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Here
are a few
of the organizations and events where we have spread the word about hop
history and hop cultivation in Central New York.
NeHA -
The Northeast Hop Alliance
We
have been members and officers of the Northeast Hop Alliance for
several years. Formed to explore the feasibility of
reintroducing commercial hops to central New York and the Northeast,
the NeHA membership has been our support system for information and
networking.
Madison
County Historical Society - Hop Festival
We discovered our interest in hop culture at the
Madison County Historical Society's annual "Hop Fest" and have been
supporters and speakers ever since. We were very proud to be
the 2004 Hop Fest "Hop King and Queen". The work that this
organization and its members do to preserve and protect this very
unique segment of Madison County history is to be lauded.
Please help save the kilns. Contact MCHS today to see how you
can help.
Upcoming
Events
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Hemp,
Hops, and Energy Crops –
An
ADC agriculture forum
By
Jessi
Jaramillo
Cornell
Cooperative Extension Chenango County
Wednesday,
April 22nd
6:30pm
to 8:30pm
Bohemian
Moon
103 East Main Street Norwich.
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Presentations
will
cover the cultivation and economic history of industrial hemp and
hemp products; hop
growing success in our region; and grass
pelletization as an energy alternative. Guest speakers will be Earl
Callahan & John Van Lierde, Kate
& Larry Fisher, Foothill
Hops, and Bob & May Miller, EnviroEnergy, LLC.
There will be a
question and answer period following the presentations. Refreshments
will be prepared by Bohemian Moon with products from Chenango-Madison
Bounty; cash bar, $5 contribution.
The
Chenango County
Agriculture Development Council explores and develops agriculture
opportunities in Chenango County. For more information, call
Cooperative Extension at 607.334.5841
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Franklin Trek at Drover
Hill Farm
1014 Earlville Road
Earlville
August 3, 2009
10 AM - 1 PM |
The "Franklin Trek"
antique car folks will be visiting the farm and Earlvill
area. Drover Hill Farm
is home to an exceptionally well preserved double pyramid hop kiln and
beautiful Victorian style bed and breakfast. Foothill Hops
and Madison County Historical Society will present information on hop
growing in Madison County, past and present. Local food will
be available from the members of Madison and Chenango
Bounty. Don't forget to get your
Foothill Farms Bitter Sweet Hot and Spicy or Spiced Northern
Brown Mustard.
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14th
Annual Madison County Hop Fest
September 18-20, 2009
Madison County Historical Society
435
Main Street
Oneida,
NY 13421
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2008
marked the 200th anniversary of the introduction of commercial hop
growing in NYS by James Coolidge in Bouckville, Madison County!
Join the continued celebration with the Madison County
Historical
Society
for the 14th Annual Madison County Hop Fest September 18-20, 2009.
Brew
Dinner, Sept. 18, 2009
Hop
Fest 2008, Sept.19 2009
Hop
Heritage Tour, Sept.20, 2009
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Our
Hop Experience Founded
in 2001 by Larry and Kathlyn Fisher, Foothill Hops provides
quality NOFA-NY
certified organic hops, as well as conventional hops, and hop products for home brewing, homeopathic
health-care, and decorative uses.
Our
personal interest in
growing
hops began with a visit to Madison County Historical Society's Hop Fest
where we learned about CNY hop history, Northeast hop growing trials,
herbal and ornamental uses of hops, and architectural preservation. We
truly enjoyed experiencing the remnants of a culture long gone and
began to see the potential for the return of hops to New York State.
 Following
the 2000 Hop Fest, a group of hop enthusiasts, including ourselves, met
to discuss the feasibility of reintroducing hops as a commodity crop in
central New York and the Northeast Hop
Alliance (NeHA) was formed. In the spring of 2001, we planted
approximately one-quarter acre of hops on a 12-acre parcel of heritage
hop land in Madison County.
We
cultivate our hops
using mainly organic methods. Encouraged by the results of our
2001 trials, we purchased additional rhizomes and expanded our
hop yard to approximately three quarters of an acre in 2002
and 1.5 acres in 2004. We hope to add another acre in 2008 or
2009. Our current efforts are focused on designing and
building a mechanical hop picker.
The
Northeast Organic Farming
Association of New York (NOFA-NY) granted Certified Organic status to
Foothill Farm in 2002 and we marketed our small second year harvest to craft
brewers and homeopathic tea makers.
Since then our business has grown annually.
 HOPPY
TRAILS
Also
in
2002, Madison
County Tourism received a grant to establish a Hop Trail
by mapping the historical hop buildings in Madison County. Foothill
Farms lies
at the crossroads of
the Hop Trail and became a stop on the 2002 MCHS Hop Festival
tour. In 2006, the farm was recognized on the Madison County
Hop
Heritage Trail and in
2007, the Hop Heritage Trail was included in the NY
State Empire Brewing Trail.
Hops
bring out a
natural
curiosity in people. Our trellises are viewable from several vantage
points along New York State Route 46 and its crossroads. Visitors are
encouraged to drop in and ask questions.
2004-2006
were "The Year of the Hop"
at the Witter Agricultural Museum at the New York State Fair.
We helped with preparation and
presentation of the hop exhibit during that period. Our hops still
stand at the entrance to the
museum.
2008
was the 200th anniversary of the first commercial hop yard in Madison
County and Central New York. We celebrated and
educated people throughout Central New York.
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