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Spicy Chicken's MMXII Grow Log (The Hot Spot Pepper Shack)

Hello everyone!

Planting seeds is still a couple of weeks away yet but thought I would start out with an introduction and let you know a little bit about our place we call The Hot Spot or should I say what others call it, I call it a garden. ;)



Here is a little bit about our hobby farm and how we turned what once was an old abandon farm into our favorite place to be.

This is a family oriented hobby farm located in Northeastern Wisconsin. The farm is about elevan acres in size but we are utilizing only a small portion for the garden. Even though our growing time is short we use every day given to produce some of the best peppers in the state.

We have lived here since 2002 and our garden is just a smidge over 1/2 acre. As each year has passed the pepper garden has grown. Our garden for the year of 2010 had just over 1000 pepper seedlings planted, 2011 2000. Although no herbicides, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers are used, we are not organically certified and do not claim to be.

The compost that is integrated into the soil is procured from a large organic dairy farm a few miles from our home. The soil is sifted and mixed with the compost to create raised, plastic mulch covered beds, thus giving us the ability to control soil heat, moisture and weeds. As the plant grows, we denude the early buds, giving plants time to become strong and resilient.

After the first denuding, plants are then allowed to grow into a nice leafy foliage that produces great tasting peppers we are happy to be able to share with others.

From our family to yours, Thank you!




I am in the midst of building a grow room with a second story green house where this year I will be able to start the plants. Some of you may have seen the tread in Grow Tech category, might be interesting if you’re ever bored. http://www.thehotpepper.com/topic/23974-spicy-chickens-grow-room-and-greenhouse-makeover/f

Worked very hard at it last summer, my wife calls it The Pepper Shack.

A couple of before and after pics.


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As you can see I have a long way to go, but at least I will be able to start the seeds in there, really looking forward to that.

More to come. thanks for looking! SC
 
Jeff... uh... I have no words! I think my brain just melted. Freakin' nuts! :onfire:

Out of curiosity, what are the bad boy yellow ones in this pic here:

Whats up buddy? I see that your season is just started and mine is coming to a close, yet another season.

To answer your ? those are Bhut yellows and the nice part about it is there is another hundred plants just like that to the right, WooHoo is becoming wtf; like stop producing already!!

Way over my head here; what a shame, I'm sure ten's of thousands of peppers will freeze to the fiery grave. :0( Owell!
 
Holy cow Jeff!!! Thanks for once again putting my freezer full into perspective! So stoked for you, well deserved my friend. You were one of the first I started to follow on here. You put in more work than most of us, and reap what you sow for sure. Job well done my friend! How's the deal with the local vendor working out?
 
Omfg. First time dropping by. Took awhile. But nice to see the progress. Wow. 90 days. M*ine are still in 1 gal containers at 90!!! Small harvest photos. Waaaaaatttt. Sorry that you have to do all that cutting. Just wondering. How's the pest for you. I know how it is. The more plants. More new pests. Learned that even more this year. My corn started off strong. But damn aphids got to them and took then out. My 3 sisters became 2. Then 1. Now none. Great work !!!
 
Beautiful, well done.

Are those Fataliis on the right, they look real nice.

How are ya Spicegeist?

Why yes they are, now can you identify the rest? lol

Lets see, If I remember right, there are Fatalli's, Douglah's, Scotch Bonnets, T.S. Marouga Blend, and Chocolate Bhuts.

Thanks for stopping by - Jeff

Edit: O ya I think there were some Primo's mixed in with the Marouga's, easy to identify though.

Holy cow Jeff!!! Thanks for once again putting my freezer full into perspective! So stoked for you, well deserved my friend. You were one of the first I started to follow on here. You put in more work than most of us, and reap what you sow for sure. Job well done my friend! How's the deal with the local vendor working out?

Thanks Buddy!!

Before presentation I should make sure that at least a majority of the products are picked and processed, just in case I get some killer frost or something that would prevent me producing what I promised. lol

Cheers - Jeff

Omfg. First time dropping by. Took awhile. But nice to see the progress. Wow. 90 days. M*ine are still in 1 gal containers at 90!!! Small harvest photos. Waaaaaatttt. Sorry that you have to do all that cutting. Just wondering. How's the pest for you. I know how it is. The more plants. More new pests. Learned that even more this year. My corn started off strong. But damn aphids got to them and took then out. My 3 sisters became 2. Then 1. Now none. Great work !!!

Sorry to read about your corn issues! that suck, all that hard work for no reward. I have the occasional pod boring insects but nothing serious, I have way more trouble with fungus on the inside of the pod, will toss maybe 10,000 plus into the trash this year; but that is to be expected.

Thanks for taking a look. Cheers - Jeff

For some reason these pics don't do justice to being here, as u can see I am way behind. 8( all of the dryers are maxed out.

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Giant Bhuts ready for Slice and Dice, 10 Lbs 12 oz's off one plant and more to be picked. WooHoo

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Thanks again for stopping by - Jeff
 
Looking great man...almost to the finish line. How long do your dryer cabinets take to dry pods? Typical thinner walled chinense type pods...I have a couple of the same heaters you use and I'm just wondering if it would be worth the effort to put one or two together.
 
Frost has hit now for two nights maybe 3 with tonight being no exception, been busy with work of course and trying to get a few peppers picked every night, found that the dryers are a joke, even running at max capacity it would take months to dry all the pods; gotta figure something else out and fast!!

Just a few shots of some plants during the extraction process.

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Found this interesting cross in the Marouga row, absolutely beautiful pods!

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One hundred done 3,900 plus to go; WooHoo almost done, feeling sorry for me?

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More to come, thanks for stopping by! - Jeff
 
Frost has hit now for two nights maybe 3 with tonight being no exception, been busy with work of course and trying to get a few peppers picked every night, found that the dryers are a joke, even running at max capacity it would take months to dry all the pods; gotta figure something else out and fast!!

Just a few shots of some plants during the extraction process.

2012_Grow_Log_2411.jpg


2012_Grow_Log_242.jpg


2012_Grow_Log_244.jpg


Found this interesting cross in the Marouga row, absolutely beautiful pods!

2012_Grow_Log_240.jpg


One hundred done 3,900 plus to go; WooHoo almost done, feeling sorry for me?

2012_Grow_Log_243.jpg


More to come, thanks for stopping by! - Jeff
WOW , spicy you even get all dressed up to harvest , Love how the shirt matches the colour of the pods.
 
Looks like a great harvest, SC. Do the remaining green pods on the plants still ripe off when you pull out the entire plant like that? Still got a boatload of green ones and temps are dropping rather quickly.
 
Good luck with your dryer situation...You think screens instead of melamine would help? Whatever the solution is, I have confidence that you (The official MacGyver of the chili world) will find it!

Job well done on the season :clap: . Fun part behind you, but rewards waiting at the end of the pulling, drying and grinding my friend!!! We'll all be watching.

Shane
 
WOW Jeff, that's all I can say. If I were closer and had a dryer set up like yours I'd have been happy to have assisted your drying efforts. Be sad to have to let some of them go to the frost. I wish you the best of luck in getting them in.
 
You are talking about the box fan set up with the trays? I can't remember if you already have it or not, but piping some heat in there with the fans would speed it up. I would love to know your method for tying up all the plants like that. I hope you get something figured out quick for where the plants are hanging because I remember my adventure trying to dry whole pods by letting them sit and the mold that grew inside a good many.
 
Crap!! I just reply to every ones questions and comments and it did't post. sorry but right now I don't have another 20 minutes to spare, will later ---Jeff
 
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