WILBERFORCE, Ohio — Designed for beginning farmers and supporters of the local food movement, Central State University Extension (CSUE) is partnering with the Agriculture Incubator Foundation (AIF) Farm and the Glass City Mashers for a Hop Yard Field Day on Saturday, Aug. 6.
The Hop Yard Field Day will take place at the AIF Farm located at 13737 Middleton Pike, Bowling Green, between 10 a.m. and 2 pm.
Participants will have an opportunity to learn about:
- Establishing a hop yard
- Training bines
- Selecting hop cultivars
- Managing a hop yard
- Inspecting cones
- Scouting for pests
Michelle Wallace, CSUE Agriculture/Natural Resources Educator, will be on site to field questions.
“There is a lot of interest in growing hops and making beer,” Wallace says. “Ohio has favorable conditions for growing hops and there is a growing market for locally sourced hops. A hop yard involves a substantial investment so beginning growers need to make sure this is right for them before they take the plunge.”
The in-ground Hop Yard Demonstration Site was installed by the AIF Farm and is managed by the Glass City Mashers. The mission of the Agricultural Incubator Foundation (AIF) is to develop a partnership of northwest Ohio agribusiness representatives, researchers and educators committed to establishing programs that will stimulate interest in and respect for agriculture as a mainstay in the area economy.
The Hop Yard Field Day is free and open to the public. Register at https://forms.office.com/r/Q7Dnv4ji3T . For more information, contact Wallace at mwallace@CentralState.edu.
For more information about any CSUE program across Ohio, visit www.centralstate.edu.
— Central State University Extension