Greenhouse in the Desert

1st Chapter

Walipini

"Place of Warmth"

Building a greenhouse in the desert may seem like a crazy concept. Even the most un-familiar gardener is well aware that greenhouse's bring the heat. But they can be a very practical and valuable piece of farming infrastructure in the desert if the surrounding environment permits and the design of the greenhouse is carefully considered.

The Sonoran

"Walipini" comes from the Aymara language of Bolivia and Peru it means "Place of Warmth". In the early 2000's farmers in the high mountain regions of Bolivia needed a low cost and environmentally sustainable way to grow and cultivate their crops year round. This region of Bolivia shares many environment traits which we have in in the southeast region of the Arizona Sonoran. Sensitivity to drought, limited rainfall, high winds and mild seasons. Making the Sonoran an ideal place to build this structure.

Water recycling

Responsible water management is our key to growing in the desert. Our Walipini is a water management tool. It gives us a way to harness and manipulate the natural elements of the environment to conserve and precisely utilize our water for food production. Within the small space of the 20x100 Walipini we can grow the equivalent of 1/8 of an acre of food year round with minimal pest and while retaining more moisture into the soil than if we planted above ground crops.

Mr. Muhammad

Know Thy Farmer

Sometimes in life you come across an idea and instantly fall in love with it. You can't explain your attraction to it, it might not even make sense as to why it becomes so intriguing to you but yet the intrigue persist. Thats how I felt when I found out about Walipini's. When I first read about them I knew I had to build one. I saw so much value in it for the rural desert environment I grow in. I finished building it October of 2023. It was a very labor intense and low cost option to get flexible year round food production. It paid for itself after three farmers markets and has proven to be useful and practically sustainable for our farm.