{"id":2947,"date":"2020-01-15T15:46:54","date_gmt":"2020-01-15T20:46:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/web.colby.edu\/mainebeer\/?page_id=2947"},"modified":"2020-02-19T10:51:31","modified_gmt":"2020-02-19T15:51:31","slug":"oral-histories-alna-hopyard-and-farm","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/mainebeer\/oral-histories-alna-hopyard-and-farm\/","title":{"rendered":"Oral History: Alna Hopyard and Farm"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--themify_builder_content-->\n<div id=\"themify_builder_content-2947\" data-postid=\"2947\" class=\"themify_builder_content themify_builder_content-2947 themify_builder tf_clear\">\n    \t\t\t<!-- module_row -->\n\t<div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_xwhq732 tb_first tf_w tf_clearfix\">\n\t    \t\t\t<div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n\t\t            <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_btrg733 first\">\n                                                        <div class=\"tb-column-inner tf_box tf_w\">\n                        \t<div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tb_xb7s198 tf_w tf_clearfix\">\n\t    \t\t\t<div class=\"subrow_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_w\">\n\t\t            <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column col-full tb_2ukf199 first\">\n                                                        <div class=\"tb-column-inner tf_box tf_w\">\n                        <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_l407774   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n    <p><iframe src=\\\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/743845411&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true\\\" width=\\\"100%\\\" height=\\\"166\\\" frameborder=\\\"no\\\" scrolling=\\\"no\\\"><\/iframe><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><!-- module accordion -->\n<div  class=\"module module-accordion tb_3q1m903 \" data-behavior=\"toggle\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    \n    <ul class=\"ui module-accordion separate  tb_default_color\">\n\t\t    <li>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"#acc-3q1m903-0\" aria-controls=\"acc-3q1m903-0-content\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"tb_title_accordion tf_w\">Corrections from Mike Barker<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n\n\t\t\t<div id=\"acc-3q1m903-0-content\" data-id=\"acc-3q1m903-0\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"accordion-content tf_hide tf_clearfix\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"tb_text_wrap\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<ol>\n<li style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\"><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Phoenix Hopyard up in Bethel *might* actually still be in existence. Rob Raymond (not Rick) is the totally awesome Hop Farmer whose name I was trying to think of.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\"><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">re: Maine not having a full service Pelletizer Facility. I totally spaced on this&#8211;Aroostook Hops does have a currently operating Pelletizer, and they have graciously offered their services to other hopyards. Hop Farmers who are ramping up should check this opportunity out, and give them a call!\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\"><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">In the interview I really meant to mention Footbridge Brewery (in Boothbay Harbor). I wanted to tell everyone that they are amazing: totally committed to using local ingredients, and they kick total ass. Anyway, I guess I had a mini-stroke and just kinda blew it by forgetting.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\"><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">My apologies to anyone else who I didn\u2019t get to mention &#8211; Alna Hopyard is Very Thankful to have been on the path with all of you!\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n\t    <\/li>\n\t    <\/ul>\n\n<\/div><!-- \/module accordion -->                    <\/div><!-- .tb-column-inner -->\n                            <\/div><!-- .module_column -->\n            \t    <\/div><!-- .subrow_inner -->\n\t<\/div><!-- .themify_builder_sub_row -->\n\t                    <\/div><!-- .tb-column-inner -->\n                            <\/div><!-- .module_column -->\n            \t    <\/div><!-- .row_inner -->\n\t<\/div><!-- .module_row -->\n\t\t\t\t<!-- module_row -->\n\t<div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_tjb7533 tf_w tf_clearfix\">\n\t    \t\t\t<div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n\t\t            <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_c98g534 first\">\n                                                        <div class=\"tb-column-inner tf_box tf_w\">\n                        <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_zfq4384   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n    <h6>Interview Summary<\/h6>\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Mike Barker, one of the owners and founders of Alna Hopyard and Farm, discusses the challenges of beginning and sustaining a hopyard in Central Maine. Barker begins by detailing his life prior to owning the hopyard. He had always known that he wanted to start a farm, but wasn\u2019t sure what kind of produce he would grow. He eventually decided on hops. He explains how he chose the fertile soil of the Maine Midcoast to produce hops.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Barker discusses some of the successes and failures of growing hops over the past seven years. It is a slowly growing industry, and Barker was one of the few\u00a0growing hops commercially in New England. Even today, he struggles with being able to produce enough hops to meet the demand of breweries and homebrewers. He currently sells fresh hops, whole hops, and hop pellets with a focus on the Cascade variety. Barker explains that brewers in Maine might be hesitant to adopt a more experimental product like his, but he is grateful for the breweries that have taken this leap of faith.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Barker predicts slow but promising growth for the hops industry in Maine. His goal for the future is being a part of a self-sustaining beer market in Maine where everything is grown locally.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The interview was conducted by Torsten Brinkema and Emily Nyman in October 2019.<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->                    <\/div><!-- .tb-column-inner -->\n                            <\/div><!-- .module_column -->\n            \t    <\/div><!-- .row_inner -->\n\t<\/div><!-- .module_row -->\n\t\t\t\t<!-- module_row -->\n\t<div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_szmg333 tf_w tf_clearfix\">\n\t    \t\t\t<div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n\t\t            <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_v6cy335 first\">\n                                                        <div class=\"tb-column-inner tf_box tf_w\">\n                        <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_11gm723   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->                    <\/div><!-- .tb-column-inner -->\n                            <\/div><!-- .module_column -->\n            \t    <\/div><!-- .row_inner -->\n\t<\/div><!-- .module_row -->\n\t\t\t\t<!-- module_row -->\n\t<div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_ax8v403 tf_w tf_clearfix\">\n\t    \t\t\t<div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n\t\t            <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_1g0a404 first\">\n                                                        <div class=\"tb-column-inner tf_box tf_w\">\n                        <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_a1yl39   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n    <p><iframe src=\\\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/d\/u\/0\/embed?mid=1vr5KFtAiBFexOZk1H6g8n0A5S1IoXOCN&amp;z=9\\\" width=\\\"100%\\\" height=\\\"700\\\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->                    <\/div><!-- .tb-column-inner -->\n                            <\/div><!-- .module_column -->\n            \t    <\/div><!-- .row_inner -->\n\t<\/div><!-- .module_row -->\n\t<\/div>\n<!--\/themify_builder_content-->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Corrections from Mike Barker Phoenix Hopyard up in Bethel *might* actually still be in existence. Rob Raymond (not Rick) is the totally awesome Hop Farmer whose name I was trying to think of.\u00a0\u00a0 re: Maine not having a full service Pelletizer Facility. I totally spaced on this&#8211;Aroostook Hops does have a currently operating Pelletizer, and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7944,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"builder_content":"<p><iframe src=\\\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/743845411&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true\\\" width=\\\"100%\\\" height=\\\"166\\\" frameborder=\\\"no\\\" scrolling=\\\"no\\\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<ul><li><h4>Corrections from Mike Barker<\/h4><ol> <li style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Phoenix Hopyard up in Bethel *might* actually still be in existence. Rob Raymond (not Rick) is the totally awesome Hop Farmer whose name I was trying to think of.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li> <li style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">re: Maine not having a full service Pelletizer Facility. I totally spaced on this--Aroostook Hops does have a currently operating Pelletizer, and they have graciously offered their services to other hopyards. Hop Farmers who are ramping up should check this opportunity out, and give them a call!\u00a0\u00a0<\/li> <li style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">In the interview I really meant to mention Footbridge Brewery (in Boothbay Harbor). I wanted to tell everyone that they are amazing: totally committed to using local ingredients, and they kick total ass. Anyway, I guess I had a mini-stroke and just kinda blew it by forgetting.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li> <li style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">My apologies to anyone else who I didn\u2019t get to mention - Alna Hopyard is Very Thankful to have been on the path with all of you!\u00a0<\/li> <\/ol><\/li><\/ul>\n<h6>Interview Summary<\/h6> <p>Mike Barker, one of the owners and founders of Alna Hopyard and Farm, discusses the challenges of beginning and sustaining a hopyard in Central Maine. Barker begins by detailing his life prior to owning the hopyard. He had always known that he wanted to start a farm, but wasn\u2019t sure what kind of produce he would grow. He eventually decided on hops. He explains how he chose the fertile soil of the Maine Midcoast to produce hops.<\/p> <p>Barker discusses some of the successes and failures of growing hops over the past seven years. It is a slowly growing industry, and Barker was one of the few\u00a0growing hops commercially in New England. Even today, he struggles with being able to produce enough hops to meet the demand of breweries and homebrewers. He currently sells fresh hops, whole hops, and hop pellets with a focus on the Cascade variety. Barker explains that brewers in Maine might be hesitant to adopt a more experimental product like his, but he is grateful for the breweries that have taken this leap of faith.\u00a0Barker predicts slow but promising growth for the hops industry in Maine. His goal for the future is being a part of a self-sustaining beer market in Maine where everything is grown locally.\u00a0<\/p> <p>The interview was conducted by Torsten Brinkema and Emily Nyman in October 2019.<\/p>\n<p>[gallery size=\\\"medium\\\" link=\\\"file\\\" ids=\\\"2956,2959,2955,2954,2960,2958\\\"]<\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\\\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/d\/u\/0\/embed?mid=1vr5KFtAiBFexOZk1H6g8n0A5S1IoXOCN&amp;z=9\\\" width=\\\"100%\\\" height=\\\"700\\\"><\/iframe><\/p>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/mainebeer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2947"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/mainebeer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/mainebeer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/mainebeer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7944"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/mainebeer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2947"}],"version-history":[{"count":37,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/mainebeer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2947\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3253,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/mainebeer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2947\/revisions\/3253"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/mainebeer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2947"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}