Overland Park Farmers Market bans Nazi pepper vendor after antisemitic social media rant

Social media post of Pepper Cave stand previous at Overland Park Farmers Market.

Pepper Cave, an Olathe-based pepper distributor, has been indefinitely suspended from the Overland Park Farmers Market following antisemitic and hate-filled rampage on social media over the last 48 hours. Pepper Cave owner Justin Bale’s last eight months of Facebook activity relating strictly to growing the business and updating customers about products, with a sudden shift in the last two days.

Among these were supportive references to the Holocaust, Nazi propaganda, swastikas, and other such absolute horseshit that will not be reposted here. Honestly, it’s right there if you want to go look it up—which is a pretty glaring condemnation of social media content moderation systems—but you really, really don’t need to see for yourself. 

The Overland Park Farmers Market Facebook announced Bale as a new vendor back in May, but has edited their post to confirm Pepper Cave has been suspended indefinitely. 

Gavriela Geller, a representative for the Jewish Community Relations Bureau (JCRB) released a statement Friday stating “We deeply appreciate the seriousness with which the City of Overland Park has been taking this issue, and are grateful for their commitment to ensuring a safe environment for all communities.”

In response to the removal, Bale stated on his Gab account: “This means so much more time to dedicate to online sales,” and offered a 14.88% discount on products—referencing a white nationalist dog whistle.

Bale also posted a screenshot of an email response to the Overland Park Farmers Market alerting to his suspension with the comment “I’m merely trying to ensure the survival of White people.”

One Reddit user weighed in on this outpouring of information regarding Bale and his business: “Not a lot of things get under my skin, but anti-semitism and racism make me physically ill with rage.”

The Kansas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-KS) has released a statement in support of the Overland Park Farmers Market’s decision to remove Bale. “The vile antisemitic comments allegedly made by this vendor are deeply shocking and we welcome the decision of the farmers’ market to take action,” says CAIR-KS Board Chair Moussa Elbayoumy.

“Antisemitism, like all other forms of bigotry, must be challenged and repudiated.”

Despite the previously family-friendly online presence of the pepper producer on Facebook, rightwing social media platform Gab has been where Bale has openly incited violence against the Jewish community and other marginalized groups since November of 2022. 

Happy Valley Farms of De Soto, Kansas has also renounced their association with Bale and his products.

“Here at Happy Valley, we have ZERO tolerance for antisemitism or racially divisive actions or comments.” 

When asked if the account may have been hacked, Happy Valley Farms commented on Facebook: “That was my first thought [when] I saw it. I immediately texted him to clarify. Wasn’t hacked. He made it very clear. Decision stands.”

When reached for comment by The Pitch to confirm that this was not a hacked account but his actual, real beliefs that he was proud to share, Bale responded simply: “Christ is King!” 

While Bale’s contact information is publicly available on his company website and Facebook page, JCRB would like us to remind readers that interaction and provocation of people like this is never encouraged. As he’s appeared to delight in this recent attention, we’ll simply end by restating our publication’s policy on the matter: