This weekend I was in Saratoga Springs, NY, where I met Casey and Kelly Holzworth of Kelsey’s Quarter Acre Farm. The Holzworths started farming a few years ago – they grow a range of crops like sweet potatoes and beans, and are best known for their work with FarmieMarket.com, an online shop for fresh local produce.
Last year they started a quarter acre hops yard, harvesting just enough to brew their own wet hop IPA. This spring, they’ve expanded to 300 plants and have peaked the interest of local breweries looking to buy New York state grown hops. Beyond simply their love of craft brews, they believe hops are an ideal investment because although it takes a lot of work to start the yard, it does not require constant upkeep over time.
Casey and Kelly are building and planting their hop yard by hand, without workers or heavy equipment. They pride themselves on keeping their operation small and sustainable so it can remain one aspect of many on their expanding farm and future homestead. Video coming soon! Read more about Hopped Upstate here.
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