How much money did you loose this year?

[sashurlow]

This post is intended to be humorous BTW... I personally don't grow hops to save money, I'm a DIY type and like growing things.
This past weekend has been my harvest of my three varieties of hops. I did some math to see how much money I saved and it got me thinking...
The going rate for hops seems to be 2.29/oz or 6.99 for 8oz so 1.25/oz as an average figure. But time is money too and I make around 25/hr at my day job. So my packaging is not complete but my estimated numbers are going to be 35 oz of hops and two solid days of work to harvest and weigh/vacu-seal all my hops (20 hrs). Of course this is not including any other time spent, purely the harvest time. So that will put me at 43.75 dollar of hops for 500.00 dollars of labor. That means I lost 456.25 dollars by growing hops this year.
At 1.25/oz and 25/hr, I'm guessing most of us are loosing money.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

I didn't get anything to harvest, unfortunatley on my first year hops. So, that cut out a significant amount of labor hours for picking them, but I still had some time involved in stringing twine, filling buckets, etc. Probably spent $60 on material, and who knows how much time, and I got nothing.

But you know what, I don't really care. They look awesome in my back patio, and people walking by have commented on them. Hops make beautiful ivy.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

I just read an article this morning that a local company started a large hop farm not far my house to sell to the microbreweries.They said they wouldn't turn a profit for at least 10 years.Its a labor of love I suppose

 

[sashurlow]

But you know what, I don't really care. They look awesome in my back patio, and people walking by have commented on them. Hops make beautiful ivy.[/QUOTE]

I can't agree more. My centennials grow in front of my covered porch and make the most incredible privacy cover.
I honestly thought that hops were worth more than what they are. After doing the math out of curiosity I thought it was quite funny. I am definitely not posting this to prove any philosophical points. If anything, the math will make my beer taste even better.

 

[bob1852]

I didn't even pick any of my hops this year. Every day, I walk past the bines, towering into the sky, and look at all of the browned and dried hop cones.

So, I didn't lose any money on my hop harvest this year.

 

[day_trippr]

^that^ - this year, anyway.

The "true cost" epiphany hit around Year 3 when I ended up with almost 12 dried and vac-bagged pounds in the freezer, then kicked back and did a rough calculation of the time involved. The Centennial and Fuggles, Chinook, and finally Cascade, came in one week after the other, so there was the stripping, binning, oast processing and vac-bagging, spread over three weeks.

Just the roughly 18 hours of stripping all those cones made them "The Most Expensive Hops, Evah!"

Kept it up for Years 4 and 5 anyway, but this year had to let the plants roam around on their own 'cuz I had to stain the house and the bines climbing up the usual structure would have made that an even bigger pita.

I have to say, not being faced with harvest this year was a quiet pleasure...

Cheers!

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Oh come on! Fresh hops you grew and harvested yourself into the beer you brew yourself? Priceless.

 

[kh54s10]

I see people all the time saying what it cost them for this or that based on their working wage. This is a bogus argument since most people are not taking away from paid time to do their hobby. So your time is really worth nothing!!!!

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

I see people all the time saying what it cost them for this or that based on their working wage. This is a bogus argument since most people are not taking away from paid time to do their hobby. So your time is really worth nothing!!!!

I agree. But that said, if anyone wants to perform their hobby at my house and it benefits me, you are all welcome to work for free

 

[Hoppity]

You can do the same calculation with garden veggies. What did that tomato/cucumber/pepper/zucchini cost you?
I tend the veggies for SWMBO; I tend the hops for me.
I'd save money going to the farmer's market for veggies and buying hop pellets by the pound online.
I don't out-source because I like watching plants grow in the backyard/pride in authorship.

 

[day_trippr]

Oh come on! Fresh hops you grew and harvested yourself into the beer you brew yourself? Priceless.

Um, yeah, there's that. Right now I have two brews on tap using homegrowns and another in the cold-carbonation fridge.

So it's not like I'm cashing out, just taking a necessary break due to extenuating circumstances.
Still, I'm glad I didn't have to deal with a harvest this year.

My freezer is filled with homegrowns - the 2015 harvest that you flatlanders are buying today, I have roughly 10+ pounds in hand.
So, I'm good 'til at least next year

Cheers!

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

I knew that sleeping in my hammock instead of doing yard work was a win, now someone go convince my wife.

 

[madscientist451]

I also make about $25/hr and can get all the overtime I want.
My lady friend likes to have lots of sex, so I figured I've "lost" about $15-20K that I could have made working OT. Oh well, life is full of choices.

 

[Hoppity]

I also make about $25/hr and can get all the overtime I want.
My lady friend likes to have lots of sex, so I figured I've "lost" about $15-20K that I could have made working OT. Oh well, life is full of choices.

Lady Friends will cost you much more than that, especially after they stop liking to have "lots of sex".
:rockin:

 

[Braufessor]

I didn't even pick any of my hops this year. Every day, I walk past the bines, towering into the sky, and look at all of the browned and dried hop cones.

So, I didn't lose any money on my hop harvest this year.

Yep - this is my strategy as well. I have them planted around an arbor/beer garden.... they are there for shade and to make me thirsty No loss on labor expense here either

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Good for you Trip.