Starting a small hop farm!!!!

[PleasantValleyHops]

If I can find the number of the guy I bought mine off he would probably give you a deal if you bought 10 of them. I'll look for it when I get off work.

Did you secure a place to get posts from yet? I need to find a place that has a good deal on posts.

Post r supposed to come from the utility comp. i have a friend who has lined that up for me. Hopefully start picking them soon to collect them til we have enough.

 

[PleasantValleyHops]

Long time no update so. Here are a few pictures ive taken and also my mother while putting in some hard work on the farm
I know its def not as cool looking at a field of hops w no trellis but we r working on that. Also when the drip irrigation gets done i will post pics of that as well. For now the tote on the trailer works ok. Takes about 5-6 hours to water everything.

 

[GVH_Dan]

Quick question, what the spacing between your rows?

 

[odinsgift]

We are in the same boat, and I started to put my posts in today.
My rows are 14' apart, if that helps. Waiting so long to trellis has been an absolute nightmare, and weed/insect management have been a nightmare with bines growing eight feet into the middle of the rows and around 30 different nightshade weeds. I would only wish this much hand weeding on my worst enemy. I firkin hate nightshade.

 

[PleasantValleyHops]

quick question, what the spacing between your rows?

12'. Ill be the first to say they look close in pictures and 14' wouldve prob been a little easier getting around but no biggie. Trellis design is next!! And stacking poles up. Ive been thinking def just waiting til feb to start the trellis. Then dont need to worry "as much" w running over bines that are growing in the rows.

 

[lafolielapper]

sub'd

 

[PariahVineyard]

So you decided to rototill instead of drill each hole? What are the big rocks there for?

Looking good so far. I want to see a picture in a few months with bines growing all over that field ;-)

 

[PleasantValleyHops]

So you decided to rototill instead of drill each hole? What are the big rocks there for?

Looking good so far. I want to see a picture in a few months with bines growing all over that field ;-)

No we did drill each hole. About 20 hours total in drilling. Since drilling spits dirt all around the hole we used the plow attachment to push the dirt back in. It looks like neat rows due to surface dirt. The large rocks in the center of the field are more of a place marker. The family dog is buried there. So there is a circle of. Course where we didnt put rhizomes there. But we say hopefully shes watching over the field!!

 

[kennett_brew]

No we did drill each hole. About 20 hours total in drilling. Since drilling spits dirt all around the hole we used the plow attachment to push the dirt back in. It looks like neat rows due to surface dirt. The large rocks in the center of the field are more of a place marker. The family dog is buried there. So there is a circle of. Course where we didnt put rhizomes there. But we say hopefully shes watching over the field!!

How much land cddi you pant on? This is very cool stuff!! Ay local breweries preorder or are your looking to harvest and sell on demand?

 

[kennett_brew]

How much land did you pant on? Lol sorry iPad acting up".

 

[PleasantValleyHops]

Were planted on prob roughly 1.75 acres right now. Local breweries that ive talked to said they would def buy (as long as quality is there) of course. And then of course hoping to sell to homebrewers etc. all that good stuff

 

[kennett_brew]

Were planted on prob roughly 1.75 acres right now. Local breweries that ive talked to said they would def buy (as long as quality is there) of course. And then of course hoping to sell to homebrewers etc. all that good stuff

That's awesome... Best of luck!! Always wished I had some extra land to grow some....

 

[Cruzn4aBrewzn]

This is super cool. I wish you the best!

 

[PleasantValleyHops]

Guess a little update for the new year. Poles are in. Top trellis is abut done. Waiting on the bale of coir to show up to start stringjng and training. Facebook page is also listed below. U can see all the poles debarked and tar applied. And then too trellis getting done.

 

[ArrowheadHops]

Wow must not like the guy on top of that ladder Setup looks good, but what i really want to know is the specs on that tractor. Looking to get a small one myself.

 

[PariahVineyard]

Yeah, I don't envy the guy on the ladder. We will be using a hay wagon with boards across the top to work on the tops of the poles.

For the end posts that you angled, will you be tying them down to an anchor, and if so what angle are you putting the anchor at compared to the top of the angled pole?

Once you are all set up this season we want to come down and check our your place.

 

[PleasantValleyHops]

Yeah, I don't envy the guy on the ladder. We will be using a hay wagon with boards across the top to work on the tops of the poles.

For the end posts that you angled, will you be tying them down to an anchor, and if so what angle are you putting the anchor at compared to the top of the angled pole?

Once you are all set up this season we want to come down and check our your place.

Of course its me on the top of the ladder. Thats a 10' ladder with the forks all the way up which is only 9' or so. Its a kubota 33hp diesel of course. Fromt forks can lift in the 2-2500 lb range. We used of course the rear pto for a phd. I think it has done everything weve needed it todo.

As far as angle goes. Couldnt give u exact numbers. But basically if u made a right triangle from the top. Then out mayb 2-3' is how i set the anchors.

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

Good luck with it. I reached my limit with around 250.

 

[PleasantValleyHops]

Few more picture from set up. Much safer now as you can see. Be able to give a better update later

 

[Brewmech]

That is awesome! Can't wait to see how this comes out and buy some.

 

[mlsuggs]

Too cool! I just moved to Frederick, myself... I'd love to swing by some time, take a look!

I'll be getting 4 varieties in the ground shortly, for personal use: Magnum, Cascade, Willamette, and Sterling.

I'll be following this, just to see how things go!

--Misha

 

[Pickled_Pepper]

Awesome stuff. Look forward to more pics coming soon.

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

I love the bulk liquid storage containers, so many uses! Looks great!

 

[PleasantValleyHops]

I love the bulk liquid storage containers, so many uses! Looks great!

Gotta love them. They have actually came in pretty handy for random chores. Not only for watering now!!! Not too many pictures to show right now. But here a few.

Below is the best i could do with a phone looking down the twine.



Unloading some nice mixed compost for our 400 pots for this year.

 

[PleasantValleyHops]

Just a few more pictures. These are some of our potted plants. Our marker for the well drillers! Permits done. Drilling should be taking place within the next couple of weeks! And just a picture of one of our first year brewers gold. These were jumbo rhizomes. And they have just taken off. Of course we have many more pictures posted on out facebook page. Check it out. Like us if u want to!!

Thanks

 

[basementbrewbrad]

how many plants do you have total right now?

 

[PleasantValleyHops]

how many plants do you have total right now?

With the 400 potted plants we have in the 1200 range. We had planted 1800 last year and due to not being properly setup it really hurt us. We lost alot of them bc of lack of waterings during the hottest months of the year. Now we have learned that infrastructure is very important. Thats why when we did our trellis system we made it the way we did. And have trellis up for right around 1000 hills more of expansion that will most likely take place next year or the following year. Really depends on the growing pains of having what we do have now as far as harvest and overall processing.

 

[PariahVineyard]

Let me know if you are around this weekend, or memorial day?

Hell . . . you're close enough I could even come down after work sometime.

 

[GVH_Dan]

With the 400 potted plants we have in the 1200 range. We had planted 1800 last year and due to not being properly setup it really hurt us. We lost alot of them bc of lack of waterings during the hottest months of the year. Now we have learned that infrastructure is very important. Thats why when we did our trellis system we made it the way we did. And have trellis up for right around 1000 hills more of expansion that will most likely take place next year or the following year. Really depends on the growing pains of having what we do have now as far as harvest and overall processing.

That's a hard lesson to learn but you only have to learn it once, eh? We didn't lose any but spent a lot of time hauling water until the well was dug on our first field.

 

[PleasantValleyHops]

That's a hard lesson to learn but you only have to learn it once, eh? We didn't lose any but spent a lot of time hauling water until the well was dug on our first field.

Yea that was how we did it the first year but of course sometimes went to long between waterings. Very fortunate that the well is in the works so they will be good from now on. Also beside knowing we were going to be replacing a decent chunk that didnt come up this is partial reason for pots. Much more controlled environment for the plants and for our watering purposes til the well was drilled.


And derrick. I know what you mean. We are close enough. If only i wasnt working from 8pm-8am 5 days a week id say come on down after work. Or i could drive on up to check ur place out.