Hop production is gaining momentum in New York State due to several factors including the dramatic growth in the number of craft breweries, increased interest in local agricultural products and by the recent passage of the New York State Farm Brewery Law. In order to support this growing industry Cornell Cooperative Extensions of Schuyler and Steuben Counties has extended the invitation to Tioga County residents to attend The Successful Hops Production Workshop featuring research specialists and regional growers.
Dr. Rob Sirrine is a Community Food Systems Educator with Michigan State University and an affiliate of the MSU Center for Regional Food Systems. He provides statewide leadership for hop research, extension, and outreach. Rob holds a B.S. from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture from the University of California Santa Cruz. Rob has published several articles and bulletins on hop production and has given dozens of presentations on hops around the U.S. Rob is also one of the founding members of the Great Lakes Hops Working Group, whose goals are to identify and prioritize region-specific hop research needs; generate best management practices for hop production through collaborative research; and efficiently disseminate results amongst members and hop growers across the Great Lakes region and beyond.
Dr. Sirrine will be presenting on hops harvest and post-harvest considerations such as harvest timing, how to identify hop cone maturity, equipment needs, quality standards, and post-harvest handling and processing. Dr. Sirrine will also speak about the recent cost of production analysis that he has been involved in through MSUE. One of the first questions when considering hop production is how much the investment into the industry will be. Rob will cover costs of equipment, plant material, and many other aspects when beginning to grow hops.
Timothy Weigle has been a Grape IPM Extension Area Educator with the New York State IPM program since 1989 and is now working on hops production in western New York. Tim will be presenting on hop yard weed management and herbicide update.
Alan Farnsworth, from Finger Lakes Farmhouse Hops in the Southern Finger Lakes Region, will discuss his experience with using sheep to control weeds in the hop yard.
Chris Hansen, from Climbing Bines Hop Farm, Penn Yan, N.Y. will be speaking about cooperative marketing arrangements and his experience with purchasing a hop harvester and forming a hops cooperative for processing.
Registration is required by April 17. The workshop will be held April 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Elks Club, 300 North Madison Ave., Watkins Glen, N.Y. The fee is $45 dollars, which includes a buffet lunch. There are six CCA credits available.
For more information and to register, visit http://cceschuyler.org/events/2015/04/24/successful-hops-production-for-craft-brewing-in-the-finger-lakes.
