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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
 
Don't know if any one could get that kind of production out of super hots especially if they don't denude the plants like I do, but 150 to 700 per plant is norm here.

No freezer needed I dry all the pods and need to pump up production if I want the Festival Foods contract.

Here is just a very small portion of one years harvest.

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Cheers, Jeff

holy cow,such a beautiful view, thats a ton of peppers, how much u selling them at your festival?
 
holy cow,such a beautiful view, thats a ton of peppers, how much u selling them at your festival?

Well its not a festival, but actually a Festival Foods grocery store chain. I have to have enough for a steady supply, but I really don't know how much that is; and neither does management but they do say that it has to be substantial. what ever the heck that means! I'm hoping that maybe 3/4's of a ton of dried product is enough, in maybe 10 flavors or so.

Thanks

Matter of interest how do you dry them Jeff? such a large amount.

Mezo.

Mezo, here is a link to something that may interest you if you like this thread. Maybe you have already seen this but on and around the 10th page explains this.

NO cheating now start from the beginning. LOL

http://thehotpepper.com/topic/23974-spicy-chickens-grow-room-and-greenhouse-makeover/
 
Jeff,
It's good to hear from you, Everythings looking plush and organized like an army waiting to go into battle.....Nice come back with your plants, I heard you had some bad winds last month. The 1st couple of rows in your plot has some large plants. Are they the same variety for your dehydrating purposes?
The plants will appreciate the rain that you've had. We've only had 1 day of it in 3 wks.......
Good look with your season and I'm looking forward to some pepper photos

Greg
 
Jeff,
It's good to hear from you, Everythings looking plush and organized like an army waiting to go into battle.....Nice come back with your plants, I heard you had some bad winds last month. The 1st couple of rows in your plot has some large plants. Are they the same variety for your dehydrating purposes?
The plants will appreciate the rain that you've had. We've only had 1 day of it in 3 wks.......
Good look with your season and I'm looking forward to some pepper photos

Greg

Thanks Big G!

The larger plants are Czech Blacks and I think there are just over 200 units, happens to be one of my biggest sellers and sell out of them every year, so this year I'm hoping that will be enough.lol

Been extremely dry here to and we got this rain just in time to save the farmers crops, thank god or the price of corn would have been untouchable around these parts.

-Jeff

Just a few more. LOL
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Just a few more to come. ;O)
 
Some great varieties there, I'm rooting for Yellow Bhut, Naga Morich, Choco Habs, Brain Strains, Douglah, Morouga... oh hell, all of them are great!
 
Jeff
Amazing grow you have going. I know in the past you mentioned you have a full time job, but out of curiousity is that only during the month or two between packing the last powders/flakes and the next plant out? Not trying to be rude of course, but for me what you have going would be a full time job.

:clap:
 
Jeff
Amazing grow you have going. I know in the past you mentioned you have a full time job, but out of curiousity is that only during the month or two between packing the last powders/flakes and the next plant out? Not trying to be rude of course, but for me what you have going would be a full time job.

:clap:

Thanks Brian!

I do have a full time job but that takes up only 11 hours a day and I sleep 4 so that of course leave 9 hours to do what I will. LOL No TV or vid games but do watch an occasional movie.
Just may take a month off just after harvest ;O) O hell maybe I will just take the whole darn winter off, it's good to be king once and a while. lol

I really do do this myself but am blessed to have a few nice toys to help and now that the garden is in and its self watering and feeding the only thing I do is; enjoy. :O)

Cheers - Jeff
 
Jeff, the black pearls are beautiful! I'm a huge fan of purple in plants, must be the pothead in me talking, but I think those plants are gorgeous.
 
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