Some days it is really no fun to drive out to the farm at 5AM with a trunk full of water. But then other days it is really pretty cool to be up and and outside while the world wakes up. I am still trying to learn all of the different bird calls, but that 'Bob White' guy is particularly vocal.
This morning we had a nice thunderstorm pass through the area so I can take a break and do some blogging. It has certainly not been easy, but the hop plants seem to be adjusting to their new home. We hit 90 degrees on Monday and I think the plants like that the ground is really warming up. And we are doing our best to give them enough water to get established. Hopefully soon we will have a well, which will make that task much more efficient. Until then I will keep enjoying my sunrises!

Part of the excitement of growing hops is the great variety in maturity between different cultivars. Our Kent Golding have full cones nearing harvest time, while the Magnums are just starting to burr.

Since we don't have a farm yet we will have to be satisfied with our backyard hops. The one in the middle was the first to the top of the pergola in our backyard in Lincoln, NE. I think it is Magnum, but I am not positive. We planted them almost 13 years ago with a few other varieties so I might be mistaken. I didn't really know much about hops back then so I just picked the rhizomes that were cheapest on Freshops. Still going strong after all these years. We'll keep you posted on the progress.

It is an important part of the job, but certainly not my strong suit. One of the first things we are working on is establishing our presence on the web and in social media. Good thing Erin knows how to work Facebook, otherwise we would be in trouble. We want to have a strong relationship with our customers and it is important to utilize all available channels of communication. We are available at any time to answer any questions or to just chat about what we love: hops!
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Unfortunately there is no farm yet, but we want to hit the ground running as soon as that happens. Keep an eye out for updates in the near future. Check us out on Twitter @hopfenprarie, Hopfen Prärie on Facebook, and hopfenprarie on Instagram. Prost!