Deal Hop Farm's Second Hop Harvest has started

Deal’s own community hop growing project – the Deal Hop Farm – starts its second harvest this week. 

The project which started in 2017 has now over 200 sites growing hops in and around Deal. These are grown in people's gardens, allotments and community spaces (like Walmer Castle, Captains Garden, Landmark Garden) and the project has involved some 300 local people this year

It is one of the largest community growing projects in the country and has been recognised by winning the prestigious Horticulture Week's Custodian Award for ‘Best Community Initiative 2018’.

***LATEST NEWS
- First Harvest done on 3rd September 18 sites + 52 kilos of hops. 25 kilos in first brew of Hopping MAD brewed on 4th rest all commercially dried

Members have four days of harvests organised on the 3rd, 11th, 12th and 20th of September with a central collection point of the Landmark Garden in Deal High St from about 5pm on each harvest day.

Working with local brewing partner, the Ripple Steam Brewery, who will be brewing a Green Hopped Beer called Hopping M.A.D: Made Around Deal. This will be available in many local pubs early in October.

"We are trying to be more ambitious this year with the multiple harvests and brews; We are hoping to make the final one a real celebration of our efforts.


It's not just about producing great local beer, although that is of course very close to our members hearts but it’s also about reconnecting to that Kentish tradition & landscape that has been so much shaped by the hop industry.

We will have opportunities for people to try their hand at hop picking and joining in the fun. If people want to experience some hop picking we will picking the hops at the Captain’s Garden at Deal Castle on Tuesday 12th September about 2:30pm or at the Landmark Garden on 20th from about 5pm."