Michael Swickard, Ph.D.

The Fresh Chile Company Podcast

History EN ↓ 212 episodes

Welcome to the Fresh Chile Company Podcast - Enchanting Stories of New Mexico. Tune in to listen to all things New Mexico Chile, and other enchanting facts about New Mexico.

Author

Michael Swickard, Ph.D.

Category

History

Latest episode

Jun 25, 2026

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Episodes

Enchanting Stories: 110 years of making chile better 25.06.2026

This seems odd; it might even change how you look at agricultural research. Over 110 years, thousands of agricultural researchers have worked each year on making New Mexico chile better. Not the best, but better each year. Fabian Garcia who is known as the father of New Mexico agriculture in chile, onions, pecans concentrated on making each crop better every year. Love this Podcast? Check out our...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico: The chile blend is the new trend 18.05.2026

The use of New Mexico chile has changed over the years. This year is trend is a blend of a taste sensation. The Fresh Chile Company has blends like Hatch grown red chile in ketchup which they call Hatchup. Everyone knows the various varieties of Hatch Valley grown green and red chile are individually wonderful. Here is something new:  to blend the red and green chile of a variety. Green Big Jim wi...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - What it was like living in New Mexico in 1912 28.01.2026

Whether you were rich or poor living in Southern New Mexico in 1912, it was very different to today in areas including red and green chile. Let’s explore the way life was 114 years ago here in the Land of Enchantment. In fact, that was when the slogan Land of Enchantment was written but there was more to it so New Mexico must have been enchanting even back then. Love this Podcast? Check out our we...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - 127 years of New Mexico movies 17.01.2026

New Mexico, over the years has been a good place to make movies. Did you know that the very first film shot in New Mexico and released to the public was in 1898? That was before Hollywood and I’ll talk about that production. This last year the New Mexico Film Office talked about 35 projects in New Mexico. We are ground zero for some great films. Love this Podcast? Check out our website at The Fres...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - Great chile innovations 06.01.2026

It is a new year and I want to talk about innovation in New Mexico green and red chile, especially the chile that is grown in the Hatch Valley of Southern New Mexico. That is Hatch chile for where it is grown. Over the last few years chile as a commercial crop has had lots of innovations. There are more innovations to come on top of these incredible chile innovations. Love this Podcast? Check out...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - The Huge Change in Chile Enjoyment 10.12.2025

Let’s talk chile. YUM. Specifically, Hatch Valley grown green and red chile. Over the last 110 years the commercially produced chile peppers are an incredible addition to culinary habits of Americans. People then wouldn’t recognize what we have now. They would approve what we have done with Hatch Valley Red and Green chile. It is a huge change in chile enjoyment. Love this Podcast? Check out our w...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - More New Mexico Western Stories 26.11.2025

Here are some more New Mexico stories tied together with it happened in New Mexico. I will talk about things you notice when driving and some railroad and chile stories. Many things that happen in New Mexico are not unique but are typical of this Land of Enchantment. Here is a bit of potpourri of New Mexico. Get your chips and Fresh Chile Company Salsa and enjoy. Love this Podcast? Check out our w...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - Odd stories in New Mexico 19.11.2025

 In writing New Mexico stories, some have been odd. Use of fertilizer by the Aggie football team, or White Sands rockets go missing. A New Mexico governor who traveled with a casket and needed it. Oh, in 1957 an Airforce bomber dropped a Hydrogen bomb on Albuquerque. Didn’t go off. Stay turned for some of the odd things that have happened in New Mexico.  Love this Podcast? Check out our website at...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - This Veterans Day and week 2025 14.11.2025

On this American Veterans Day, the men and women of New Mexico have served in times of war and peace. Someone gives up their time to serve the nation. For each whether it is an enlistment of two-year, four-year, six-year or they serve until retirement, America is made stronger. Likewise, every day that someone serves, their loved ones in effect serve also. Love this Podcast? Check out our website...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - Surprising facts about Carlsbad Caverns 08.11.2025

The official New Mexico mammal like six other states is the black bear with a population of six thousand bears. We even had Smokey Bear, a three-month-old cub found after a fire near Capitan. But I would like a different state mammal, one that brings in lots of money. I’d like bats as the state mammal. One place has 400k bats which 400k tourists come to see yearly. Let's talk about Carlsbad C...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - Some unusual New Mexico town names 01.11.2025

One of the things visitors to New Mexico notice is some of the unusual names of our towns. Candy Kitchen, Coyote, Eureka, Arroya Seco, Mosquero, Abiquiu, Galisteo, Tucumcari, Carrizozo, Pie Town and the most unusual Truth or Consequences. Yep, very unusual and typically New Mexican. Let me tell you about a few New Mexico towns including Bug Scuffle, New Mexico. Love this Podcast? Check out our web...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - Fred Harvey changed New Mexico 28.10.2025

In the Old West, especially New Mexico there was incredible dining with the Fred Harvey Company which ran the Harvey House chain of restaurants, hotels connected to the railroads. Founded in 1876, it served people traveling on trains and train towns. A side of the business made a huge change in New Mexico. Waitresses were imported and then became wives. Fred Harvey changed New Mexico. Love this Po...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - A short tour of New Mexico 17.10.2025

If you are new to New Mexico I want to take you on a small short but interesting tour of the Land of Enchantment. New Mexico is the 47th state in the union and is the 5th largest state in the Union. It has just over 2 million residents. If it was treated like the New England states, you could get four or five states out of the land area of New Mexico. It is all good and here is a 15 minute tour of...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - The Roy Nakayama Effect 15.10.2025

New Mexico chile, that wonderful, tasty pepper, became a commercial crop a hundred years ago. Before that it was a prized delicious garden vegetable. Most often red chile was dried and used. Fabián García, started a shift to the common use of chile that hit the markets about 1918 and then by 1950 other researchers really increased the appeal of chile beyond a seasoning to a food in and of itself....

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - The Lost Adams Diggins 02.10.2025

Today I am talking about a fascinating New Mexican, Ed Adams of the fabled legend of the Lost Adams Diggings. I talked about lost gold a couple weeks ago and several people wanted more stories. Here is a story based on true events. Treasure hunters have felt they were just one lucky moment away from incredible riches hidden by a few inches of dirt in a canyon. Perhaps. Love this Podcast? Check out...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - The Fabián García Legacy 29.09.2025

Fabián García is often given the title, The founder of New Mexico Commercial Food Production. While we think of him on Chiles Peppers, he was instrumental on Pecans, Onions, Alfalfa, and Cotton. There are a couple buildings named for him on the NMSU campus and the Fabián García Agricultural Research Center. What about Fabián García’s legacy. Stay tuned.  Love this Podcast? Check out our website at...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - Lost Gold in New Mexico 23.09.2025

Recently I was talking about how when the California Column came to New Mexico during the Civil War many of the soldiers were also Gold Miners. They found lots of gold back then. Any moment, even today we may hear of gold found. That is the mantra of some people. There is gold in New Mexico’s hills. You could be the one to find it. It’s out there waiting for lucky you. Let us talk lost gold in New...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - The surprising New Mexico gold 16.09.2025

In the Old West, prospecting for gold was a prime motivation for some people. Nothing was better than finding gold in New Mexico. This was surprising because the people prospecting for gold were not in New Mexico to do that. They were Civil War Union soldiers. Gold had a connection to New Mexico and the Civil War. Let’s talk about those surprised gold miners. Love this Podcast? Check out our websi...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - The New Mexico artist Peter Hurd 03.09.2025

One of the artistic icons of New Mexico who created art for all time was born in Roswell, New Mexico in 1904, eight years before New Mexico became a state. Initially he was a cowboy first and artist second. Then the entire world took notice of his talent and treasured his artistry. I am talking about Peter Hurd, a painter who has left many lasting images that will continue to amaze people for all...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - Butterfield Stage and Mail came through Mesilla 1858 01.09.2025

In today’s world, if you wish to go from St. Louis to San Francisco, it is a little over 1700 miles and you can drive it in a day or four hours in an airliner. In 1858 that trip could take 576 hours on the first Butterfield stagecoach with the U. S. Mail which went through Mesilla on the way. It took 24 days, going about five miles an hour. And a writer documented that first journey. Love this Pod...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - The first American to visit New Mexico in 1807 18.08.2025

We know about the 1803 to 1806 Lewis and Clark’s expedition ordered by President Thomas Jefferson from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean. Jefferson ordered two other expeditions from St. Louis both led by Captain Zebulon Pike. The second one went to Colorado, Pike’s Peak was named for him and he and his men ended up going through Las Cruces. Here’s New Mexico’s first American visitor in 1807. Love th...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - A tour of the Fresh Chile Company 12.08.2025

Most of you know me from my doing Enchanting Stories of New Mexico for the Fresh Chile Company where I talk about New Mexico History and Culture. but I have another role. I am a tour guide for the facilities of the Fresh Chile Company in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Let’s talk about those tours. Sounds unusual but you will hear some good stories on this podcast. Love this Podcast? Check out our website...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - Seven things to know about today's Hatch chile 30.07.2025

Hatch Valley grown chile peppers are special for many reasons. Let’s talk about seven things to know about those outstanding chile peppers which are made into delicious salsa at the Fresh Chile Company. While not secrets, many people might not know all of them so when you play New Mexico trivia and talk about Hatch Valley grown chile peppers, you will be prepared. Let’s go. Love this Podcast? Chec...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - From snowflake in Colorado to Hatch Valley chile 14.07.2025

It’s been hot in New Mexico. A friend said I probably like to look at pictures of winter snow in Colorado. I do for a reason tied to the Hatch Valley. When I see in winter a snowflake falling on the San Juan Mountains of Colorado I realize that snowflake will melt and be a part of the headwaters of the Rio Grande and possibly I will enjoy that drop of water. Let me tell you how it is connected to...

Enchanting Stories of New Mexico - Interesting New Mexico Old West Gunmen 03.07.2025

The Old West, of which New Mexico was certainly a part, had many interesting characters who were handy with a gun. I want to talk about a few of them and some of the things they did. You won’t see any of this in a Hollywood movie, but it certainly is authentic. From Bat Masterson to Mysterious Dave Mather to Baldy Russell, they were very interesting Old West gunmen. Love this Podcast? Check out ou...

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