Left Fields Group Hop Rhizome Buy?

[eelgerg]

I am interested in buying some hop rhizomes from left fields hop farm in Sorrento, BC, Canada.

http://leftfieldstore.crannogales.com

If any local home brewers are interested let me know and maybe we can get enough together for a wholesale buy (more than 50 rhizomes?)

Orders are starting in Mid Feb!

 

[heckler73]

I'm in Vancouver (BC), and planning to buy a couple rhizomes from them. PM me if it can work out.

 

[tnicho]

Will these rhizomes be available in the USA? If so, count me in for a few.

Thank you

 

[Sock]

Will these rhizomes be available in the USA? If so, count me in for a few.

Thank you

From the website

Left Fields ships rhizomes within Canada only. If you are looking for rhizomes in the USA, please go to Freshops in Oregon.

 

[Hophead]

If this buy had been last year I would have been all over it! Anyways I thought I might as well share some of my experiences last year... (nothing bad!)

I ordered 8 different varieties from Left Fields last spring. Getting a bulk order in is a good idea, because they fulfill/ship them first. Last spring they ran out of some varieties before retail sales had even opened. Then a few days into the retail sales they dug some rhizomes up (ha ha!) from somewhere else (they referenced "other suppliers") so it all ended up working out if you were quick enough to order.

They shipped out around early May I think, I live close to Sorrento so they arrived quickly. I would not be surprised if this year is later to dig as there is quite a bit of snow on the ground still.

The rhizomes took 1-3 weeks to break through the soil. Most were in the 1-2 week range. All 8 I planted did come up successfully. I got a harvestable amount of cones from 5-6 of the 8 plants first year which was a surprise to me. I probably won't use the first year cones for brewing (or perhaps use only for bittering) since the aroma doesn't seem to be what it should be. Tallest plant (centennial) grew about 13-14 feet.

If anybody has any questions feel free to ask.

One note re shipping to the USA: If this buy is organized by and shipped to one person who subsequently repackages and ships out to everybody else, technically you could ship to the USA. As long as there are no rules about shipping rhizomes cross border... However the cost of shipping to the USA probably makes it cheaper for you to order from freshops

 

[gbx]

I'm in Vancouver (BC), and planning to buy a couple rhizomes from them. PM me if it can work out.

Do you ever come out to vanbrewers club meetings? There's usually free rhizomes available at the march meeting. Last year I couldn't give all of mine away. This year I plan to dig up my 5th year willamette and will likely have dozens of huge rhizomes that I will bring to the meeting. I might have a few cascade, goldings and hallertau too.

 

[heckler73]

Do you ever come out to vanbrewers club meetings? There's usually free rhizomes available at the march meeting. Last year I couldn't give all of mine away. This year I plan to dig up my 5th year willamette and will likely have dozens of huge rhizomes that I will bring to the meeting. I might have a few cascade, goldings and hallertau too.

oh! Do tell!

I've only just started going to Centennials sip'n share nights, as I have trouble getting home to the north shore after, so tend to share my beer with friends at home instead.

 

[gbx]

oh! Do tell!

I've only just started going to Centennials sip'n share nights, as I have trouble getting home to the north shore after, so tend to share my beer with friends at home instead.

The meetings are usually last thurs of the month at the legion on commercial drive. check out https://www.facebook.com/groups/107165103956/ and http://www.vanbrewers.ca/
Meetings are fun, usually a presentation by a club member or pro brewer and time to try other homebrew and get feedback from BJCP judges if you want it.

 

[eelgerg]

I am in van Wednesday and Thursday this week, but not down often enough to attend the club meetings. Good to know about though.

Let me think more on the hops buy - starting soon! Left fields said they have limited Chinook and cascade and no centennial this year.

 

[kilohertz]

I live about an hour away from Left Field. I met them last year for the first time, good people. I bought 16 rhizomes and all but one did really well. Planning on buying more and am just compiling my list. Wish the damn snow would go...still a foot on the ground.

Cheers

 

[gbx]

And the thing with growing hops...don't go too crazy and plant dozens. You might be able to manage the first couple years but by year 3 each plant will be putting out at least a lb dry and you have to pick and process them in a very short window or watch them rot on the vine. A lb dry is A LOT OF HOPS. I lay them out on the screen from my sliding patio door to dry and it completely covers it. ...and if you can dry them all you have to put them in a freezer somewhere that the won't piss off the wife next time she does a costco run. ...i currently have 5 plants: willamette, cascade, hallertau, saaz, goldings. This year I'm going to give away willamette because 5 is waaay too many for me. 4 is also way too many but I like the idea of having cascade, hallertau, saaz and goldings- if we need to recolonize another planet with beer, those are the rhizomes we would take

 

[eelgerg]

Kilohertz, we don't have any snow now, and I live an hour away as well in Kamloops, BC. Where do you live?

Just putting together my order for this year as well. I'm going to buy about 8-10 hops RZ's this year - if they produce a pound each then I'll be laughing! I only intend to brew about 60-80 Gal this year. So 3-4 lbs of hops should be plenty for that!

 

[gbx]

So I think I'm just going to give away the entire willamette plant if anyone wants it. Unlike the tiny golf pencil sized rhizomes you will get via mail order, this is a massive 40lb+ beachball sized crown that will give you a decent harvest this year. There are some pictures of it here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f92/2014-hop-garden-photo-thread-463644/index4.html#post6008026 follow the links to see it in full bloom. I mentioned it being grassy in 2013, it wasn't too bad last year and made a nice but very hoppy special bitter.

If you promise to give it a good home, I'll trade for a bottle of your finest homebrew You'd need a car and a strong back to pick it up. pm me if you are interested.


[EDIT] Thanks for the interest but the plant is spoken for.