Where do you get your peppers?

So all you commercial hot sauce producers/sellers, are you growing all your own peppers or do you contract with farmers to grow them? If you contract with farmers to grow them how does that work payment wise? Do they ship the peppers to you whole or do they ship a mash to you? If they make a mash, do they make it to your specifications? Thanks.
 
I purchase from local farms & farmers whenever possible. The bulk of my peppers come from Morgan Hill, CA.  The one "exotic" pepper I use is the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, which I purchased from Smokin' Ed Currie as at the time he was the only source. (bad weather in various parts of the country) 
 
I've not had a contract grow nor do I use mash, so I cannot speak to those aspects. Someone else might be able to add detail there. :cheers: 
 
I've gotten a LOT of fresh peppers through Jim Duffy, Refining Fire Chiles.  He deals with the growers, has a lot of growers all over the country contract growing for him and can usually handle large orders, especially if you get your order in early in the season. 
 
The growers ship fresh pods directly to me, I paid to Duffy, he paid them.  When co-packing for Candice at Wildfire Chillis in Australia, she dealt with/paid Duffy, the peppers arrived at my place and I processed them for her sauce. 
 
One fall, I hand processed about 450 pounds of fresh superhots (7 Pots and Morugas) and 30 pounds of fresh fataliis (wash, de-stem, trim, dry or freeze or grind).  The majority of the chiles arrived in good shape, especially if the shipper packed them right.  One shipper put the pods in plastic bags  (BAD IDEA!) but usually the chiles were packed in boxes about 20" square with layers of paper towels to keep moisture accumulation down.
 
If you know ahead of time, and depending on how much of what you want, there's a lot of growers on THP who could maybe help you out.  I could try posting some names if you'd like, but I know I'd miss some.
 
I've also sourced pods for prototyping and commercial use from the following with terrific results: 
1. Puckerbutt - T.Scorp Moruga - gorgeous pods at a very fair price. 
2. Mike McDermott of Buckeye Pepper Co - various varieties with terrific results
3. Judy at Pepperlover.com - various varieties in varying qtys with always spectacular results. 
 
Suggest checking the vendor vault, as this topic is starting to look like something that belongs over there. :cheers: 
 
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