Hennali Jungle Pepper

With its’ vines embracing the mango and jackfruit trees of Merwin and Regina Fernandes’ woodlands, this fiery black pepper is grown in the “forest farming’” technique, with a meticulous focus on soil health. A living case study of regenerative agriculture, the peppercorn’s flavor and nutrition have been enhanced alongside the vitality of the lands it grows on. This pepper is a faithful friend to any dish or drink that requires warmth and depth of flavor.

Regenerative Farmers: Merwin and Regina Fernandes

“A herd of elephants recently broke through our farm’s perimeter fence and ate some of our trees, and damaged a few others. We can’t be upset though – they were here first, after all.” When we heard this from Merwin upon meeting him for the first time, we knew him and his wife’s forest farming approach was incredibly literal. Deep in the Western Ghats mountain range of India, Merwin and Regina Fernandes have created a living, dynamic case study of regenerative agriculture in action. Their approach exemplifies forest farming – the cultivation of seeds under the protection of the indigenous tree canopy. This forest farming allows for a truly regenerative environment for the peppercorn vines to flourish naturally. Merwin and Regina then go several steps further - focusing on key principles to ensure maximum nutritional content and flavor of this pepper:

• Bio-Diversity over Mono-Cropping: An assortment of root crops, grasses, shrubs, plants and trees existing in harmony contribute to a rich environment. With an array of flora present, diseases are less likely to spread from plant to plant, and pest management is naturally curbed.

• Soil Health: The Fernandes’ recognize that soil is far from the static, dormant brown matter that it is often portrayed as: rather, it is a brimming ecosystem of its own, containing earthworms, roots, minerals, and mycelium – the all-important fungi which allows for communication between plants of the forest.

• Organic Manures: Jeevamrutha, a combination of manure from native cows, natural liquid manure, and specially-mixed compost. This potent, nutrient-dense mixture is used to power their forest farm.

• 100% pesticide-free farming with a focus on precise harvesting techniques for maximum cleanliness.