Just a few weeks back, Ted and I (Jess) took a few minutes to reflect upon all that has changed in the hop growing game since we started.
In just three short years, the dynamic has shifted a great deal! When we began, suppliers were hard to find, rhizomes were sold out within a week, and Spring was full of yard expansion, soil preparation, pole installation, and more! Now, growers have wised up to the prospect of plugs. Plants are available year round for leisurely yard expansions, and suppliers are plentiful. When we began, there were no hop processing facilities in the STATE. Now, several growers have shouldered the mission of processing the Ohio's hop harvest!
Since we started growing hops in 2013, the craft beer craze has grown in Ohio and across the country. With 2015 as our the first year for a potential full harvest, we were lucky to have struck at the right moment to take advantage of this growing trend. Small Farm Central, who runs the Farm Marketing Minute blog, asked us to share our story as an example of how farmers can leverage current food trends to market their products. Here is that interview:
Small Farm Central>
"What prompted you to start farming hops? Did the growing craft beer industry directly influence your decision or was this something that you had been dreaming about for a while?"
Jessica Schneider>
"My husband, Ted, and I spent some time in Europe in 2010. The timing of our visit was just perfect to view the hop bines, heavy laden with cones! We sampled the local fare (to the tune of Oktoberfest) and instantly began dreaming of ways to incorporate such flair into local offerings, here at home. Coincidentally, the year we put our hops in the ground, Ohio State University began working in earnest to encourage farmers across the Buckeye State to consider hops as a high value crop. The efforts of OSU Extension, through Brad Bergefurd and his team, have yielded impressive results. Through the last year, the development of an Ohio Hop Grower's Guild has taken root, along with several growers who now offer processing equipment within the state. Hop yards are expensive to initiate and the processing equipment is quite specialized. These growers are dutifully working to bring hops back to Ohio, as they were in the late 1800's. Schneider's Hop Haus is unique in that we are organic growers. We aren't the biggest, but we are deeply concerned about how our soil and crops are enriched. As parents of young children, the reality of how additives impact the land, water, farmer, and environment strike a chord with us. The land where we live is the land where we grow our crops. We know that we are stewards of this land for just a period of time, but we strive to pass a responsible model to our children."
Small Farm Central >
"How have you marketed your product so far?"
Jessica Schneider>
"Hops have a knack of marketing themselves right now. We know that we are fortunate to be in our third growing season, which is the first potential for a full harvest, right as the craft brewing scene is percolating in Ohio. The last two years, our modest harvests have sold out the same day that we took the bines down. Social media, community connections, and coordination with the collaboration of hop growers around us have proven to be very effective marketing techniques, thus far. For the moment, there are more buyers than growers in the state. It is our hope, and that of the Ohio Hop Grower's Guild, that we can supply the rising demand of regional brewers of all sizes very soon. The larger brewers are reasonably a bit slow to jump on the 'local hops' movement, as they are most concerned with long term planning. Predictable quality and quantities of certain varieties of hops are key to their success. For Ohio's hop growers to truly succeed, we will need to illustrate our reliability and consistency over the years ahead."
Small Farm Central >
"What kind of partnerships do you currently have or plan to pursue?"
Jessica Schneider>
"Organic hop growing does not celebrate a huge following in Ohio, just yet. While Ohioans are starting to appreciate the value of organic items on their dinner plate, the implications of synthetic additives to their beverages has yet to make headlines... for the moment. Still, we see a growing interest among brewers both in the area and across the country who would like to use our hops in beer. We love supporting local, we love supporting Veterans, and we love great beer so we will continue to provide organic hops to as many brewers as possible, until we run out. Suffice to say, our partnerships are not limited to the region. We seek inspiration, education, and partnerships among those near and far who embrace similar ideals."
Small Farm Central>
"Do you see any other food trends popping up in your area?"
Jessica Schneider
"We do! Many families nearby have opted to install 'victory gardens' in lieu of yards. Many of our friends have started a backyard flock of chickens to provide for their family's needs. CSA prevalence and memberships are rising each year along with a deep desire for local food. It is an exciting time to live in Northeast Ohio! LeBron James is back, we are headed to the playoffs, and organic & local food is on the rise! There is a buzz in Northeast Ohio and it sure is catching! More conversations are shared about dirt stained fingers and children among garden rows than have been for generations. As a small family farm, we feel privileged to play a part of this exciting renaissance in the region!"
A huge "THANK YOU" to Small Farm Central for this opportunity to share about our farm!
To read more about using food trends in farm marketing, check out the Farm Marketing Minute here.
