By VICKI JOHNSON

Ohio Correspondent

LONDON, Ohio — The rise in brewing craft beer has created a new market for energetic producers with only a few acres – or a few extra acres – to devote to growing hops. A presentation in the Farm Science Review’s (FSR) Small Farms Center tent at 11 a.m. next Tuesday will take a look at progress being made in the niche market and how producers can get involved.

Brad Bergefurd, extension specialist for horticulture in Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences South Centers, Piketon, will be presenting information with assistance from producer Jamie Arthur, who has been growing hops since 2012 at Little Miami Farms in Spring Valley.

The tent is at the corner of Corn Avenue and Beef Street on the FSR show grounds. "It's just an hour," Bergefurd said. "You'll hear the farmer perspective too; he'll be doing about half of it. He grows barley, too."

He said he'll touch on some beginning knowledge and the FSR grounds has a sample of hops plants to view. "We have two very small rows of several varieties, so somebody can look at it and get the gist of it.”

Since 2013, Bergefurd said the return of hops to Ohio has gained a great deal of momentum. It's a return because hops was grown in the state 100 years ago.

"We've come quite a ways," he said. "I'm guessing in December we'll probably have close to 250 acres throughout the state."

He estimated 75-80 farmers have planted hops. "Quite a few breweries are using Ohio-grown hops now.”

Although most hops are dried and sold as pellets, he said some are being used fresh right after harvest at this time of year to make "green brews." He added there are two Ohio-bred varieties being grown now.

Like any trial, Bergefurd said some producers have tried growing hops and not found it to their liking, but many have continued. "Some folks have went out, got started and found out it was too much work," he explained.

He recently received two grants for further research. One is funding research into fine-tuning feeding and plant fertility needs, and the other is looking at ways to reduce pests and disease. He said the Ohio Hop Growers Guild has been in operation for a few years and is providing assistance to members.

"They really stepped up the plate," he said. "I can't keep track of these things, it's growing so fast."

He noted there are several harvesters some people own, that can be used by other members.

"A lot is happening," he said. "Most guys get started by planting a half-acre to an acre, and some of ramping up production after that." That first acre costs an average of $20,000, however, not counting the price of land.

"We have a growing craft brewing industry here, so there's definitely a market out there," Bergefurd said. But marketing is not like loading corn or soybeans onto a truck and taking it to the local elevator and picking up a check.

"Line up a market before you plant," he advised. "Brewers will tell you what varieties to grow. They all use different hops and different combinations of hops. Grow the variety your markets are wanting to purchase."

That's only one bit of information he'll be giving at the FSR. Others topics for more in-depth programs include harvesting, drying, processing, packaging and pelletizing; requirements of the state and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; business plans; financial assistance; insurance needs; nutrition, fertility and soil testing; drainage and field preparation; irrigation; and pesticides.

"We want to let people know the good, the bad and the ugly," he said. "We don't want people getting into something they won't want to be in."