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Transcript of Hops as an Alternative Crop - University Of Maryland › sites › extension.umd.edu...Hops as an...
Hops as an Alternative Crop
TODAY’S OBJECTIVE
BY THE END OF THIS PRESENTATION ATTENDEES SHOULD BE ABLE TO DESCRIBE:
• ESTABLISHING A HOPYARD
• CONTROLLING HOP PESTS
• MARKETING HOPS TO BREWERS
WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT!
Hops in MarylandHops were grown in Maryland since colonial days.
10 per cent of hops needed by Maryland Brewers were supplied by
local farmers
Craft Brewers Support Maryland Hop Growers
Establishing the Hopyard
Stillpoint Farm
Mt. Airy, Maryland
PREPARATION
SOIL TEST
GROUND PREPARATION
AQUIRE RHIZOMES/STARTS
HOPYARD DESIGN (ROW SPACING AND PLANT SPACING)
PLANTING
GROUND PREP
HOPYARD IS TILLED AND CULTIVATED
PLANTING - EARLY APRILPLANT RHIZOMES AT DEPTH OF AN INCH OR SO
IN WELLED TILLED SOIL 36 – 42 INCHES APART
BUILDING THE TRELLIS
• MANY CONFIGURATIONS
• TYPICALLY REQUIRES 40 -44 POLES PER ACRE
• POLES SHOULD BE 18 FEET ABOVE GROUND
• ROWS SHOULD BE AT LEAST 12 FEET APART
BUILDING THE TRELLIS
Black Locust is Plentiful in Maryland
Running Cables
Running Cables
STRINGING
STRINGINGWE USED ONE STRING PER BINE IN THE FIRST YEAR
NEW HOPYARD IN MAY
NEW HOP BINES
YOUNG BINE SHOWING BURS
FIRST YEAR CHINOOK HOPSREADY FOR HARVEST
HARVESTING AND
PROCESSING
FIRST YEAR HARVESTHAND PICKING – UGH!
DOES THIS LOOK LIKE FUN?
MECHANIZATIONFarm Built Harvester
Bines entering harvester Stripped bines coming out Harvester box full
MECHANIZATION
We can harvest 25 to 50 bines per hour with the combination of our harvester and sorter.
Bines loaded on harvester track
STRIPPED BINES
Farm Built Sorter and Oast
Farm Built Oast
• Adding and Stirring Hops
We fill the oastdirectly from the sorter in the same building. We can add heat and dry over several hundred pounds of hops in 4 – 8 hours.
PEST MANAGEMENT
AND WEED CONTROL
COMMON HOP PESTS IN MARYLAND
INSECTS:
• JAPANESE BEETLE
• APHIDS
• SPIDER MITES
• POTATO LEAF HOPPER
MILDEWS:
• DOWNEY MILDEW
• POWDERY MILDEW
KEEPING A CLEAN HOPYARD:
Targeted Grazing:Controlling weeds and
Reducing Disease Pressure With Sheep
Go From This:
To This:
Using These:
Instead of these:
Or these:
Spring Grazing
SUMMER GRAZING
SUMMER GRAZING• Leave sheep in the hopyard until a week or
two before harvest
• Harvest in Maryland is usually from late July through late August
• Gives time for leaves to grow back for nutrient return to roots for overwintering
Weeds Controlled by Grazing:
Red root pigweed
Thorny pigweed
Thistles
Leafy Sparge
Many other grasses and forbs that compete with your hops!
Your Favorite Weeds!
Bull Thistle Red Pigweed Spiny Pigweed
Canada Thistle
Reducing Disease Pressure with
Targeted Grazing
Downy Mildew Spike in Maryland
Reducing Disease Pressure With Targeted Grazing
Reduce Disease Pressure By:
• Keeping a clean, weed-free hopyard
• Stripping the lower 3 – 4 feet of leaves from the bines
• Removing shoots after stringing and training
Cautions:
•Pesticides
•Herbicides
•Fungicides
Read the Label!
• Sheep are susceptible to copper toxicity
• No copper compounds can be used in the hopyard
• No Bordeaux mixture
• No copper sulfate
DON’T WANT TO BE
SHEPARD?
COMMON WEED CONTROL
• ROUND-UP
• 2-4 D COMPONDS
• MECHANICAL
• ORANGE OR OTHER CITROUS OILS
• UREA SOLUTION
MILDEW CONTROL• KEEP A CLEAN, WEED FREE HOPYARD
• COPPER PRODUCTS SUCH AS BORDEAX MIX
• PHOSPHOROUS ACID PRODUCTS FOR MILDEW CONTROL IN VINEYARDS
• NEEM OIL
• THERE ARE NO COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS APPROVED FOR TREATMENT OF ANY DISEASE FOR USE ON HOPS IN MARYLAND!
MARKETING SO NOW THAT YOU HAVE YOUR HOPS, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THEM?
FARMER - BREWER RELATIONSHIPS
Get to know your local brewers!
Participate in local brewery related events
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8pEDe6wP0k
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES• UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT EXTENSION:
http://www.uvm.edu/extension/cropsoil/hops
• CORNELL EXTENSION SERVICE:
http://madisoncountycce.org/agriculture/hops-program
• NORTHEAST HOP ALLIANCE:
http://www.northeasthopalliance.org/