Page 52 - Beverage Master December January 2020

Craft Ag Production

ing stock or different variety, but it’s not common. Michigan, Trowbridge first focuses on wrapping up
We’ve only done it once, and that was based purely sales for any product that remains unsold. Much of
on economics, replacing a portion of very low-in- the harvest might already be spoken for, but any
come generating hops with a higher income-gener- unsold product will be made readily available for
ating variety.” anyone interested.

In addition to sales duties, Trowbridge said that
winter is typically the time to refresh and renew
business contacts and associations and try to get
more exposure for his farm. He uses the winter
months to attend any conferences or expos put
on by hop farmers associations or by the Craft
Brewer’s Guild. He especially likes those that allow
him to set up a vendor tent or booth so he can per-
sonally get his hop farm more exposure, make new
contacts, refresh older ones and reach potential
customers on a personal basis.

Winter Involves Building Growing Organic:
Relationships And Business Norton’s Hop Farm

Trowbridge told Beverage Master Magazine On the other side of the hop growing spectrum,
that winter activities differ depending on where smaller, organic hop farms have a different view of
the hop is grown. West Coast farms can just keep the post-harvest season.
growing, putting their harvest into the hands of
brokers while they get back to producing more. In Don and Tina Norton maintain and operate

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