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The importance of chile pepper cultivation to the Mesilla, Hatch and Mimbres valleys are no secret. In Las Cruces, the public can get an up-close look at 140 varieties of chile peppers during growing season on self-guided tours of the quarter-acre Amy Goldman-Fowler Teaching Garden, part of New Mexico State University’s Chile Pepper Institute.
The research-based resource center for chile pepper information was founded in 1992. The teaching garden was established in 1995, per a news release, and is named for the gardener, author, artist and philanthropist Amy Goldman-Fowler.
The university announced last week that self-guided tours of the teaching garden are available from sunrise to sunset, seven days a week, during the season. It is located at the Fabián García Science Center, 113 W. University Avenue. Guided tours are also available for a $25 fee, with proceeds supporting the institute’s research and education efforts.
Visitors with smartphones can even walk away with ideas for their own dinner table. In a news release, program specialist April Beauchemin said, “We encourage visitors to scan QR codes on select garden labels for insights into their culinary uses and recipes that highlight each pepper’s unique flavor and heat profile. We hope that visitors to this year’s garden enjoy the interactive experience and incorporate a recipe or two into their menu rotation.”
Visitors are asked to respect the garden and grounds, and advised to wear sunscreen, drink water and consider visiting early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid the hottest hours of the day. Tours will close when temperatures drop and the first freeze of the fall arrives, typically in October.
Information about the guided tours is available by calling 575-646-3028 or visiting the institute in Gerald Thomas Hall on the NMSU Las Cruces campus, Room 265.
