Chicago/Upper Midwest: whose close to harvesting?

[kleinstadt]

I'm in Chicago, and I think my four vines (two Cascade, two Centennial) may be ready for harvest.

But, this is my third year with these vines, and I've yet to get anything usable or worthwhile off of them. I won't bore you with the details.

So, I'm looking to take cues from other nearby hops growers. How close are you to harvest?

 

[thaymond]

Just picked and dried Chinook and Cascade last week. Will harvest Zeus and Nugget this or next weekend. In SW burbs.

 

[venomfast]

i harvested my cascade last weekend

 

[SnowcreekWI]

Cascades from the top trellis areas last weekend here too. Will probably pick the cones that are lower this weekend. Madison WI

 

[m_sell31]

SW Michigan, picked Cascade and Nugget Thursday.

 

[Scotty_g]

In Green Bay...picked the Willamette last week (8/20), the Liberty 8/29, and the Cascades 8/30. Good amount of yellow in the base of the petals and in the glands. In general I wait until a few of the tips are starting to brown (not most of them, mind!) and when the outsides are getting a little bit papery.

I may have jumped the gun on the Cascades by a few days but I had a lot of help (threw a party and said, all the homebrew can drink after the bines are clean!)...good thing because it would have taken all day to pick 15 lbs of wet cones by myself.

 

[glanville]

I'm in Chicago. Harvested yesterday. First year, so I only got a handful

 

[thaymond]

Just harvested the rest of my CTZ and Nugget this last weekend. Already dry and frozen, ready for brewing! Now it's crown prep for next year's banquet.

My first year plants gave me a total of nearly three pounds all together. Can't wait to see what a second year harvest looks like on these bad boys. They rivaled my 3rd year Nugget!

 

[jjohnson98]

Here in Minneapolis, Minnesota harvested Cascade on Sept. 1st and I was a bit on the late side. Probably should have done it a week earlier.

 

[kleinstadt]

Thanks for the replies, they were helpful.

I harvested over 4 days and have at least 2 lbs. of dried flowers.

I just hope they're of even mediocre quality for all that work; I was averaging 6 ounces of dried hops per hour. If they're good quality, it's totally worth it.

I'm also on some DEA watchlist for the ridiculous "hanging flower and herb drying basket" I got off Amazon.

 

[sabo38]

Southern Minnesota here.

I just harvested 4 lbs of wet Centennial. This is my first year so hopefully I harvested at the right time. They smell wonderful!!