got an extra 10 acres!!!!

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Grinder12000

Grinder12000

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Farmer friend of mine told me he has an extra 5 acres and would not be adverse to growing hops!!

Where do I begin to have him look into this. Any good sites?

Where do I begin - I know others grow small patches around here. ???
 
Congrats on the possibilities!

Check out the top 5 links here:
http://www.soilcrop.colostate.edu/research_extension/extension/organic_soil_presentation.htm

I just pulled up this site earlier today from a link from another homebrew post somewhere on the Internet.

The top 5 links are all PowerPoint files, but you should find some really great information there! Things like cost per acre for 8', 9.5' and 12' trellis heights and suggestions for variety selection could come in really handy in a project this size!
 
I think someone asked about this earlier in this section and it was stated that its not economically viable for less than 10 acres or something like that. I know it was more than 5.
 
Moose Jaw Brew Pub in the Dells has a beer that is made with locally grown hops. You might want to ask the head brewer who the farmer is and make contact to see their operation.
 
I doubt that there's a hard and fast economic break point for growing hops. However, the economic challenges stack up quickly. Particularly, you need to have a dryer or the hops won't store long and dryers are pricy.

I think Metrotimes ran an article a couple weeks ago about a brewery that arranged with a local farmer to fresh hop their beers, saving the farmer the incredible expense of the dryer.
 
clemson55 said:
I think someone asked about this earlier in this section and it was stated that its not economically viable for less than 10 acres or something like that. I know it was more than 5.
Click to expand...

It all depends on what angle you take. If you wholesale then no, but if you direct sell to your customers, I think it may be worthwhile. The drying room would probably be the biggest hurdle. Actually though as long as the prices of Hops stay up it is most likely viable. But most likely they will come down some.
 
Do you have enough breweries or homebrewers in your market that you could do a "pick your own - pay by the pound" type of place?

That would also alleviate the need to dry.
 
Hey, I got 14 different varieties of hops growing in Verona...not far from columbus. Maybe I could help out with some 'zomes at some time in the future.
 

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