Hops

We live in prime hop growing country.  The vines, depending on variety, are usually well over half-way up the ropes by July first, and after some hot weather are all the way up shortly thereafter.  By late August they will begin to bloom, and then the farmers will begin harvesting.  It is hot, dirty work that proceeds around the clock until well into September and sometimes a little later.  The hops are cut down and taken by truck to large kilns, where the blooms are separated from the vine and then dried.  Then they are compressed into hug bales.  The bales are taken to warehouses where they are eventually either used as is, compressed further into pellets, or used to create hop extract.

Those of us not directly involved still appreciate the hard work, usually by tipping back a cold one.