yeah, considering the size of the plant and the small (4-5 gallon) pot it's in, I'd say this one is a pretty serious producer! I wish I were in a position to compare fruit from the two varieties, but I only have this one standard. All I know is the standard is my favorite SB I've tried so far. The flavor is very bright and sweet. 
     The only story behind that house that I know of is that my neighbors live there. The only reason it's in the shot is because I perched the plant up on the porch railing so the sun would better illuminate the fruit. What is this feeling you have about it?  :think:
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The fruit of the Select, while bright and sweet as well, is also thick, crunchy, and juicy, like no other pepper that I can recall. Maybe a proper MoA pod is like that, but it's been several years since I grew that one, so I can't really say...
 
Nothing in particular about that house, but the image is real evocative for some reason...As I child many of my now-gone aunts and uncles in rural Texas and New Mexico lived in such houses, so it's probably just that. Or maybe that all old houses have many stories to tell...
 
windchicken said:
 
 
The fruit of the Select, while bright and sweet as well, is also thick, crunchy, and juicy, like no other pepper that I can recall. Maybe a proper MoA pod is like that, but it's been several years since I grew that one, so I can't really say...
 
 
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     I see. The texture of the standard fruit seems very similar to most other SBs and habs I've tried. Nothing to write home about. It seems very similar to the MOA in that regard, but definitely has it beat on flavor from what I remember of what I grew last season.
 
Blister said:
Anyone have spare seeds to share? I'd love to grow these next year -which actually starts in a few short months for me.

Neil
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PM me and I'll have seeds from my pods, from Gary...on their way to you as soon as they're dry
 
edit:hmm i see your up north...i've never mailed anything there? is it more difficult than sending a card?
 
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