When Mark and Nat Albert relocated from Sydney to Queensland to pursue Mark's dream of growing the hottest chili in the world, they were looking for a farm with perfect growing conditions.
But much like his beloved Carolina reaper chilies, Mr Albert has found the Queensland weather can a little bumpy, underestimated, and too spicy for some to handle.
Along with others in the Wide Bay region, he is learning to endure the challenging seasons, as well as the volatile markets and unpredictable global events that are bringing change for farmers.
Chilly chilies
Several years ago the Alberts packed up their city life and headed for Childers, south of Bundaberg, where they planted 1,500 chilli bushes in the red volcanic soils prized for growing sugar cane, avocados and macadamia nuts.
As demand for their reaper powder grew, they propagated another 600 plants.
Mr Albert said this harvest had been "a tough one".
"It was a particularly cold winter, and it's been a very slow, late start to summer, so the bushes have really struggled," he said.
"We had a couple light frosts in winter, which really knocked the bushes around.
"We're suffering as a result of that, in that the yield is quite low."
Ms Albert said the lack of fruit was having significant flow-on effects for production, just as demand was growing.
"It's [the fruit] coming through in smaller quantities than everybody's used to," she said.
"A lot of companies out there are wanting to use it in their own sauces … we've got jerky makers and they're having to resort to other options, with other chilies, and not get that desired heat that they've been used to."
Mr Albert said there was a constant push to keep up with demand for powder, and remained positive about the farm's future despite the difficult conditions.
"We can [process] 50 kilograms a week if the production allows us to do it," he said.
"From when it started to now, it [demand] has increased 30-fold. It's been great."
Unusual weather benefit grapes
About 150 kilometres south of Childers at Moffatdale Ridge Wines, verdelho grapes were being harvested after an excellent winter growing season.
Co-founder Jason Kinsella said that, unlike some other regions, the rain had come at the right time in the right amount for his vineyard near Murgon in the South Burnett region.
"We've had a couple of falls about a month ago. We had about 45 millimetres, which was perfectly timed because it just gave the vines that last little bit of moisture," he said.
"But it's been quite dry here since, even to the point that we're back to irrigating."
"We have had the perfect growing season."
He added, however, that the perfect conditions had not been normal for the region.
"This has been a cooler summer, certainly one of the coolest in the 25 years we've been growing," Mr Kinsella said.
"So the ripening of the grapes is much slower, and the slower the ripening period, the acid remains high — which is what we want for the winemaking process — and the flavour is retained.
"It's shaping up to be by far the best season we've ever had."
Sugar cane a different story
It has been far from the best season for sugar cane growers in the Childers region, who finally finished what might be the longest crush in their 128-year history on January 9.
Isis Central Sugar Mill chief executive Peter Hawe said a late start, and interruptions due to rain and logistics issues, had meant some cane was left in the paddock without being harvested.
"Crushing into January, I think, is unprecedented in recent times, possibly for at least 50 years," he said.
"We crushed through New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, so those celebrations were put on hold."
Some areas received as much as 1,500mm of rain in 2022, much higher than the annual average of just over 1,070mm.
Mr Hawe said it was also the second largest crop the mill had ever processed, but despite the tough conditions, the industry had rallied together and found new ways to cooperate.
"This has been a season filled with many challenges, mostly out of our control, and I guess probably a season for the history books," he said.
"Even though they've been pretty extraordinary circumstances, there has been a great support and willingness of all our stakeholders to work together to try and get through this."
Missing out on the money
About 45 kilometres to the north, Bundaberg Canegrowers chairman Mark Pressler said the "frustrating and long, drawn out season" meant farmers with unharvested cane had missed out on good prices.
"It's a bit of a double whammy, you know, to have a really good crop and not being able to utilise it and getting it into the mill to get paid for it," he said.
He said many growers were already moving on to planting for the next season — whatever that would bring.
"We'll just keep carrying on, that's all you can do," Mr Pressler said.
"Hopefully, the weather will be kind to us and some of this rain that we had that frustrated us so much keeps on coming [for summer crops]."
