Hops! It's Harvesttime. Buy Yazoo!

Came home yesterday to hops harvest: Keith's second year crop looks really good. Tom hoisted someone with a machete up in the tractor's front end loader to cut the strings and bring the vines down.

By the time I arrived, folks were gathered in front of the shed (ok, around the beer cooler) pulling the flowers off the vines--fragrant green thumb-sized stacks of petals. Yazoo plans to use the hops fresh for a small run of Bells Bend Ale.

Rachel looked very distinguished, decked out in a hops version of a laurel wreath. Linus and Lila Hall from Yazoo Brewery, and their two blonde daughters, were on hand, along with Keith, George, India, Amelia, Holly, Natalie, Eric, Peter, Joe, Jim. Tom presiding. Along with Lulu and the dog flock.

Martha brought homemade sherry as an aperitif, and we had 18 around the table in the Church of Outdoor Dining.

First hops harvest! And our thanks to the good folks at Yazoo, whose products have promoted social interaction (and some fundraising!) at the farm for many years.

I'll try to get some pictures for you. Now all we need is rain!