It’s funny how you can walk past a thing hundreds of times but not really see it.

Last week I admired—for the umpteenth time—the mystery tree we have in our paddock that is covered in clumps of Dr. Seussian turquoise, blue, and fuchsia berries every autumn. Although I’ve been wondering about it for the past four years, it wasn’t until this month that I finally asked Greg, a friend of ours with a decidedly green thumb, what he thought the tree was.

As he peered up into the leafy canopy he declared, “That’s gotta be pepper.” Pepper! Never in my wildest imaginings…

Although I am a self-sufficiency fan and love growing weird and wonderful things in my gardens, I had never thought about growing pepper, or any other spice, save for ginger and turmeric. Excitedly, I gathered a cluster of the vivid berries and photographed them, then searched online to see if they truly were peppercorns. Sure enough, they were.

I am thrilled with our discovery and have had such fun learning how to ferment the colorful peppercorns, dry and get them ready to fill our pepper grinders with.

The no-longer-a-mystery Peppercorn Tree now serves as my reminder to inquire, not just admire.

Krista Bjorn is a wood-burning artist, goat farmer, author, writer, and photographer. Although she was born in Canada, raised in the USA, and shaped by her European roots, she now lives on a goat farm in Queensland, Australia with her husband, Bear. There, she celebrates anything that leads to healing, thriving, and loving. http://www.ramblingtart.com/

Imagery provided by Krista Bjorn