It's That Time---Hop Harvest!

Pickers in the hop yard

We have had a generally good year for production.  Our numbers are up, although still short of expectations compared to out west with just a little over a pound per vine average, some of the cone sizes just have to be admired. Just look below at these cascades.  Of course these are some of the "top picks", those from the top of the vines that receive the most sun, but the rest were easily three fingers long.

These are what I call four finger hops!

This year our first pick went to Hi Wire Brewery in Asheville.  Here they made a 1.5 barrel run of wet hops from our farm.  We picked early in the morning and got the pounds over to the brewery by 12 noon where they were put directly into the boil by Luke Holgate, the head brewer.  

Our next pick went to Lookout Brewing Company here in Black Mountain.  During the morning of the delivery, I had at one time 6 volunteers from around the area, including 3 from Lookout, that came over and made short notice of the harvest time.  We were able to bring in nuggets and cascades to add to their boil within just 2 hours.  A truly fresh "fresh hop" beer.  

Head Lookout Brewer Tanner Frizzell gets a bowl of our hops from Sara Gulotta
One happy moment!

I will tell you that I am really excited about tasting these beers in about three weeks and bringing them to our Hop Harvest Tour event on August 23.  We are going to have a great time at the farm for this years tour with lots of education about the art of growing hops, live music, and of course, samples of the beer that has been made fresh from our hops!  

Stay tuned for more info on this upcoming event and cheers!

Our Harvest Of Cascade Hops and The Cycle To Farm Tour

Owen Grooms and Tony Mackley

 My much needed helpers got our Cascade hop harvest in full gear this morning at 6AM..  Most people don't realize that 6 O'clock happens twice a day!  Here is a picture of Owen Grooms and Tony Mackley eagerly helping out at this time of day?  You gotta love it. 
This was our best year yet, regardless of wet conditions and disease problems which I predicted 6 years ago.  I am still a firm believer that if this crop is to work in NC. then we have to develop varieties that can survive our short days and wet conditions.  Otherwise, have a lot of friends that like beer and like to work--think about that one, or be prepared to make $2.00/hour--about the most conservative amount I could come up with-- not even discounting my labor, what farmer really does.

Owen Grooms, my hops partner in the crime of "grooming hops" this year, examines the next hop to pick, only the best are selected.

 We only picked the cream of the crop this year, still we got on average 1/2 pound more than in the previous 5 years.  A whopping 1+pound per vine grouping.  But, we  should be looking at 2 to 3 pounds of wet hops at this time given the right conditions needed to successfully grow hops. 

 I am sitting next to 15 pounds of wet hops, part of a 20 pound total.  This batch is going a local brewery to experiment with  We are sending them 20 pounds.  I will disclose this brilliant well established brewery in two weeks. I have been associated with them for while and appreciate their move to try brewing with wet hops. 
  Our first pick went to our newest and truly most local brewing company, Lookout Brewery located in Black Mountain.  They received our first fresh hops earlier this week. 
We are happy to hook up with them and other local breweries that are interested in brewing local beers.  Because of Lookouts good tasting brews and their commitment to dealing with local products like hops (mine from 4 miles away), Riverbend Malt  (based out of Asheville), and water from the deep wells of Black Mountain, I can think of no other fresher beer made in America.  Talk about a low carbon footprint!

Tony Mackely sits in front of 21 pounds of wet Cascade Hops

It's like a bag of gold!

Be sure to check out the Black Mountain Newspaper this coming week, Thursday July 24.  They are featuring our farm and Lookout Brewery and will have more on our Hop Harvest Tour,August 3, 2013..We will start our tour at the farm at 1 PM.  Learn about hops and see them on the vine and then sample the fruit of the vine fresh form Lookout Brewery.  After the farm tour, continue your tour to the Brewery itself.   Their John Garcia will lead a tour of his brewery and of course enjoy his wide selection of their other products from the tap.  Be sure to follow up with this on our Facebook page, the "Hop'n Blueberrry Farm" and the "Lookout Brewery".


My pride and joy, Cascade mommas

Now, before I forget, which I wouldn't of course, I would like to mention a great event taking place at our farm this year.  We are so pleased to be a part of the Cycle To Farm Tour, this Saturday, July 20.  It is our first invite to this great event that raises money for the Buncombe County Greenways here in Black Mountain. We are gearing up for this event and are especially proud that the Center For Food Safety has chosen to set up here on the farm as well.  Wow!  What a week.

Hop Harvest Tour Success

Saturday proved to be a great success here at the Hop'n Blueberry Farm. After three years of supplying Pisgah Brewing Company with fine fresh fantastic hops and promoting their production of that fine beer made from the fresh picked hops from our farm, I decided it was time to cash in on the marketing of that success of that beer, called, non-the-less, "Burnette's Brew".

I approached Pisgah with a great marketing scheme that promoted both our businesses. I suggested that we do a joint adventure with a tour at the farm followed by a sampling of "Burnette's Brew", then letting the crowd leave the farm for a 5 mile journey to Pisgah Brewing and a tour of the their brewery and more beer.

One thing I know from the past is that folks that are interested in hops are also ironically interested in beer! I think everyone here had a great time. I could see their intent facial expressions linger on every word I said about growing hops and the struggle of our small farm.

Then I noticed one guy in the last line of the listeners that eased off toward the beer line.
I tried to speed things up, talking about my farm and all the tours and research we were doing to no avail. It was like a collapsing card house or sand castle. Slowly at first the lines followed suit leaving my hop yard and going to the beer tent.

Within minutes I had an audience of 13 die hard home brewers in front of me and a line of 60 other thirsty folks in the beer line away from me. Oh well, I had basically said my piece, and, really, I was probably more ready for a cold drink of brew than they were.

Martha taking pictures

Hats go off to my helpers for the day. Brent, my sister Vicki, wife Martha, and my mom for manning the money tent and to Seth, who took on the sole responsibility of parking cars coming to the show. There is not a day here on the farm that I don't have the help of some of these folks and I am sure it is the same of most of the small farmers in WNC. Thanks across the board for all of the volunteers that help make our small farms possible!! And thank goodness I have a wife that is most tolerant.
Mom, Seth, and Brent

One last thought, this will not be the last hop tour! Keep in touch!