Then came the downy mildew that effectively ended production in the Northeast, and the labor unrest that affected so many industries, including agriculture. The goal of this project was to see if hops could provide fall and winter income the way Christmas tree farming and storage vegetables do, but without the intense competition and narrow profit margins of those enterprises. Right now, the demand for organic hops is high, and most of the product comes from New Zealand. But the premium for organic hops still makes a difference. These sales developed chiefly through word of mouth, and inquiries continued after the product was gone.
Demand is strong.
He grows 130 vines on a quarter acre, and each vine produces four to six ounces of dried hops. His early calculations seem to show that the return on organic hops is about what he gets for his organic vegetables, and is thus profitable, but growers who contemplate hops should realize the amount of hand training and pruning involved. In general, the aromatic hops have larger cones and yield more, while hops that give beer its distinctive taste are smaller and yield less. He noted very substantial differences in vigor, drought tolerance, and winter hardiness among the varieties he planted, and had particular success with Brewers Gold, Kent Golding, and Bullion. Hops are harvested after the vegetable growing season is over, and it is the dried, ripe flower that contains the aromatic oil.