DEAL HOP FARM: 5th Season Launch in February 2021

Our colleagues in the Deal Hop Farm - Deal's Community Hop Growing Project - is launching its 5th Season at the Beginning of February

The project was started in 2017 and in 2020 had some 265 sites in and around the town (people's back gardens, allotments and community spaces) with about 400 local people involved.

Last year the group harvested an impressive 211 kilos of hops and to date its brewing partners have produced over 65k pints of 14 different beers using its hops 

To kick the season off it has two virtual meetings aimed at new members and those who want to find out a bit more.

Please register at the eventbrite sites for details of the Zoom meetings

DHF Season 5 Launch – Thursday 4^th February 2021 7pm

1DHF Season 5 Launch – Sunday 7th February 2021 3pm

 

Alternatively you can email info@dealhopfarm.org.uk for more information.

Deal Hop Farm Harvest starts today #hops

 The 2020 Deal Hop Farm harvest starts today.

We will see many of of the members (we have 265 sites this year) later today at Captains Garden or at our next ones on the 10th and 17th.

We are also hop picking the Captains Garden's Hops at 3pm if you would like sample some hop picking

We have about 80 sites booked for this evenings drop off - please follow the social distancing guidance when dropping off #hops

Time & Tide use tonights hops in their Green Hop Pale Ale which should be available in the towns pubs in about 2-3 weeks time

Happy Hop Harvest Day Hopinistas!

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."

Hops at Deal’s Secret Garden”

Deal’s own community hop growing project – the Deal Hop Farm – has been invited to grow hops at the historic ‘Captain’s Garden’ at Deal Castle.

Ben Palmer, Manager for English Heritage’s Deal Castle said “The Captain’s Garden has been an integral part of the historic site at Deal Castle and Deal’s own story for centuries.

English Heritage is currently looking for long-term funding to make the garden safe, conduct an archaeological survey and develop, restore & bring back into use the out-buildings on the site.

In the meanwhile, we have invited the Deal Hop Farm to grow hops in the Captain’s Garden and make a start at bringing a small part of the site back into community use”


Steve Wakeford, of the Deal Hop Farm said “We are really very pleased to be involved in this important site for the town.

English Heritage are already part of our project; growing hops in the kitchen garden at Walmer Castle.

We had a great response from our members, many of whom have volunteered time to get the area English heritage has allocated into a usable condition.

The Garden has been dormant for many years but has great growing conditions and wonderful wildlife. We are looking at ways that local residents can get involved with the project.

It is a great privilege to be working in such an historic and wonderful garden. As well as contributing to our community hop growing project we see great potential for further community use and the start of a fruitful dialogue to shape its future between English Heritage and the wider community in Deal & Walmer.

The Deal Hop Farm has organised an open day on Easter Monday at the Captain’s Garden (which is directly opposite the castle on the other side of Victoria Road) between 10:30am to 2pm.

This is first of a series of Open events during the year for the wider community to see what we are doing, our plans for 2018 and the chance to get involved.

We look forward to welcoming people to Deal’s Secret Garden”

For further details at the Deal Hop Farm’s Facebook Page & Group DealHopFarm, email info@dealhopfarm.org.uk

Deal Hop Farm - Rhizome Pick ups

Tea break at Ripple Steam planting

The purpose of this post is to let Deal Hop Farm members know of the arrangements to pick up the Hop Rhizome that has been ordered.

(For information only if you have picked yours up already)

We have been a little overwhelmed by the response we have had locally - We have well over 100 sites and looks like we will plant about 220 plants!

This includes a fantastic diversity of sites with clusters of growers on all the allotments locally, Walmer Castle Kitchen Garden, Ripple Steam Brewery, Martha Trust, Rippledown Centre, Pines Calyx Garden, One pre-school group, Just Reproach, Lighthouse, Community gardens at the Landmark and Deal Station, people sharing gardens, others sponsoring them at the community spaces plus many, many gardens around the Town

You can see what the Deal Hop Farm looks like at our Google Map

Residents and Staff involved in Deal Hop Farm at Martha Trust

Pickups will be at the Landmark Garden (High Street Deal)

- Friday 3rd March 11-1.30pm

- Saturday 4th March 10:30 -12:30

- Friday 10th March 11-1.30pm

- Saturday 11th March 10:30-12.30

It would be very helpful if when collecting this you could bring a couple of plastic bags or a container

If this does not work for anyone let us know and will sort out another means

Stuff you should be doing Now:

1) Decide on Location for your Hop - remember they need lots of Sun & free draining soil + if you are planting more than one they need 3ft between the plants

2) Think about how or what it is to grow up

3) If planting in the ground start to prepare the ground - you may need some good compost (like John Innes No3 or similar)/Well rotted Farmyard manure/or home produced compost

4) If planting in Container - remember the bigger the better. Min of 40ltrs (At the Landmark Garden we are looking at recycling some old plastic dust bins - they hold about 100ltrs) and source new compost/manure .Remember to get some old crockery/broken pots/stones at the bottom + ensure that the bottom have good drainage holes. Don't use a pot saucer as the Hop roots do not like wet feet.

5) Please read the enclosed planting instructions - The Rhizomes are planted vertically with the crown at the top

6) have a look at the Grow Beer planting Video

7) Ideally we need to get the hops planted by mid-March

8) Take some before and after photos

9) Relax and have a beer

Launch meeting at the Lighthouse

When you pick up your Hop Rhizome, we will give you, per plant:

- Some gravel (optional: especially useful if you are using a container or have a heavy soil)

- Compost mix to put around the Rhizome (farmyard/chicken/seaweed manure) 1-2ltrs

- 5m of Hop Twine

- 1 Prima Donna Rhizome

We have plenty of Hop Twine - so if you need more you are welcome to it for a small donation (we will have it available at all the meetings in April and at Deal With iT events in the Landmark Garden)

We also have a small stock of proper Hop Pegs which the farmers use for £2 . You don't necessarily need one of these (especially if you are planting in a container) as a tent peg or similar will do

We are putting all documents on the Facebook Group DealHopFarm as well at the page on the DealWithIt website.

Please post your photos or send them to us at Info@dealhopfarm.org.uk

We are in the process to setting up the first social/talk at the end of the month - we will put out a separate email  in about a week's time

Any problems, questions (hop related please :) drop me a line here, on facebook or give us a ring - we are here to help!

Best Wishes and thank you for your support for making the Deal Hop Farm a great success

Steve

Project Co-ordinator

01304 372673

Great Launch meeting for the 'Deal Hop Farm'

We had a great launch meeting for the 'Deal Hop Farm'  - Our community Hop growing initiative at the Lighthouse on Thursday.

The packed pub had over 60 people to listen to our plans to Grow Beer in Deal. 

We had many sign-ups and the 'Farm' now stands at 44 sites in the town and district with over 100 hop plants.

The Hopinasta's will also be  running a information stall at the Landmark Centre (Cafe) on Saturday between 10am to 1pm.

The project will be taking members until the 23rd Feb.

Many thanks to everyone who came to the meeting on Thursday and the Deal With It Volunteers for organising the stalls and sign-ups and to the Lighthouse for hosting. (see our page on the Deal Hop Farm for more details or join the Facebook group DealHopFarm )