Meet Sean Trowbridge, who spoke with us on a snowy day in Goodrich (near Flint). He started a farm with his dad a little over 10 years ago with pigs, bees, turkeys, a big garden and hops. Since then they’ve narrowed their focus, and he shares with us about:

• What’s needed to grow, package and sell his 17 acres of hops to Michigan brewers
• Challenges that may arise for their strong, aggressive-growing hop crop
• Equipment that’s either special ordered or fabricated on-farm
• How they optimize their harvest with labor-intensive work
• Qualities that may change the flavor profile of hops (terroir)
• Why the farm business was narrowed to growing hops
• What he enjoys growing in his family’s garden to feed their outdoor souls

Resources mentioned in this podcast:

• Learn more about Top Hops Farm at http://tophopsfarm.com/
• Hop Growers of Michigan (Chinook Cup Winners!): http://hopgrowersofmichigan.com/
• Michigan State University hop information: https://www.canr.msu.edu/hops/