As interest in growing hops in Ohio increases among potential hops growers as well as brewery industry insiders, a workshop on how to get into the hops business will be held Aug. 14, designed for both beginning and experienced growers.
The Hops Production Twilight Tour will feature detailed information on the ins and outs of hops production, including trellis construction, drip irrigation and how to evaluate which variety of hops growers are interested in producing, said Charissa McGlothin, program assistant with the Ohio State University South Centers at Piketon.
The workshop will feature presentations from horticulture experts with Ohio State University Extension, the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center and OSU South Centers. It’s designed to ensure that interested growers are kept up to date with the latest research on growing hops, McGlothin said.
OSU Extension and OARDC are the outreach and research arms, respectively, of Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. The OSU South Centers is also a part of the college.
The workshop is one of several that have been offered by OSU South Centers this year as interest in the topic is very strong among growers, she said.
Topics to be discussed during the workshop will include:
- Trellis construction
- Planting of hops rhizomes
- Training of bines
- Drip irrigation
- Landscape fabric, weed control
- Insect management
- Food Safety and Good Agricultural Practices (GAPS)
- Hops for Ohio craft brewers
- Harvesting
- Processing
- Ohio MarketMaker and marketing techniques
- Disease management
- Variety evaluations
- Yard establishment economics
The workshop is from 6 to 9 p.m. at OSU South Centers, Research Building, Auditorium, 1862 Shyville Road, in Piketon. Registration is $15, which includes a light dinner. The deadline to register is Aug. 12th. Contact McGlothin at 740-289-2071, ext.132, or mcglothin.4@osu.edu for more information or to register.
Leave A Comment