#30: Pivot!
Hop yards, just like any business, come with constant decisions to be made. Left or right? Up or down? This week we discuss pivot points as your business grows, shrinks and takes some left turns.
Tag: trellis
#27: James’ Favorite Hopyard Tools
The right tool for the right job. This week we talk about everyday implements that you should have in your hopyard. Tools that change the way you approach farm management and make you ask “why didn’t we do this sooner”?
#26: Attending Beer Festivals
Ah, the beer festival. All of your potential customers are there at once and ready for you to hit them up for sales, right? So, so wrong. This week we share stories of past beer festivals, including how to make the most of them while keeping your expectations in check. Plus, listener questions!
#24: Hop Harvest!
Tales from the hop yard as we walk through the when, how and why of harvesting. We talk about hand harvesting (here’s a hint: don’t), how to engage local artists in your waste material and why you should make friends with retired machinists.
#22: Pre-Harvest Hop Yard Logistics
It’s almost harvest time for your hop yard. Are you ready? As you shepherd your crop through the final weeks, getting your harvest process dialed in is a step that you can’t ignore. Whether it’s labor scheduling, equipment testing, appropriate pre-harvest intervals or stocking the beer fridge, we’ve got you covered with a checklist to […]
#21: Flash Cards in the Hop Yard
We’re going back to school! Gregg presents James with a series of problems in the hop yard during a virtual walk-through of nutrient deficiencies, pest infestations and general issues in an imaginary hop yard that hopefully doesn’t look like yours.
#19: Pre-Harvest Marketing & Sales
The bines are climbing, sidearms reaching, cones starting to burr. It looks like a hop yard! But what’s that lingering tickle at the back of your brain? Perhaps it’s the question of whether your hops have a home after harvest. This week we take a step out of the dirt and back into the business […]
#18: Drying Your Hop Harvest
Join us with special guest Dan Dettmers as we discuss the importance of drying your hop crop. Improper drying can lead to quality loss, mold, processing nightmares and so many other issues which will prevent your hard work from getting into your favorite craft beer. The perfectly maintained and harvested hopyard can be destroyed in […]
#17: Weather Whacking
Ah, dear Mother Nature. There is so much that can go wrong and it’s completely out of our control, whether it’s late season frost, freak hailstorms, desert-like conditions and other madness. While you can’t predict these events and certainly can’t prevent them, what can you do to mitigate the damage and understand the path forward? […]
#13: You Missed One On The Left – Weeds and Disease
Pop in your headphones, put on your gloves and get out to the farm to remove weeds while you listen to us tell you all about it. It’s not fun and not cheap, but it’s a critical and often overlooked part of your hop yard life cycle.