Wisconsinites: How well do hops grow up there?

[Dude]

I'm curious as to how a hop farm would do. I have some land up near Trempeleau (along the fertile Mississippi!) and with the hop shortage, maybe I should start looking into a hop farm. I know hops were grown in Wisconsin back in the day, but not anymore. Wonder why? I'd think short of a drought, it would be a fairly comparable climate to Washington.

I'd love to be Brewtopia's official hop supplier!

Any thoughts?

 

[Scimmia]

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/hop.html

First result on google, might give you a few ideas.

 

[olllllo]

The first step is to find the USDA zone as a guide, but bear in mind that micro-climates apply (think grapes).

Here's Yakima Valley
Hops Direct
Zone: 6A
City: Mabton
State: WA

USDA Zone 6

Average minimum temperature: 0 F to -10 F
Spring: March 15 - May 15
Average last frost date: March 30 - April 30
Average first frost date: September 30 - October 30
Fall: September 15 - November 15

From high, dry desert to low-lying, wet coastal areas, from low mountains in Virginia and West Virginia to open prairies in the Midwest, Zone 6 comprises a wide range of climatic conditions, topographies and rainfall. Gardeners enjoy a great diversity of shrubs and trees: Zone 6 represents the warmest climate that some cold-loving plants can tolerate, and it's often the coldest area that mild-climate plants can over-winter in.

The plants that do the best in the Midwest region are those like coneflowers (Echinacea) that can handle winter's cold and stand up to summer heat. Zone 6 is the coldest area that bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), common boxwood (Buxus sempervirens), Japanese apricot (Prunus mume), Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica), English holly (Ilex aquifolium) and some cherry laurels Prunus laurocerasus) cultivars can handle. Hardy perennials include Alstroemeria, red-hot poker (Kniphofia), hardy begonia and some sedges.

The USDA hardiness zone map is based on average minimum winter temperatures, each zone representing a 10-degree difference from the ones above and below it. Each zone is further divided into "a" and "b" areas. The difference between each of these sub-zones is a matter of five degrees. The average minimum temperature in winter in Zone 6a is -5 to -10 F. In Zone 6b, it's 0 to -5 F.

A myriad of factors—together called the microclimate—affect a plant's ability to withstand winter in a certain location, including exposure (or lack of it) to sun, proximity to a building, protection from winter winds, amount of soil moisture, etc. In that way, many plants can often be "pushed" into overwintering in an area that's technically too cold for them. Our plant descriptions take "a" and "b" subzones into account. If you want to play it absolutely safe, buy plants that are hardy to your zone, not just marginally hardy to the "b" subzone.

Sample Cities in USDA Zone 6a

Carbondale, Illinois
St. Louis, Missouri
Lebanon, Pennsylvania

________________________________________________________________
La Crosse
Zone: 4a
City: La Crosse
State: WI

USDA Zone 4

Average minimum temperature: -20 F to -30 F
Spring: April 15 - June 15
Average last frost date: May 1 - 30
Average first frost date: September 1 - 30
Fall: September 1 - October 15

USDA Zone 4 encompasses a wide area along the northern U.S. and around the Great Lakes. Plants have to endure long periods of deep cold and sometimes surprisingly hot dry summers. In many places, ancient glaciers created deep, rich, dark soil. On average, the growing season is five to six months long. Depending on the area, rainfall can measure as low as 10 inches or as high as 40.

A usually constant snow cover in the colder areas helps protect plants, and there's a wide variety of perennials and other herbaceous plants that do well here--peony, coneflower (Echinacea), liatris, some bell flowers (Campanula), lamb's ear, foamflower (Tiarella), sedum and sunflower (Helianthus), to name a few. Although fewer woody ornamentals grow here (as compared to warmer zones), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), spruce (Picea), fir (Abies), panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata), lilac, Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), viburnums and Vanhoutte spirea (Spiraea x vanhouttei) are among the hardy. Wheat, oats, cherries, apples, potatoes and beets are some of the common food crops.

The USDA hardiness zone map is based on average minimum winter temperatures, each zone representing a 10-degree difference from the ones above and below it. Each zone is further divided into "a" and "b" areas. The difference between
each of these sub-zones is a matter of five degrees. The average minimum temperature in winter in Zone 4a is -25 to -30 F. In Zone 4b, it's -20 to -25 F.

A myriad of factors—together called the microclimate—affect a plant's ability to withstand winter in a certain location, including exposure (or lack of it) to sun, proximity to a building, protection from winter winds, amount of soil moisture, etc. In that way, many plants can often be "pushed" into overwintering in an area that's technically too cold for them. Our plant descriptions take "a" and "b" subzones into account. If you want to play it absolutely safe, buy plants that are hardy to your zone, not just marginally hardy to the "b" subzone.

Sample Cities in USDA Zone 4a

Minneapolis-St.Paul, Minnesota
Lewistown, Montana

Your micro-climate will have to compensate for a colder longer winter to meet the ideal.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

I dunno about hops, but hemp grows wild around here, kind of as leftovers from when they used to grow it for rope. Since they're similar plants, I would think onw could grow hops fairly easily. But I am definitely not a horticulturist, so what do I know?

 

[the_bird]

As per wisconsin.com,

Wisconsin is also known for its great beers. Beer manufacturing companies have been doing business in Wisconsin since the early 1800's. The same ground that made the state the perfect place for dairy farming makes it a wonderland for growing hops used to make excellent beers. Some of the more famous beer manufactures include Miller Brewing Company and Schlitz Brewing Company.

It clearly CAN be done, although I'm sure that certain varieties might grow better than others. Looks like back in the day, it was one of the major hop-growing regions in the country.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Hmmm...$4800 an acre in operating costs? Seems kinda high....but then I know nohing about farming. Assuming you got 1500 lbs/acre (depending on the variety) and sold them at $2 a pound, you'd be upside down. I wonder what the market will be like next year, when the supply goes back up? Are any hop farms going under this year?

 

[olllllo]

I'm sure they'll grow. But I think it bears comparison to the ideal. Especially if this were to be a business propostion... even in theory.

 

[El_Borracho]

Can someone give me an idea of what crop maintenance is like for this crop? I'm into horticulture, with a focus on aquaponics (fish farms using run-off waste as fertilizer for crops).

You could probably grow hops indoors too.. For those of you with the space.. I'm sure a 5x5 spot in your home could yield you a few lbs of hops.. You control everything.

 

[david_42]

It takes about $500,000 worth of gear to process hops. But labor costs are much less than they were in 2000. Add in land costs and the trellis. They require lots of water, sun and fertilizer. I suspect powdery mildew killed them as a crop in Wisconsin.

There are many newer early maturing, resistant varieties, so maybe you could make it work.

 

[Dr Malt]

Most of the domestic hop varieties today grow best in hot, dry climates. Hops as a crop tend to be very susceptible to fungal disease like Downy and Powdery mildew. The Yakima Valley in Washington is hot and dry during the growing season with very few plant disease issues. However, due to the dry conditions, hops and other crops grown in this area must be irrigated. To prevent the leaves of the hops from getting wet, the plants are flood irrigated or drip irrigated at the roots. In addition, harvesting a commercial field of hops requires special unique and expensive equipment plus a drying kiln. One of the reasons that the price of hops has jumped this year is due to the fact that over the past several years hop acreage has decreased due to the supply and damand and relative low prices. Keep in mind their is a limited market for hops, if they are not used for brewing there is no other market for them unlike barley malt which can be sold for feed. Over the past 10 - 12 years, growers have stopped growing hops resulting in the lower supply. In doing so, they have gotten rid of their hop processing equipment. To turn this picture around, growers who have gotten out of hops, need to make a fairly large investment in equipment to gear up again.

I am sure there are hops that will grow in WI, but due to the humidity in the summer, fungal diseases like Downy and Powdery mild will be a problem. More of a quality issue. Also, you will need some way to dry them to allow for storage.


Just a little information I picked up for the hop industry.

Dr Malt

 

[ScubaSteve]

I bet AZ/CA would be a good spot for hops. Grapes grow awesome out here.

 

[El_Borracho]

I hear it's similar to hemp. If people can grow pot in their basement and closet or outdoor shed, no reason hops wouldn't work. It would be cool to have a bunch of us do it, that way we can trade varieties by the pound or half..

/ideas

 

[ScubaSteve]

Ahem. Um. Yeah. Lets grow "hops"......and....trade.

 

[McKBrew]

It looks like I'm not the only one considering a second career as a hop farmer. With just the start-up costs alone, plus labor, I don't really think a multi-variety super large hop farm it's something I have the businees sense for, but even having a few acres devoted to hops production could supply a fair amount of fellow homebrewers.

 

[thurvin]

In northern Ill. a friend of mine says his hops plants grow like weeds and are in process to destroying a small fence. *Your mileage may vary*
Rick.

 

[Cookiebaggs]

I'm in SE Wisconsin and had the good fortune to get some hops (cascade 3lbs and Hallertau 2 lbs) from some folks who grow hops but don't brew. This is the 7th year with the plants and they were great! The hops are grown really close to Lake Michigan so they stay cooler in the summer and less humid. I think this helps.

As far as Trempleau county, I wouldn't know how well they would do.



Dude, how much land do you own and is it along the bluffs or a couple miles inland? As you probably know, land along the Mississippi river in Buffalo and Trempaleau county right now is worth some big bucks to sell or lease to hunters looking for huge QDM trophy whitetail.

 

[Dude]

I'm in SE Wisconsin and had the good fortune to get some hops (cascade 3lbs and Hallertau 2 lbs) from some folks who grow hops but don't brew. This is the 7th year with the plants and they were great! The hops are grown really close to Lake Michigan so they stay cooler in the summer and less humid. I think this helps.

As far as Trempleau county, I wouldn't know how well they would do.



Dude, how much land do you own and is it along the bluffs or a couple miles inland? As you probably know, land along the Mississippi river in Buffalo and Trempaleau county right now is worth some big bucks to sell or lease to hunters looking for huge QDM trophy whitetail.

No, it is well inland. Farmland. not even good hunting land. It is between Trempealeau and Holmen. We are thinking of building a house there when we retire.

thanks for the info, BTW. I actually think hops would do quite well there....

 

[Cookiebaggs]

I say give it a try! If you get a harvest of useable hops, it's worth it.

I graduated from UWEC and used to duck hunt out of Cochrane and Alma with the Walters family who owned Walter's brewery! Good times and beautiful country!

And we used to drink Leinenkugel's before Miller bought them out. The spring bock was the best! We would get a keg and the head was so thick, you could stand a pencil in the center of a mug and it wouldn't fall to the side of the glass!

 

[Dude]

I say give it a try! If you get a harvest of useable hops, it's worth it.

I graduated from UWEC and used to duck hunt out of Cochrane and Alma with the Walters family who owned Walter's brewery! Good times and beautiful country!

And we used to drink Leinenkugel's before Miller bought them out. The spring bock was the best! We would get a keg and the head was so thick, you could stand a pencil in the center of a mug and it wouldn't fall to the side of the glass!

Ahh, yes. You make me miss home!

I was reading the other day that Trempealeau used to have a brewery, in fact the ruins of it are over near Ed Sullivan's. The caves are still there! Next time I'm up there, I'm going exploring. It would be cool as hell to open up a brewery in the same spot. Microbrew in Trempealeau! LMAO!!!!!!!

 

[McKBrew]

Here is a online book on small scale hop production that might be useful for anyone interested in growing hops.

http://www.crannogales.com/HopsManual.pdf