The high value of organic hops, which can reach up to $10,000 per acre in gross revenue, makes them an attractive crop for small to midsize organic farms. Organic apple farmers may find hops production particularly suitable due to the similarities between modern high-density apple orchards and hops cultivation. These similarities include perennial production, the necessity for trellising or other structural support, and comparable harvest dates from August to October. However, potential hops production in the upper Midwest also poses significant challenges, such as selecting varieties well-suited to local microclimatic conditions and markets, developing realistic cost expectations for production, and addressing potential pest management issues.

To explore these questions, we established an experimental hopyard at AlMar Orchards in the spring of 2009. We planted sixteen certified organic hop varieties in a single trellised row, including both bittering and aromatic hops. Our data collection during the first year was limited by unusually cool summer conditions, which were the 10th coolest recorded in Michigan. This resulted in slower than anticipated growth of the hops vines. Our focus was on tracking the weekly growth of the sixteen hop varieties and assessing pest abundance.

The cost of establishing the hopyard using materials adapted from high-density tree fruit production was approximately $7,317. The two-spotted spider mite proved to be our most significant pest, with damage first noted in mid-July and continuing until the final harvest. Chinook, Pride of Ringwood, and Galena varieties were less frequently affected by two-spotted spider mites compared to other hop varieties. The first harvest of cones occurred on August 27, 2009, and the final harvest was conducted on September 24. Bittering hops were more vigorous than aromatic hops, with the Cascade, Chinook, Pride of Ringwood, Brewer’s Gold, and Galena varieties producing a limited total of 1.7 ounces of dry cones from fifty-three vines across all five varieties. In contrast, Magnum, Sterling, Northern Brewer, Golding, Fuggle, Centennial, and Kent Golding varieties performed poorly, with an average peak vine length of less than 24 inches.

This project garnered significant interest, with multiple requests for information on our lab website, a well-attended field day in June 2009, and an award-winning poster presentation in March 2010.