For green chile lovers, time to smile!

Green chile. Photo by Flickr/Cosmic Kitty

The Associated Press reported today on some good news for green chile lovers: The harvest of New Mexico's favorite plant is looking good so far.

"We haven't had any problems at all weather-wise," said Jo Lytle, who farms chile with her husband in Hatch. "It's just really, really hot ... but that's good for chile."

Not everything went smoothly for the green chile crop this year, according to the AP. Early season cool weather and animals eating the seedlings affected the crop and the harvest will be slightly delayed. The harvest typically occurs in early August, when roasters around the state fire up and the smell of green chile fills the air in seemingly every parking lot in the state from Farmington to Carlsbad.

Frijoles con chile (beans with chile peppers) is the official state vegetable (despite being two vegetables), while the official state question ("Red or green?") refers to the two type of chiles beloved in New Mexico.

Both types of chile are so beloved in New Mexico that New Mexico State University even has a Chile Pepper Institute dedicated to New Mexico's favorite veggie.

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