12 | Hop farm scales up Now in its third year of development, there are currently 125 hectares planted, all irrigated, with another 90 hectares in development with poles in the ground, that will be ready for planting this spring. T T from page 10 REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Nelson Lakes Hops Growing specifically for the craft beer industry, Nelson Lake Hops currently includes Nelson Sauvin, Riwaka, Motueka, Rakau and Cascade. The trick with harvesting is that you don’t want everything to ripen at the same time — hence multiple varieties with different ripening times is key to garden management. “In partnership with Freestyle Hops and Hapi (a joint venture between Freestyle and Garage Project) we’re putting research into hop varieties, and we’re looking at new varieties that we’re starting to plant as well. Our hops are predominantly sold overseas including the US, Australia, Japan, Europe, and we’re just starting to get some interest from China. The US is our biggest market.” Interestingly, while the same species of hop can be grown offshore, there is still a different aroma and flavour to it, and that is all about the terroir — the soil, the climate, and topography. “We work very closely with Freestyle, who are in Moutere, and we notice the same variety between their farm and ours is slightly different. We can bring customers to New Zealand to sample hops, and they can notice the regional difference. “Some hops are also sold domestically and Garage Project is one of our investors. We work with them as a leading brewer, which we think is a very positive thing.” Proudly Supporting Sharland’s team on the Nelson Lakes Hops project Please contact our specialists on 03 348 9540 or visit the website unitedsteel.co.nz 021 272 6300 www.AdamsCrane.co.nz Proudly supporting Sharland Engineering on the Nelson Lakes Hops project. Sharland’s processes, attention to detail and experience make them stand out for an end result. Adam’s Crane has a commitment to providing personable, safe and effective mobile crane hire in the Nelson region. MOBILE CRANE HIRE, TERM HIRE & LIFT PLANNING SOLUTIONS
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