Several years ago I bought a piece of property flanked by a Blueberry farm and an Apiary to start a microbrewery and an organic hops farm. The microbrewery failed while the hops side of things thrived. Today I took a picture of the front row of my Cascade hops before we started to pick by hand. I think I'm going to be very busy this August harvesting, drying and packaging. Love these plants as you can literally watch them grow 1ft in a day! The other rows contain Mt. Hood, Nugget, Hallertauer, and Saaz. Wish me luck!!!

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Of course, all the best to you, my friend.  Those are some beautiful hops.  I will send you a pic of an old hop kiln up here that was built in the early 1900's and refurbished in the 70's, I think.
Always keep you in my thoughts, my friend.  Best of luck!

Hey DM!!.....your've done it - you joined, BLOG CITY!! Well Done!!
Congrats, on your "Organic Hops farm", just love ya pic !!
All the Best, to you & your family!
Kris

ooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhoooooooooooooooooooooooooo
I can't believe it, you know I'm going around by bicycle looking attentively if I can see a hop flourishing and do not see any, there is a link with a long story of a bread made with sourdough started by hop flowers I think it was in Creta, after reading that I've started thinking I will try to do that, a friend of mine painted a flourished hop for me but it's no use making bread
Many many thanks for sharing this wonderful view .. and keep us updated with your activties lucky youuuuuuuuuuu
from Italy

I would love to see that photo Eddie. Thanks for the encouragement to both you and Kris. Madamada I would love to see that recipe. I tried the hops shoots in a salad this year. I read that they were nice. HMMM not quite sure I liked the scratchy mouthfeel, taste was okay but.... I'll try it again next season. Do they also use them in Italy in salads? Maybe I missed something!

the story of that bread was in Italian, shall i look for it anyway? And yes we use hops shoots lightly cooked in a little oil and water if needed  before using them for risotto or frittata. They are bitter but good for spring after eating fat things during the winter or carnevale

http://www.jamieoliver.com/foodwise/art … hp?id=1842

and thaks to your hop's pic I found again the recipe for the yeast called trachanas "pane di fiori" , the link is in this thread, I could translate just the recipe
http://www.jamieoliver.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=31442

Your'e welcome, DM! And, I hope your, Cascade Hops - are all harvested etc,  well in time to relax & enjoy your family/friends "BBQ get-together", late August!

http://www.jamieoliver.com/forum/viewto … 02#p580902
here you find the translation

keep blogging

I've known today from a neighbor the use they do of the hop flowers, he said they are ready at the time when they crop grapes, hop flowers are put together with mele cotogne/quinces and the skin of grapes, they call trappa in boiling water, this mixture is then poured into the wooden barrels to "sterilize" them and to make them expand and seal all the fessure/slots. The hop flowers are rich in a substance which should equal zolfo/sulphur

I'm aware I'm talking about things I do not know but the way people used what they had on hand always fascinates me ...... quinces-hop flowers and grape skins  ................... no stilist could  put together such a wild scent

maybe TWR knows what are the substances and what they do  and that they do not sterilize perfectly, but we have come to present time also not to forget about the past

Thats fascinating Madamada. My wifes uncle used to tell me about sterilizing beer casks in Germany with a wick soaked in sulphur when he was a young boy. The only substance I know of in hops is Humulone. Maybe you're right TWR may know. You're right tho often we must look back to the past for answers!