Wisconsin Walipini 2023: Big Changes!
The woodstove has been removed and a minisplit has been added to the Wisconsin Walipini. Moved things around to make it more accessible and give taller plants room to grow. More solar added. A solar pool cover has been laid on top to reduce heat loss due to wind. Lemon and lime trees flowering, the coffee plants have fruit, the peppercorn plant is thriving, and lots of hot peppers!
Brought to you by Dynamite Harvest: https://dynamiteharvest.com
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Dynamite Duo Cooks Up Trouble (And Dinner Too)
Jalapeno 'Hake' and Tobasco Tony had a little fun while prepping for another presentation.
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Husband Surprises Wife With Viral Video for Anniversary
The wedding music wasn't so great so, decades later, he reached out to musicians from around the world... to get it RIGHT. That's the first gift. The second gift is making the video go viral, sharing it across the globe in the hopes that she will be surprised by seeing it appear on a stranger's social media timeline.
You can help! Share this video to all your social media platforms!
Singing the solo is Brazilian singer, Caique Giani. His social media: https://www.instagram.com/caiquegiani/
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100 Meter Wheelchair Race CHAMPION (Wisconsin, 2023 State Track Meet)
Haven't posted videos in a while for a variety of reasons. My daughter's busy track season was one of them. But we just had the payoff for all that work: she is the new state champion in Wisconsin in the 100 Meter wheelchair division for 2023!
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Sage is blooming in the Walipini!
I've never seen the herb, sage, in flower. A sheltered life, I guess.
It is one of the first things I planted in the Wisconsin Walipini some 2 years ago, but for some reason it never took off. But in the last 2 months, it has, and has now gone to flower, and will soon go to seed, I reckon.
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Dog vs. Skunk (farm life)
The "world's dumbest dog" was introduced in a previous video, but with no explanation for how he won his title. This video explains it.
This is at least the sixth time this dog has gone face to face with a skunk, but this time I happened to watch the whole thing happen.
You'd think he'd learn...
https://dynamiteharvest.com
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Take Hunger Off the Table for Crisis Pregnancy Centers
Dynamite Harvest will provide fresh, naturally grown produce to 25+ women associated with three crisis pregnancy centers located in central Wisconsin.
Can you help make this happen?
Learn more here:
To give to the campaign, go here: http://www.givesendgo.com/prolifeproduce
About Dynamite Harvest: https://dynamiteharvest.com
About the Athanatos Foundation: https://athanatos.org/the-gleanings-project-food-security-for-all/
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We Need to Talk About the High Price of Eggs (Says Produce Farmer)
The list of reasons for why egg prices are high is lengthy, but there are two big ones that don't get talked about. Both of these boil down to simple 'supply and demand.' In this video, the owner of Dynamite Harvest (central WI) will zero in on one of them.
In sum: the consumer's desire for the cheapest possible cost literally put all our eggs in one basket, incentivizing factory-style egg laying operations. Which is all well and good, provided the chickens in those factories aren't culled in mass, or truckers have to pay a lot more for the same fuel to deliver it to parts hundreds if not thousands of miles away, etc. As with eggs, so with 'widgets.'
It is not just a matter of eating healthier food that is grown locally. It is about adding hundreds of thousands of 'redundancies' to the supply chain by sourcing essentials as close to the consumer as possible, so that if cargo ships from China stop sailing, we don't go hungry. To wit: this is also a matter of national security.
But for this to happen, the consumers themselves will need to alter their purchasing behaviors. The sooner the better.
https://dynamiteharvest.com
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GAHT Video, This Time Slow No Music. Ground to Air Heat Transfer
This is a video showing the building of my GAHT system in Wisconsin, Zone 4A. Ground to Air Heat Transfer systems help warm the Walipini in the winter and cool the underground greenhouse in the summer.
Some folks were unaware of Youtube's feature that allowed you to slow down a video, so I took the liberty of uploading the SAME video, and slowed the frame rate down. I also left off the background music, and uploaded a new narration to match time with the slower playback.
There may be some other tidbits mentioned that were not included in the other video but the video itself is the SAME.
Note: This is not a tutorial. When building the Walipini, I took pictures and videos for my OWN reference, never considering the possibility of a Youtube channel. I submit info on my GAHT system for information and ideas, but if you have the money to pay a professional, I'm sure there are things he'd want to do differently.
Here are links to the fans used in the Walipini:
https://amzn.to/3Gynhnc
Now, that is not the EXACT version. The exact version appears to be discontinued. This is the closest I could find to the version currently used. I note that the brand name is different, but by appearances, its a match. Your mileage may vary, but if its essentially the same thing (and I think it is, but upgraded), I think you'll be pleased. YMMV!
This is the fan being used to blow the heat across the middle of the greenhouse:
https://amzn.to/3CybZ0M
It says it is 'quiet.' Yea, maybe, if its on very low power. If sound is an issue, definitely use the first fans I linked to. It was an issue for me, which is why I looked into to other options. Otherwise, it works fine.
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Chicken Broth Made in a Crock Pot - An Easy Tutorial
Jake Jalapeno at Dynamite Harvest shows how he makes chicken broth out of the bones and body of a chicken in step by step instructions.
It is very easy to do, but Jake goes into more than just how to make it. He explores the benefits of the broth, how to season it, and how to store it.
He caps it off with a major announcement, which, unfortunately, does not go down as well as his broth did!
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Walipini Grown Lemon vs Store Bought Lemons -- My first ever harvest of citrus in my greenhouse
After watching these lemons ripen for months and months, it was finally time to harvest one and taste it. I bought some from the store, too. See if you can tell the difference...
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Chicken Broth Made in a Crock Pot - An Easy Tutorial
Jake Jalapeno at Dynamite Harvest shows how he makes chicken broth out of the bones and body of a chicken in step by step instructions.
It is very easy to do, but Jake goes into more than just how to make it. He explores the benefits of the broth, how to season it, and how to store it.
He caps it off with a major announcement, which, unfortunately, does not go down as well as his broth did!
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Walipini 70 Degrees Inside, Almost 0 outside -- Wisconsin 4A
The Wisconsin Walipini loves it when the sun is out. It can be negative 30 but if its sunny it will be nice and toasty in the underground greenhouse.
Dynamite Harvest, located in Central Wisconsin, has given updates on how the Walipini fares when its cold, dark, and windy. It was high time to give a temperature update on a sunny, still, but still quite cold day.
If you are located in Central Wisconsin, we want to provide you with our produce! Check out our webpage, find our Facebook page, and get connected, now!
Our web page: https://dynamiteharvest.com/
On facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteHarvest/
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The Rat-Pire Strikes Back: The Wisconsin Walipini Battles a Rodent Problem
First it was a shrew and then it was a rat, which was caught. New damage reveals the truth: there is at least ONE MORE.
War is engaged, my friends. War.
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Chainsaw Bar Replacement FAIL: Better Balancing Method Needed
Showing off how easy it is to exchange the default 12 inch bar on the DeWalt electric chainsaw with a 14 inch Oregon bar and blade and didn't quite think through where to lay it while I worked.
Full review is coming.
Links:
To the chainsaw itself: https://amzn.to/3IU4Ig1
To 5 Amp battery I use with it https://amzn.to/3Wb0cMP
The Oregon bar/blade is 14 inch - 27856
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Ground To Air Heat Transfer System (GAHT) installed in Underground Greenhouse / Wisconsin Walipini
How do people keep their underground greenhouses 'warm' in the winter in Zone 4A? The Wisconsin Walipini has a GAHT system that puts out a steady 50 degrees F virtually year round.
The 'Ground to Air Heat Transfer' System heats the walipini in the winter, even with snow on the ground and sub-zero temperatures outside. In the summer, it works the other way, taking plus 100 degree F temperatures and cooling them to about 50 degrees.
Some people call GAHT systems 'earth batteries. Whatever you call them, they work by storing excess heat in the earth, or even drawing heat FROM the earth, and piping it via a fan or two into the growing space.
In this video, we start at the very beginning, and show the excavation and installation of the pipes below the surface. We then fast forward to the present day and show how it is actually working, with temperatures at 13 F.
This is an overview video. If anyone has specific questions, they'll have to put them in the comment section. They will perhaps be answered in a future video.
Here are links to the fans used in the Walipini:
https://amzn.to/3Gynhnc
Now, that is not the EXACT version. The exact version appears to be discontinued. This is the closest I could find to the version currently used. I note that the brand name is different, but by appearances, its a match. Your mileage may vary, but if its essentially the same thing (and I think it is, but upgraded), I think you'll be pleased. YMMV!
This is the fan being used to blow the heat across the middle of the greenhouse:
https://amzn.to/3CybZ0M
It says it is 'quiet.' Yea, maybe, if its on very low power. If sound is an issue, definitely use the first fans I linked to. It was an issue for me, which is why I looked into to other options. Otherwise, it works fine.
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It Isn't A Shrew Destroying the Wisconsin Walipini!
In this, Episode 6 of 'Shrew Wars', we have a plot twist! It isn't a shrew after all! TBH, I still suspect a shrew is present. But after this catch, the walipini has quieted down, so there is hope!
Here are the other videos in the 'series:'
There is a Shrew in the Walipini: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBds_TO8t1Y
Shrew Wars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y30zVp7QwkM
Updates to follow, as necessary.
It just ain't fun when pests destroy your pepper plants in your underground greenhouse!
(Superman soundbite is copyrighted by someone else. It ain't mine!)
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Heating Walipini with Compost? Massive Fail!
I tried to heat the Wisconsin Walipini with a compost system this winter. Initial tests were promising, but plans went awry. Rodents seemed to have appreciated my efforts, though.
Check out the other videos on this channel for a tour of the Walipini and other videos that will help with context.
With spring coming, people are thinking about getting a CSA. Live in Wisconsin or the Twin Cities? Look at our produce farm: https://dynamiteharvest.com
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BOMB CYCLONE vs Wisconsin Walipini - Will it Survive WITHOUT being heated? Cold Weather Update Pt 3
The 'Bomb Cyclone' swept across the country bringing bone-chilling cold that did not spare the Wisconsin Walipini. Documented in real time, I tested whether or not the underground greenhouse could survive negative temperatures WITHOUT any active heat whatsoever (if you don't count the GAHT).
In this video, we turn off the kerosene heater with -10 temperatures outside to see just how well the buried greenhouse will cope.
See previous videos for other cold weather updates.
There probably won't be any more cold weather updates if the Walipini can survive such devastating negative temperatures, because if it can survive the BOMB CYCLONE it can survive anything!
Radar image from the NOAA/CIRA
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Shrew Wars: A New Hope -- Plus Cold Weather Update Dec. 21st
An escalation in the Shrew Wars is documented. Traps are set. As a bonus, I give a little insight into the temperature situation in the Wisconsin Walipini from BEFORE the 'bomb cyclone' dropped into the upper Midwest.
See the most previous video for context on the discovery of a shrew loose in the Walipini. Earlier in the channel, the first cold weather update, from mid-November 2022, was documented.
Shrew video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBds_TO8t1Y
Cold Weather Update: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUDN73kwkC0
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A Shrew Is Loose in the Walipini! Probably more. I hate them all.
I thought I had the rodent problem licked for the winter of 2022-2023. Wrong! Last year it was rats in the Wisconsin Walipini. This year, it appears to be... a SHREW! What should I do?
But another 20 traps, I think. Set camp with an air rifle and a cigar in my underground greenhouse? At any rate, its another war, and a war I intend to win!
I may need YOUR help. I've killed mice, rats, and coons. The Shrew is New.
Please post your tips in the comments.
Visit the Dynamite Harvest website here: https://dynamiteharvest.com/
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Safe Knife Handling in the Kitchen - Basic Knife Skills for Beginners
'Hake' Jalepeno from Dynamite Harvest (central Wisconsin produce farm) gives viewers a lesson in safe handling of a cooking knife in the kitchen. "A sharp knife is a safe knife!" he declares. "A dull knife is a dangerous knife!" he warns. Tips on cutting round objects such as onions, potatoes, and carrots, included. Slice and dice your food without including part of your finger as the meal.
Learn more about Dynamite Harvest, here: https://dynamiteharvest.com
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Heating My Underground Greenhouse With Wood Stove - The Wisconsin Walipini Stays Warm!
In earlier videos I promised to share more details about the various ways I keep the Wisconsin Walipini warm in the winter. In this video, I deliver on that promise by showing the wood stove in action.
Without any active heating at all, the underground greenhouse would probably never drop below 40 degrees here in zone 4a. However, certain plants that I desire to keep alive would not appreciate that. For example, the coffee plants, the luffa vine, the peppers, and so on. So, the lowest I'll let it go is around 50 degrees.
Daytime temps are usually no problem. At night, especially on windy days, action must be taken to keep it at 50.
I discuss this and more in this video.
In a future video, we will discuss the GAHT (Ground to Air Heat Transfer) system.
Check out Dynamite Harvest here: https://dynamiteharvest.com/
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Free Produce for Pregnancy Centers Fund Raising Campaign (Central Wisconsin)
Dynamite Harvest, in association with The Athanatos Foundation, will be donating fresh produce to crisis pregnancy centers and other organizations where people are in desperate need for fresh produce... but can't afford it.
Along with providing healthy, naturally grown food, educational videos will be produced that help people actually cook the stuff. All of us are probably a little too used to foods prepared for us in factories, so these videos, produced with the expert help of Dynamite Harvest's farm manager, won't just help young parents, but the rest of us, too.
See this video as an example of the sort of educational videos that will be produced: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5jwpqK5kS4
Note: Dynamite Harvest will, if circumstances allow it, trek to the crisis pregnancy centers themselves and give an 'in person' seminar on how to cook and prepare our produce.
Giving away produce to vulnerable families is a noble cause and we hope that you will help us, so we can feed as many as we possibly can.
Learn more about the campaign and donate at: https://www.givesendgo.com/prolifeproduce
The Athanatos Foundation is a tax exempt 501c3 organization. Your donations are tax exempt, if you choose to go that route.
Learn more about Dynamite Harvest at: https://dynamiteharvest.com/
Learn more about this campaign and the Athanatos Foundation at: https://athanatos.org/a-gift-of-fresh-produce-to-those-who-need-it-most/
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