What You Should Know About Good Organic Hop Farms In Virginia

Posted by Enrica Massi on March 16th, 2017

Hops grown in farms, are an integral part of the beer brewing process. Interestingly, these were not a part of historical beer recipes. However, today, they are relied on for lending the unique flavors, bitterness and antimicrobial properties to the drink.

It is difficult to grow hops organically because they demand very high nutrition and are also prone to disease. There has to be a lot of effort put in so that weeds can be kept at bay, arthropod pressures taken care of, the plants kept unobtrusive to pests and a range of other factors to be covered. Even then, the demand of organic hops has recently witnessed a rise. So, multiple hop farms in Virginia have increased their organic production out of which only a few are successful.

Farms like Hermitage Hill ensure that the current challenges are handled well at every level. There is appropriate weed management, fertility and irrigation management, dedicated nutrition supply and sufficient measures taken to keep the crop from getting infested with diseases.

>The concept of an on-farm greenhouse
The growing season for hops can be started a bit earlier than usual if the crops are grown in an on-farm greenhouse. Farms that have an eco-friendly bio char system, are able to maintain such a greenhouse in the most efficient way. The bio char system makes use of a specially developed furnace to maintain the heating process.

>Use of eco-friendly fertilizers
Speaking of the bio char system, the process is directed at manure. The latter is converted to a heat source that helps maintain the greenhouse. There is a residual farm friendly fertilizer left behind. This fertilizer can be easily spread across the farms to nourish the hops.

>Controlled production and storage
Good organic hop farms in Virginia make it possible for the connected brewery to control all aspects of the entire growing and brewing process. Right from the growing of the young plants to the production, harvest and storage of the hops, it is all managed very well in order to ensure that the customers can enjoy a fresher beer.

There are many varieties of hops that can be grown organically. Most often, these are commercially propagated by the cuttings of a female plant. The best part is that hops can thrive in a wide variety of climatic conditions when taken care of in the proper ways. It is a good sign that the number of certified organic hop farms has increased.

About The Author

The author is a blogger. This article talks about good organic hop farms in Virginia.

For more information: www.stablecraftbrewing.com