OUR STORY
ABOUT US
ROOTED IN BLAINE, WASHINGTON
Family grown. Farm crafted. A little unconventional.
OUR BEGINNING
FROM ONE
STRAWBERRY PATCH
We didn't set out to build a hot sauce company.
Back in 2017, we were simply looking for a business that fit the things we already loved doing. When we found this five-acre property just outside Blaine, we knew it had potential—but it definitely wasn't ready to become a farm. It was a foreclosure, and the grass stood nearly seven feet tall. Before we could grow a single crop, we spent countless hours mowing, weed eating, and bringing the property back to life.
Once the land was under control, we planted our very first strawberry patch, built our first greenhouse, and got to work. We quickly discovered our native clay soil wasn't going to cooperate, so we brought in better soil and started building growing spaces one project at a time, always chasing better flavor and better varieties.
From the very beginning, we've believed that flavor matters more than yield. Instead of choosing varieties because they produce the most, we choose the ones we'd be excited to bring home to our own table. Every greenhouse, raised bed, and growing area has been built with that philosophy in mind.
What started with one strawberry patch has grown season by season into the farm you see today. While the farm has changed over the years, one thing hasn't—our commitment to growing exceptional produce and sharing it with our community.
Our very first greenhouse, built in 2017.
Then, a bumper crop of peppers changed everything...
THE TURNING POINT
THE PEPPERS
CHANGED
EVERYTHING
One season, Diane's brother—a chef—suggested we grow peppers for local restaurants. Since we were already supplying chefs with produce, it made perfect sense.
We started with Poblanos, Fresnos, and Jalapeños.
That year, our Fresno peppers had an incredible harvest—far more than we could sell. We pickled them. We candied them. We dried them. We tried just about everything we could think of, but there were still peppers left.
So we made hot sauce.
What started as a way to use a bumper crop, quickly became an obsession. Every season we planted a few more varieties, experimenting with new flavors and steadily moving from mild peppers to hotter and hotter ones.
Today we grow everything from flavorful Poblanos and Fresnos to Carolina Reapers, Ghost Peppers, Scotch Bonnets, and some of the hottest peppers in the world. Every bottle of Underground Owl Hot Sauce still begins the same way—grown from seed right here on our farm.
THE NEXT CHAPTER
GROWING THE FARM.
GROWING THE BRAND.
The first twelve hot sauces were never meant to become a business.
We bottled them, wrapped them up, and handed them out as Christmas gifts to family and friends. Then, a few months later, the calls started coming.
"We need more hot sauce."
Those original recipes quickly became favorites, and the four sauces people kept asking for became what we now know as The Originals.
As the years went on, the farm continued to evolve. Alex moved on to new adventures, while Doug and Diane continued growing the farm, expanding the pepper program, and developing what would eventually become Underground Owl Hot Sauce.
Today our farm looks a little different than it did back then. While we still grow a wide variety of fresh produce for restaurants, local markets, and our community, peppers have become our passion. Every season we grow more varieties, experiment with new recipes, and continue sharing both our produce and award-winning hot sauces with the people who support our farm.
The first hot sauces were made to solve a problem. Everything after that was unexpected.
WHERE WE ARE TODAY
STILL GROWING.
Every season brings something new. New varieties to grow, new sauces to create, new lessons to learn, and new people to meet along the way.
What started with one strawberry patch has grown into something we never could have planned. We still grow fresh produce, we still get excited about trying something new, and these days you'll find a whole lot more peppers growing around here.
Through it all, the idea behind Spotted Owl Farm hasn't really changed: grow things we're proud of, make things we believe in, and share them with the people around us.
We're excited to see where it grows from here.
From one strawberry patch to whatever comes next.