Small Scale Hop Farming
½ Acre Hop Farm located in rural Odebolt, IA 500 plants consisting of 4 varieties: Cascade, Chinook, Nugget and Triple Perle Each with own unique characteristics Aroma qualities, bittering qualities, some are dual purpose having both qualities. Winter hardy up to -30*; grow best at the 45 th parallel (PNW, Northern Michigan) We are around the 42 nd parallel Growing season is late March (emergence) to early September (harvest).
Hops are the flowers (cones) of the hop plant Humulus lupulus. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart bitter, zesty or citric flavors. The hop plant is a vigorous, climbing, herbaceous perennial, trained to grow up strings in a field called a hop field, hop yard or binyard when grown commercially. Many different varieties of hops are grown by farmers around the world, with different types being used for particular styles of beer.
Commercial (.25 acre) hop growers use a trellis system that ranges from 15 to 20 feet tall. The trellis system consists of tall, heavy posts inserted into the ground at the ends of planting rows. Between the posts, at 15 to 20 feet off the ground, runs a sturdy wire. Every two to three feet along the wire a length of twine extends down to the ground at an angle. Viewed from the end of the row, the trellis looks like a series of inverted Vs.
Trellis System - posts, brace posts, cable, turnbuckles, cable clamps, coir or twine Irrigation System well, drip line, control panel, dosatron Farm Equipment tractor, something to reach to reach 18 (telehandler), airblast sprayer, storage Chemicals fungicides, fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides Harvest harvester/picker, LOTS OF FRIENDS, oast, cooler
New hop yards are planted from rhizomes or potted (live) plants. Rhizomes are planted in early spring, and potted plants are planted later, after the danger of frost has passed.
Primary shoots emerge from the hop crowns. In established yards, primary shoots are generally pruned to eliminate early disease inoculum and to set training dates. Training dates are established. Each farm determines these by looking at a number of factors including growth rates, bloom dates, cone development, and the historical trends of each variety and field location.
Bines are growing vigorously each day Should reach height capacity by summer solstice Fungicide rotation and fertigation as needed Scouting for pests (insects, weeds, disease)
Bines expand with sidearms that bear the crop Burrs emerge and then cones develop Plant protection is applied as needed based on scouting data (watch PHI s!)
Dry papery feel Lupulin turns from fluorescent to school bus yellow Begin to smell different characteristics
Cut bines down manually Tie bines together and run through harvester Sort through cones separating any excess foliage (leaves and stems)
Grow only? Contract grow for production facility Midwest Hop Producers: Plattsmouth, NE Buck Creek Hops: Cedar Rapids, IA Contract them wet or dry prices vary If wet, need a cooler for storage and transport Quality standards to meet (FM, alpha/betas, HSI) Grow, harvest, dry, package and sell? Dry down taking out 75%+ moisture (timely) Package whole leaf or pellets (food grade product) Sell/contract direct to breweries or online exchanges **QUALITY QUALITY QUALITY**
Leave excess plant until the first killing frost (frost which majorly reduces pests like aphids). This signals the hops to go into dormancy. Drip irrigation tubing is flushed and prepared for winter months.
USA Hops Great Website! https://www.usahops.org/ Grower Tools Cost of Production USDA FSA Office NAP noninsured crop assistance program Minority & Women Farmers Loans, Micro Loans Iowa State University Extension & Outreach Diana Cochran, Department of Horticulture