Page 50 - Beverage Master December January 2020

Craft Ag Production

Even when the harvest is completed, there’s little agement issues. Hopyard sanitation and cleanup
time to relax. When not evaluating the year in gen- is a critical function to get done right after harvest
eral, focus switches to working on sales and start- because it decreases the chances of disease and
ing the farm tasks involving post-harvest sanitation, deters pest infestation for the next growing season.
soil care, weed eradication and addressing any pest This also includes some type of weed suppression,
and disease issues that need attention. Since hops usually by laying down a pre-emergent herbicide.
aren’t generally considered a pick and pack crop,
there are several drying techniques to bring the “As far as our hop yards here, we let our vines go
moisture down so they can be stored safely with- into dormancy and apply a pre-emergent in spring.
out damaging the qualities that they bring to craft There’s no specific reason for that other than it
beer. seems to work better for us, and just like in farming
in general, each farmer has his way of doing things
“Immediately after harvest, it’s drying and bal- that may not be the norm but have shown success
ing time for the hops,” said Trowbridge. “Then we in the past,” he said. “You still have to monitor
move 100% of the harvest to our pelletizers to have moisture levels, because even after harvest, the
a fresh crop of current year hop pellets for the hop vines need moisture for optimum winter sur-
breweries.” vival. But once temperatures dictate action, we
have to blow out our suspended drip lines and
irrigation systems to prevent freezing and damage.
Fall is the best time to get soil samples analyzed
for pH to see what’s left in the soil and what needs
to be replenished. Hops thrive in soil with a pH
between 6.2 and 6.5, so fall is the time to make
corrections if needed. Liming is common, but takes
time to become widely incorporated into the soil.”

Hop scrap can be a subject of contention. Some
farmers take the hop scrap and compost it for use
elsewhere. Others return the composted scrap right
back onto the fields, while others take the scrap
that’s not composted and spread it onto the fields.
Fall is Spent on Every farmer has their opinion on the matter.
Cleaning and Maintenance The decision on what to do with the hop scrap is
largely based on its condition. Were the hop vines
“Cleaning, repairing and readying our equipment healthy? Were there any signs of downy mildew or
for next year is usually done in the fall. Just by their other diseases that can overwinter in clippings and
nature, hop cones can be pretty sticky, so after on the ground?
harvest, our equipment and work areas can get
gummed up just with all of the contact with the “Late fall is also when we switch our tractor to
hops,” said Trowbridge. “We take the time right a mowing head and weed badger to cut all the
after harvest to thoroughly clean the pickers, con- remaining parts of the hop vines down. There’s
veyors, belts, totes, wagons and anything else that usually about 1½ feet left of the vines after har-
gets used during harvest. Equipment like sprayers, vest, so we cut them and leave them be,” said
whether boom or air blast type, need to be win- Trowbridge. “Then, in spring, we go back over the
terized. You know, it’s initially just a lot of manual rows with a brush head to remove all of the debris
work, cleaning and maintaining our equipment and off of the plants and leave only clean rows for new
getting our barns ready now for the next growing growth. We won’t typically tear out or replace
season.” any vines that are healthy and productive. Good
healthy rootstock can last fifteen years easy. Some
Trowbridge told Beverage Master Magazine that of the European heritage farms may have fifty to a
after the equipment and buildings have been taken sixty-year-old rootstock. Sometimes after about ten
care of, late fall is generally spent in the hop fields years, the Western-based hop farms will replace a
on end-of-season responsibilities and plant man- portion of their hops with a more vigorous grow-

48 December - January 2020 BEVERAGE MASTER

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