6 | HORTICULTURE » Kotare Hops New hop varieties The hop gardens in Tapawera cover 28 hectares. Kim Newth Having the opportunity to plant promising new hop varieties from NZ Hops has been a real honour for the family behind Kotare Hops, one of Tasman’s relative newcomers to the sector. One of these varieties could end up being the next rock star hop, just like NZ Hops’ Nectaron® that was released to great acclaim in 2021. Noel and Debbie Moleta, who founded Kotare Hops, first started planting hops on their Tapawera farm in 2016. Last year, Kotare Hops took out NZ Hops’ Grower of the Year award. It has been an incredible trajectory for the farm couple and their family, who are excited to be trialling and growing new hop varieties this season through NZ Hops’ Bract Brewing Programme. Many years of research go into each new variety. “We are growing 12 varieties and two of them are brand new,” says Noel. “They don’t even have a name yet. NZ Hops, the cooperative that we’re part of, is very focussed on developing new varieties to stay ahead of the market. We’re growing one hectare of NZH-102, and have got 1200 NZH-101 plants, being the first time in the field for this particular variety. We’ll get more next year if they go well. We’re feeling very lucky to have got them first.” Sheep and beef farming runs deep in Noel’s family history. His father, Vince, first bought ‘Waitui’ at Titirangi Bay in the outer Marlborough Sounds in the 1970s. Noel has farmed stock on Waitui’s rolling hills for decades. His Italian grandfather first started farming sheep, on D’Urville Island, more than 125 years ago. When he and Debbie purchased their Tapawera farm in 2015, in the heart of Tasman’s hop growing country, their plan was to use it as a finishing block. Even though it’s an almost four-hour drive from Waitui, they liked the idea of having land somewhere that was a little less isolated. After seeing a local hop farm on the market with an asking price of $10 million, the couple were quickly convinced that growing hops offered an attractive way to diversity their sheep and beef business. Adding to the appeal was having knowledgeable neighbours and a strong master growers’ co-operative (NZ Hops) that welcomed them on board. Noel and Debbie credit a lot of Kotare Hops’ success to their family. Son Aeron runs the hop garden and lives on the farm with his partner Meli and their two young children. His brother Braden, an aircraft engineer by trade, is based at Waitui but helps keep the hop picker and other equipment running smoothly; he and partner Nicole, who have a young family too, lend a hand for harvest. Noel and Debbie’s daughter Laura manages livestock on the property and she and partner Shawn both pitch in at harvest time. Shawn, a fencer by trade, helped establish the hop gardens that today cover 28 hectares. They live on a neighbouring 11-hectare block. Noel and Debbie’s other son Nick plans to move down from Auckland soon. “Debbie and I have bought land on the other side of the farm so we’re all joined up!” Kotare Hops hit the ground running from the start with a brand new, reliable hop picking machine and other equipment made in Germany by a highly reputable company called Wolf, whose technicians also installed the gear and taught Aeron and Braden (who both speak German) how it all worked. Kotare also has a state of the art shed set up, with drying kiln. Noel says growing hops is considerably more profitable than farming sheep in their part of the Tasman District, provided the right equipment and people are in place, including a reliable harvest team. 24 Hu am Street Motueka Ph: (03) 528 0040 www.cwsnz.co.nz SUPPLIERS OF HORTICULTURAL IRRIGATION NELSON TASMAN CompleteWaterSolutions 0800 541 8512 www.hogarths.co.nz office@hogarths.co.nz For all your Fertiliser, Lime & Seed Requirements Supporting Kotare Hops to grow our region 022 1696 558 | kahurangispreading@gmail.com Proudly supporting Kotare Hops PROUD TO BE PROVIDING WORRY-FREE FREIGHT AND SHIPPING SERVICES TO KOTARE HOPS Request a quote using our online form Or Call Grant on (028) 410 8202 nzfreightingsolutionsgclimited.co.nz
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