GrainsWest Summer 2018

The Food Issue 2018 Grains West 10 Photo:AGCO TABLE TALK Invasion of the MARS robots Albertahopsup THE FLOWERS OF THE PERENNIAL, VINE-LIKE HOP plant, hops not only impart flavour and aroma to beer but also have stabilizing and preservative qualities. While the province’s red-hot craft brewing industry has plenty of local access to the world’s best malting barley, hops are another story. However, this may change following the formation of the 18-member Alberta Hop Producers’ Association in 2017. Heading into their second year of production, the opera- tors of Pair O’ Dice Hops in Vauxhall are among the associa- tion’s founding members. “It has taken a lot of work, capital and an immense amount of learning,” said Randy Adams, of establishing their crop. He owns and operates the farming business with his brother-in-law Spencer Peterson and their wives. After an inspirational visit to a friend’s hop yard in the Okanagan, they planted just over an acre of hop trellis- es, harvesting the crop by hand with help from friends and family. Their goal is to plant 10 full acres and purchase the equipment required to produce the crop in volume, such as a harvester, pellet mill, drying kiln and packaging machine. The hard work of constant pruning and training the plants to grow on the trellises has paid off in purchases by brewers such as Strathmore’s Origin Malting & Brewing (see page 34). Growing multiple varieties and experimenting with further types, the hops entrepreneurs hope to further expand the flavour possibilities available to their clients. Photo:PairO’DiceHops The first generation of autonomous farm robots will take to European fields this year. Randy Adams (left) and Spencer Peterson of Pair O’ Dice Hops are part of the province’s fledgling hops industry.