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I see that Meander River Farm is doing a hop rhizome order for the Spring, and has offered to order some for the public. I don't need any myself, but figured folks may be interested!

From their FB page:

We are beginning to plan our annual hop rhizome order! If you are interested in growing your own hops and would like to be part of the order, please contact us by email, meanderriverfarm@live.com.

They're on FB here: https://www.facebook.com/MeanderRiverFarm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I ordered Rhizomes from them two years ago. 75% of them failed. It was not their fault as there were a lot of problems with Freshops rhizomes that year. He ended up taking them to court. He wasn't interested in giving me a refund...

I ordered from Left Fields last year as they guarantee 75 or 80% viability.

I'm gonna get some from Meander this year, good to support local. I'm thinking Cascade, EKG and Fuggles.

Just hope I don't run into issues like you did Jason!

Good to support local, but local should also support you. I think Jason is due some replacements if Meander is selling their own now.

mr x wrote:Good to support local, but local should also support you. I think Jason is due some replacements if Meander is selling their own now.

They're not selling their own, it's another buy through their supplier. I was chatting via email with Alan this morning and he said they were ordering again from Oregon, so I assume it's Freshops. I assume they mark it up a bit and just pass it along. Probably helps with the shipping cost to increase the order size as well.

Out of curiosity, has anyone tried started plants as opposed to rhizomes, as listed at Toronto Brewing?

Also I know there are a few folks out there who've grown some hops in Halifax. Anyone care to share what grew well and what didn't? I'm new enough at brewing that I don't even know what hops I like the most so I'm more interested in planting something that's likely to give me a good yield and then I can figure out how to work with it.

I use my hops for ornamental value now. It was a hop shortage fad. Just too much work.

Essentially I want to be able to harvest enough for a batch or two of fresh hopped beer. I have no desire to grow enough to supply my brewing year-round.

I've had good success starting from plants. I first bought three from Richters when I was still living in Ontario (they do mail orders too). The hallertaur williamete and goldings all did great, so much do that when I moved back to NS I tried digging up the crowns to bring back with me. After nearly three years they were so well rooted it took the better part of the day just to dig up the hallertauer and I had to leave the others behind. The hallertauer took off well again back in NS, and I have given away a few transplants to Brewnosers, but haven't heard how they have taken. It is likely I'll have more in the spring, as well as some from the goldings a Brewnoser traded me, and the williamete that my wife brought me back from Ontario last summer.

Like Dave I grow with the intent of a couple fresh hopped batches a year, though sometimes I break out my dehydrator to keep them longer. I also think the make a pretty good looking plant crawling up a deck or wall.

OldMalt wrote:The hallertauer took off well again back in NS, and I have given away a few transplants to Brewnosers, but haven't heard how they have taken.

They're doing fine. The first year didn't give me anything, like I'd expect, but we'll see how they do.

My cascade, golding and nugget rhizomes came from Left Field Farms, and my eroica came from another Brewnoser. I'd been drying and freezing mine, but I'm thinking of taking a lot of them for one or two fresh hopped beers this time around, if I can time it right.

spears104 wrote:
I ordered from Left Fields last year as they guarantee 75 or 80% viability.

I ordered four from them them last year and only one of them grew. I emailed them several times about it but didn't even get a response back...

I live near Meander River Farms and make it into Dartmouth/Halifax most days. I could definitely pickup any orders we have for them and deliver.