Date/Time
Date(s) - May 1, 2015
10:00 am - 12:00 pm

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The new, innovative Ohio hops research program offered by Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences is offering free monthly tours of its hops fields in Wooster and Piketon, where specialists are studying new production and management techniques.

The Hops Production to Enhance Economic Opportunities for Farmers and Brewers project at the Ohio State University South Centers in Piketon is offering early-stage growers, advanced growers and anyone else interested in hops production an opportunity to tour the hops research trials at the Piketon facility.

The free tours are designed to be mini-workshops to provide basic information on getting started in hops production and what resources are available for growers.

The tours will feature basic information on the ins and outs of hops production, including trellis construction, drip irrigation and evaluation of different varieties of hops.

The tour is designed to ensure that interested growers are kept up to date with the latest research on growing hops.

The tours are offered by Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center..

Ohio beer manufacturers spend an estimated $30 million annually on purchases of hop cones, or hops, to create craft beers. This creates a huge opportunity for local growers to get into hops production.

Craft brewing is growing quickly in Ohio, with over 100 craft brewers licensed statewide over the past two years, and the breweries require locally grown ingredients like hops and malting barley, two main ingredients needed in many of the brews.

The hops tours are from 10 a.m. to noon on first Fridays of the month. They will include an overview of the research conducted at the center and a tour of the Piketon facilities, including research laboratories. The tours will also be offered at the OARDC Horticultural Research Unit 2, 5082 Oil City Road, in Wooster.

The Wooster tours are hosted by Mary Gardiner, an Ohio State entomologist, and led by Chelsea Smith, an Ohio State entomology research assistant. The South Centers tours are hosted by Brad Bergefurd and assisted by Thom Harker, an Ohio State horticulture research assistant.

Topics to be discussed during the tours include:

Hop yard construction

Establishment cost

Bine training

Irrigation

Variety selection

Fertilization

Other highlights include discussions on Ohio’s growing hops industry and various production methods that can be adopted by Ohio farmers.

Anyone interested in participating in the tours must register by calling McGlothin at 740-289-2071, ext. 132, or by email at [email protected]. Tours are planned for the first Friday of the month through 2015. The deadline to register is the Wednesday before the first Friday of the month.