Meaford’s Big Head Hops already sold out for next year
Via Owen Sound Sun Times –
The four acres, three newly planted this spring, are just the beginning. These vines will produce some 600 pounds of dried, packaged, organic brewing hops this fall.
It’s all sold, as is next year’s crop.
Schaut sees 25 acres of hop yards here eventually at the farm he bought just five years ago. The family moved from near Shelburne, where they grew garlic and ran a cmmunity supported agriculture program.
He expects to make growing and processing hops at Bighead Hops his full-time work as early as next year.
At $12,000 an acre to develop the yard, another close to $50,000 for a used stationary harvester from Germany, plus the building to house it, a baler, a vacuum sealing unit and other machines and processing equipment, it’s a long-term investment.
“This is not a hobby,” Schaut said. “This is about developing something over years.”
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