elginhopsproject.blogspot.com Growing Hops in a framework of Soil Restoration Author- Robert Denwood elginhopsproject@gmail.com

1. The Elgin Hops Project:
Integrating Hops into Regenerative Agriculture

2. Introductions
• Who is your speaker?
• Do I have qualifications?
• My progression from mild
curiosity to passionate
backyard hops experiment.
• Where did it all begin, what
were the inspirations for the
project/

3. • Firefighter for 9+ years, EMT/Paramedic for 7+ of those years.
• Firefighting--- High Stress+Poor Diet+Lack of Sleep = High
Instance of Cardiac Related Medical Issues!!
• I was also observing a disturbing trend of young people (30-40)
with debilitating diseases.
• Diseases that for the most part are habit-based and preventable
• Diabetes, heart disease, gall stones, a myriad of gastro-intestinal
diseases not to mention obesity and the complications which
arise from being overweight.
• Wife queued me into a more plant-based diet which got me
interested in making myself and my home more focused on
healthy, holistic living.

4. Why not grow food
at home?
• I grew up with parents
who enjoyed gardening.
• Always a small food
garden
• Heck, why not transition
from the hectic, unhealthy
career of a firefighter, to a
relaxed, back-to-the-earth
modern hippie?

5. Reality Quickly Sets In
• Ok, so maybe start small.
• I have a 1 year-old and a wife
who is going back to school for a
second career.
• However; the idea of a small
side-business that also provided
fresh food to my household
stuck like a bad habit.
• I worked with people who raised
chickens and small livestock.
Perhaps me too?

6. I would need to tap a
niche market
• Supplementing organic farms
with artisanal goods boosts
profitability.
• Perhaps if I were to corner a
local market for unusual
goods, the side business
would thrive and I would
fulfill my dreams of
promoting a healthy lifestyle
and also supplementing the
family income, thus not
appearing crazy to my loved
ones.

7. Let’s talk about
ducks…Bear with
me.
• I promise this
presentation is
about hops.
• I wanted to pursue something that
added a healthy, hands-on aspect to
my life, and a learning experience for
my daughter.
• Saw a news segment about duck eggs
successful in Grayslake.
• Perhaps duck eggs would be the
perfect fit!
• The draw of the picturesque farm
lifestyle and hobby farming got me
thinking…

8. Dipping My Toes in
the Farmer Lifestyle
• Looking for a relaxing escape
from work and child-care and a
way to grow a healthier lifestyle.
• Wanted to also pull in a side-
profit so….
• I volunteered at a local organic
farm co-op to see what the
experience would be like.

9. Lots of Work

10. Oh Jeez…So Much Work

11. A Hard Look in the
Mirror and Re-
Evaluation
• I was not ready to tackle this level of
commitment.
• Upon speaking with several organic
farmers, they revealed to me the level
of work, time-commitment, and
extensive use of volunteers to turn a
modest profit.
• Started asking myself…”Is there an
easier way to farm?
• How can I be a lazy farmer?
• That would be super duper.
• I must be getting unrealistic again

12. I went for a walk in the woods one day
Wait…Doesn’t all of this grow without any intervention? I'm pretty sure it comes
back every year too. Nobody sprays pesticide, or fertilizer, or plows. Can you just
farm like this?

13. TO THE LIBRARY!!!
Internet research was conflicting at best, time to go full Gail Borden.
Dear Library, Can I Be a Lazy Farmer?

14. What are these
words?
• Permaculture
• Green Manure
• Cover Crops
• Integrated Farming
• Layered Farming
• Food-Soil Web
• Mycelium
• Beneficial Insects
• Soil Carbon levels
• Humus
• No-Till
• Restoration Agriculture

15. Turning Point:
My Oh S**T Moment
• Found “The Soil Will Save Us”.
• Author: Kristin Ohlson
• Portland-Based Freelance
Journalist.
• Essayist
• Published in: NY Times,
Christian Science Monitor,
Oprah Magazine, New
Scientist

16. Follow The Breadcrumbs
 Then led to “Restoration Agriculture”.
 Mark Shepard shows the real-world success of his
own “Permaculture/Restoration Agriculture”
farmland in Wisconsin.
 Focuses on intense biodiversity, layered planting,
and perennial crops.
 By not disturbing soil, attracting beneficial insects,
avoiding any chemicals which might harm the living
soil community, and integrating animals to
fertilized and control pests, he helps build the soil,
make his crops healthier, more resistant, and more
productive, while keeping costs much lower than
“traditional” farming methods.

17. Which Inevitably Led To
This Guy
• Masanou Fukuoka
• Pioneered “Do Nothing
Farming”
• Led the way for no-till, organic
farming.
• Promoted the idea that nature
knows nature better than we
know nature. The more it is
observed and mimicked, the
healthier and more productive
your farming will be.
• Matched or exceeded rice yields
of larger commercial rice and
citrus producers near him.
• No chemicals, no fertilizer, no
irrigation, no pruning, no
weeding. Very little work other
than seeding and harvest.

18. Restoration Agriculture and
“Do Nothing Farming”
 Among the central design principles are:
 • Observe and imitate natural patterns as appropriate for desired functionality
 • Each element in the system should serve two or more functions
 • Important functions should be served in two or more ways
 • Create cyclical resource flows • Make the smallest input that will create the biggest long-
term impact, such as land-shaping to affect water flows
 • Make use of natural succession patterns and stacking (multiple crops growing at different
heights to optimize photosynthesis)
 • Create diverse polycultures with emphasis on perennials to minimize disturbance of soils
and to keep soils covered
 • Incorporate domesticated animals to optimize ecosystem functions
 • Enhance habitats for wild species of all kingdoms

19. Gabe Brown:
Restoration Agriculture Rock Star

20. We have our crop, We have an idea, time
to put it all together

21. Basics of soil composition
Ideally…

22. Real View of Soil
Really Real…

23. Plant Succession, goals for edible crops come from managing Grasses,
perennials, fruiting shrubs, and food trees.
Key Phrase…perennials

25. Why Are We Not Talking
About Hops Yet, Robert?
 In order to explain hops, my
method of growing, and the
reasons that HOW your hops are
grown are of vital importance.
 We Must Literally Start From
the GROUND UP!
 Focusing on soil health is the
first step in getting the very
best out of your hops.
 Please Stay With Me
 Creating and maintaining healthy soil
will not only strengthen your plants
and make everything tastier, but it
will make the work required to
maintain those plants minimal, if not
non-existent.
 Meanwhile, the positive and far-
reaching effects of healthy soil on the
environment can create a powerful
movement toward cleaner living and
a cleaner planet.
 Drink Better Beer, Save the World

26. Environmental Superhero From a Barstool
You Say? I’m Listening…
 Growing Hops with methods used in
Restoration Agriculture have a variety
of far-reaching benefits for your beer,
your backyard, and the environment.
 Increases biomass of the soil, which
increases water permeability and water
retention--less need to water
 Decreases soil runoff and erosion.
Roots hold everything together so you
don’t lose that sweet, sweet soil.
Runoff from large commercial farms
can do all sorts of unsavory things to
local and international water sources.
 Restoration Agriculture, over time can
create new farm-able soil where once
there was none---i.e. reverse the
process of desertification.
 Healthy soil is an amazing natural filter,
helps to purify water and rain
contaminants over time.
 Stop worrying about bugs, grow the
right stuff, increase biodiversity, all
sorts of predatory insects will repay
your generosity by taking out your
pests.
 Everything you grow will start to taste
better as the soil becomes more
nutritious and healthy.
 Oh, also, plants, fungus, and the soil
biome, if left untouched, will begin
breaking atmospheric CO2
(greenhouse gasses) and begin a
process known as Carbon
Sequestration. This reverses carbon
emissions.

27. Powerful Idea Huh?
Boy, Sure Wish Rice and Soybeans Were News-
Feeding, or Trending or Internet-ing…
 ...sigh…
 I’m so sorry. I don’t know of
a…single…person that thinks
crops are cool. I work in a rural
town and nobody is showing me
their Instagram blog of pictures
of Soybeans.
 This was such a big idea I had
stumbled across.
 The only person that was on the
leading edge of this was growing
Corn and Soybeans in Kansas…and I
only know about him after
reading…just too many books.
 How could this possibly draw a
broader audience in todays world of
instant access to videos of baby
hedgehogs

28. Awwwwwwww

29. So what could possibly fit the criteria for a plant
that:
• Has a large mainstream audience with a social media
presence.
• Is hardy and relatively easy to grow
• Is a perennial (which fits in nicely to the framework of
soil restoration)
• Is something which has proven profitability
• Is booming in popularity right now
• Is widely consumed by the worldwide population.
• Could be the bullet train to latch this important
message onto….?

30. And…Boom Goes the Dynamite

31. YAY! Now we can talk about
Humulus Lupulus!

32. What are Hops?
 a species of flowering plant in
the Cannabaceae family.
 Hops are described as bine plants rather
than vine because, unlike vines, they have
stiff downward facing hairs that provide
stability and allow them to climb.
 The female cone shaped fruits
from H. lupulus are used by
breweries to preserve and
flavor beer.
 The main components of bitterness
in beer are iso-alpha acids.
 H. lupulus grows best in the latitude
range of 38°-51° in full sun with
moderate amounts of rainfall. It uses
the longer summer days as a cue for
when to flower which is usually
around July/ August.
 H. lupulus took off as a flavoring
agent for beer because it contains
preserving agents, making the beer
viable for longer.
 A yellow-leafed
ornamental cultivar, Humulus
lupulus 'Aureus', is cultivated for
garden use. It is also known as
golden hop.
 can grow to be 10 meters tall and
because it is a perennial herbaceous
plant it goes through several growing
seasons sometimes living up to 20
years.
 The male flowers do not have petals,
while the female flowers’ petals
completely cover the fruit. The cones
found on female plants are
called strobili.

33. Inside the Cone

34. If slideshows had aroma, Mmmmmm.

35. The Many Varieties of Hops

36. Also…

37. Some varieties that
grow well in this area include but are not limited
to:
Chinook*
Nugget*
Mt. Hood*
Centennial*
Cascade*
Citra
Willamette*
Fuggles
Zeus

38. Trellising Examples

39. And more…

40. But they can also grow darn near anywhere
there is support and soil.

42. A lot of information so far, so what exactly are
the basics? What do I really need to put this all
into practice?
 Breaking it all down, here is what you need to do:
 Soil Prep
 Planting guidelines
 Cover crops
 Trellising
 Adding organic matter to the area throughout the year
 Leaving the soil to do its thing, nope, don’t you turn it over…don’t you do it!
 Plant complimentary annuals and perrenials to attract beneficial insects, break up
the soil, and add biomass.

43. Cover Crops, Learn From My Mistakes, Stay Simple
Seed Scattering, Keep It Easy
Variety of clovers, taproots, brassicas, grasses, native flowers. LOW GROWING!

44. Cover: Suggestions and Benefits
 Cover crops reduce soil erosion (little umbrellas for the soil, intercepting pelting rain
and showering it gently onto thirsty soil)
 They provide a canopy to keep in moisture and increase soil water retention.
 The roots hold together and permeate soil, further reducing erosion, increasing water
absorption rate, and breaking up soil making it more “spongy”
 Makes plot attractive to predatory insects to take care of hop aphids and other “pests”
that prey on hops.
 White clover, red clover, daikon radish (amazing tap roots), sugar beets, radishes,
turnips, kale, broccoli, alfalfa, peas, sunflowers, Illinois wildflowers!!
 Legumes (adds nitrogen to the soil hence the name “green manure”) Brassicas, Grasses,
flowers. You don’t need to get fancy, white clover will work just fine to keep your hops
happy with nitrogen and take care of the soil!!
 Pretty garden plot, bumblebees, birds, dragonflies, preying mantis, hummingbirds, and
most importantly, heathier soil and healthier hops.

45. When to Plant
 The spring season seems to be getting trickier.
 With new rhizomes, I suggest waiting until May to plant. This
way there is sure to be no fear of late frost.
 If you want to plant earlier, be sure to mulch heavily.
 I planted my first Rhizomes in mid May last year and they all
came up no problem.
 I had a few bines produce during late summer, but be warned
that it takes a while for them to establish, so brew-able yields
may not come until year 2-3.

46. We live right in the hop sweet spot.

47. Loosen the soil, mix in some organic compost (or compost at home!),
plant stems up at ground level and wait!

48. I learned late in the game, sturdy leads are a
must! (the string that the hops climbs up)
 Coconut fiber rope comes highly recommended for commercial hop growers. Very
reusable and sturdy.
 I went with synthetic twine which worked fairly well, but had a tendency to loose
tension as it aged and was exposed to the elements.
 This year I will be experimenting with natural fiber utility rope.
 Natural fiber twine, which I used initially, was too thin and became tatters after
about a month.
 Experiment, try your own methods, see what works best.
 Wooden or plastic stakes to anchor at the ground level, tied to sturdy braided wire
or anchored direct to a wooden trellis.

49. Late Spring Shoots!
. .

50. Let’s make it even easier
 To get the most out of your hops, I
recommend planting UP rather than
out.
 Less fuss in tending to the bines.
 Hops will grow faster than your cover
and will be easier to SEE and tend to.
 Get creative, use your house or raised
porch as the anchor for the rope for
the lead.
 Hops will naturally grow in a spiral
along anything vertical, so the more
vertical, and less objects nearby for it
to latch onto, the less fuss you will
have.
 They can grow up to 6 inches a day,
so if you plant diagonal or more
horizontally, watch out you don’t
leave it for a week and come back to
find it has trailed off into the garden
and started wrapping itself into a
mess of other plants!

51. Harvest Schedule

52. Harvest Time
 The previous slide showed a variety
of harvest dates.
 Mainly end of August beginning of
September.
 Cones must be light and springy
when squeezed.
 Break one open and smell that
wonderful aroma and take a look at
the yellow resin! Mmmm.
 Ready to harvest!
 Small scale hops will be hand
harvested.
 Very small percentage of people
have a mild skin reaction to the hops,
so you may choose to wear neoprene
gloves when picking, also, it can get
rather sticky from the resin.
 Try to avoid stems and leaves
 Set them to dry on a mesh panel
(window screen?) for 30 minutes, do
not freeze fresh hops!

53. A Labor of Love
Unless you can afford the correct machinery, get ready for a little bit of monotony

54. From Harvest to Pot
 Fresh hops should be used within 48
hours of picking. Store them in a
sealed plastic bucket in the
refrigerator.
 Depending upon the hops variety
and growing season, fresh hops will
tip the scales at four to six times the
weight of dry hops. A wet:dry ratio
of 5:1 is a conservative value to use
when designing a recipe, meaning
5oz of fresh Cascade hops will yield
approximately the same IBU’s as 1oz
dried Cascade cones/pellets.

55. And here is more for brewing veterans
Pleas excuse me, this is not as strong of a subject for me…
 Fresh hops may be used at any point
during your brew day, even in the
mash.
 Mash-hopping, a traditional English
technique, produces great hops
flavor and the IBU equivalent of a 15-
20 minute kettle addition.
 Whether fresh or dried, whole cone
hops yield best when they’re allowed
to swim freely in the kettle.
 Fresh hops will produce slightly
different results from year to year,
but if your brew day procedure is
sound, the worst case scenario is
fresh, vibrant beer!
 If all else fails, Hops are a wonderful
addition to a fragrant, visually
stunning garden!

56. A quick look at the Elgin Hops Project
The Beginning

62. Resources to Utilize
 http://www.greatfermentations.com/how-to-brew-with-fresh-hops/
- Brewing With Fresh Hop Resource
 www.freshops.com – “Purveyor of fine hops, hop rhizomes, hop oil and other hop
growing accessories.”
 www.yakimavalleyhops.com – A Washington-based supplier in the heart of hop
country. Will arrive when hop planting season arrives, usually May 10th.
 www.johnnyseeds.com - The seed supplier I used for all of my cover crop mixes
and vegetables. Reasonable prices and they ship very quickly.
 www.brownsranch.us – videos and inspiration for holistic farming and regenerative
agriculture.
 “The Soil Will Save Us” – Kristin Ohlson
 “Restoration Agriculture” – Mark Shepard
 “One Straw Revolution” – Masanobu Fukuoka

63. Questions?
I'm sure this ran way over an hour, I apologise.