FARMERS ALMANAC

Rogue Farms Micro Hopyard Almanac

Latitude: 44.8 degrees north - Longitude: 123.1 degrees west - Elevation: 170 feet

Hopyard Clean Up Is Done, But The Hazelnuts Are Not So Lucky

The last of the debris left by the Great Floods of 2012 has been picked up and hauled away. Our first assessment shows little physical damage to the Hopyard. Some of the signs will have to be replaced. That can wait until March.

As for the seven varieties of aroma hops, it’s still too early to know how they fared being buried under 8 feet of water for almost two weeks.

But you won’t believe what’s happening to our neighbors, Kirk Family Filberts. Nearly a month later and the Kirks still have standing water in their hazelnut orchard. So much water in fact, that beavers are swimming out of the Willamette River and cutting down some of the hazelnut trees. Natascha drove by the other day and saw Egrets wading through the orchards looking for fish, snakes and frogs.

Here are some photos of the Kirk’s hazelnut orchard during the floods. The beavers have eluded security cameras and security patrols continue.

But Officer, He’s Such A Good Dog

Sometime this week when we weren’t looking, Sully wandered off the Hopyard for a little adventure. We’re not sure how long he was gone. But we do know he returned in the back of an Independence Police car.

The officers were very nice about it. There’s only one three legged dog in town, and that’s Sully, so they knew exactly where to bring him. But despite his distinguishing feature, they reminded us Sully needed a dog tag or we’d have to pay a $200 fine.

Message received. Sully got his tag the next day. You can see the green tag in the photo. By the way, that’s Sully eating the winter wheat cover crop in the Hopyard. The vet says that dog, just like humans, sometimes would rather eat veggies than meat.

All Tucked Away In Their Hives

The weather was warm enough this week for Josh to look in on our 19 hives and see how the bees are doing. He found enough food in storage to keep them well fed for another couple of weeks. That gives him enough time for daytime temperatures to rise before he checks in again. You have to be careful opening the hives during winter. If the air is too cold, the bees can be injured or killed.

Josh estimates we have about 190,000 bees for now. But by the peak of summer, that number will grow to more than 1.5 million!

Strange Hopyard Bedfellows

You can tell that our four new Free Range Chicks are growing up fast. When they hit that goofy teenage phase of life, the other members of the brood didn’t want much to do with them. But now that they’re getting older, the grown up Chicks are more accepting.

But the young Chicks still aren’t sleeping with the rest of the group. They’re very happy, thank you much, sharing the heat lamp with our Pot Bellied Pigs, Voo and Doo.

When the sun goes down, Voo and Doo crawl into the big pile of hay and settle down for the night. The chicks climb on top of them, huddled together close to the heat lamp.

Natascha says egg production continues to grow. The Free Range Chicks are now laying 5 to 6 eggs per day.

Preening Tom Isn’t Giving Up

Even though Valentine’s Day is behind us, our male turkey Tom continues to do his best to woo the only female turkey on the Hopyard, Juniper.

Now his courtship displays go on all day long, with Tom puffed up like a hot air balloon.

Just as Tom is trying his best to win over the object of his affections, Juniper is trying just as hard to ignore him.

Garage Sale and New Farmstead Brews

It’s a Garage Sale Weekend at the Micro Hopyard. Come by and pick up good deals on all things Rogue. The hours are Friday the 17th from 4:00pm to 9:00pm and Saturday the 18th from 11:00am to 9:00pm.

Josh is hoping enough people will come by to finish off the 3 Hop Sully, our first Farmstead beer. Then he can put his next beer on tap, Flood Stage Stout. This is a dry Irish Stout hopped with Rogue’s GYO Certified Liberty hops grown right here on the Micro Hopyard and made with barley roasted in the kitchen of the Hop ‘N Bed.

February Gardening Tips

• Repair winter damage to trees and shrubs.
• Incorporate cover crops or other organic matter into soil.
• Good time to plant fruit trees and deciduous shrubs. Replace varieties of ornamental plants that are susceptible to disease with resistant cultivars. 

Growing Your Own Artichokes

Courtesy U.S.D.A.

Artichokes are giant thistles that grow three feet tall and are as fun to grow as they are to eat. Their prickly-silver leaves are an excellent backdrop anywhere you plant them.

Although most artichokes thrive in the cool, moist climate of coastal California, western Oregon’s climate also is usually mild enough to grow these edible thistles as perennials, if cut back and mulched in the winter, according to Jim Myers, professor in the horticulture department at Oregon State University.

The OSU Extension Service recommends artichoke varieties Green Globe, Imperial Star and Emerald.

"For something unusual, try growing Violetto," Myers said. "It is particularly variable for spines and purple heads, but in my opinion, has the best flavor of all of the artichokes." Artichokes as annuals also can grow in many places east of the Cascades, with a little coaxing.

To grow artichokes from seed, start them indoors in late February or March under grow lights for about eight weeks and then plant them outside after the last frost. In May or June, it's best to purchase starts from your local nursery or mail-order catalog.

"Plant artichoke starts in deep, well-amended soil in full sun," Myers said. "Space them three to five feet apart, and when planning your garden, think about the shade they will cast. Mulch and water regularly."

By mid-summer, the artichoke plant should send up flower buds. To eat the buds, harvest them before they open. If left to flower, the plant will produce a large purple thistle that can be dried and used in arrangements. If you harvest all the flowering heads, in milder climates artichokes may send up a second crop of flowers in the fall.

An artichoke will produce well for about three or four years, Myers said. After that, it's best to dig and divide it as it produces off-shoot plants that may crowd the original plant.

"In the fall, cut back your artichoke plant and mulch it with a covering of leaves or straw. After mild winters, new plants will sprout in the spring from the old parent plant. Uncover them in April. Cold winters, however, may kill artichokes, whether or not they are mulched."

Rogue Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Any Rogue beer will work with this recipe. But if you want to achieve grilled cheese greatness, use our Rogue Farms Freedom Hops Cheddar paired with any of our beers made with GYO Freedom Hops. That includes Chatoe Rogue Wet Hop Ale, Saint Rogue Red, Mogul Madness Ale, Mocha Porter, Santa’s Private Reserve and XS Old Crustacean.

Ingredients

Beer Bread
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp sugar
12 ounces Rogue Beer
3 Tbsp butter

Sandwich
Thinly sliced white onion
Oregano
Worcestershire sauce
Salt
Black pepper
Sharp cheddar cheese
Fontina cheese
Dijon mustard

Directions

Beer Bread
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Sift well with fork. Pour in beer, stir until a stiff batter is formed, but don’t over mix (best to just use your hands). Scrape dough into prepared loaf pan.

Melt butter and brush across top of dough. This is optional (if you’re vegan), BUT it really adds to the crust. Makes it golden and crusty!

Bake for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Bake time will vary with beer type.

Sandwich
Slice onions thin and dice some fresh oregano. Set burner to medium-high heat and drizzle olive oil on pan. Add onions to pan and make sure there is enough oil to lightly coat them all. Sauté onions until they begin to wilt, then add a pinch of salt and pepper, oregano and a couple splashes of worcestershire sauce. Reduce heat to medium low and cover. Cook covered until onions become soft/caramelized (about 10 minutes). Add more worcestershire sauce to taste if you’re into it.

Spread a layer of Dijon mustard on one slice of beer bread. Place desired amount of cheese on top. Place a pile of onions on top of cheese and top with another slice of cheese and bread.

Carefully place sandwich on a pan that’s lightly greased with olive oil and butter. Grill both sides on medium low heat.

Weather Forecast

February at the Hopyard
Average High: 51 degrees
Average Low: 35 degrees
Average Rainfall: 5.19 inches

Saturday: Showers. High near 45. South southwest wind between 15 and 17 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. 
Saturday Night: Showers. Low around 36. Southwest wind between 9 and 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. 
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 45. South wind between 6 and 10 mph. 
Sunday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. 
Washington's Birthday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 50. 
Monday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. 
Tuesday: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 52. 
Tuesday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42. 
Wednesday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53. 
Wednesday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40. 
Thursday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 52. 

Sun Calendar for February 18-24, 2012:

Moon Calendar for February 18-24, 2012:

How To Find The Hopyard: By Air, Land and Sea

By Air: The nearest general aviation airport is the Independence State Airport, a mile northwest of town. The airport has two runways, both 3100 feet long, handling about 87 trips per day and houses nearly 200 aircraft. Facilities include self-serve 100LL aviation fuel.

FAA Identifier: 7S5
Coordinates: 44-52.017500N / 123-11.894833W

By Land: Our address is 3590 Wigrich Road, Independence, Oregon, 97351 - about seven miles, via paved roads, southeast of Independence or five miles northeast of Buena Vista. We offer free valet parking for bicyclists and horse riders.

By Sea: Guests of the Chatoe Rogue are welcome to land their boats, kayaks and canoes at our private beach on the Willamette River. The beach is between mileposts 101 and 102, about four miles downriver from the Buena Vista Ferry. Camping is not permitted on the beach.

About the Rogue Farms Micro Hopyard:

Winter Hours:
Sun-Thu: Closed
Friday: 4PM-9PM
Saturday: 11AM-9PM

Hopyard Tours:
Saturday @ 3PM

To make arrangements for tours at other times, please call the Chatoe Rogue at 503-838-9813.

The Rogue Farms micro-hopyard is located in the Wigrich Appellation on a bend of the Willamette River south of Independence, Oregon. Rogue is a proud member of Oregon Hops Growing Association and the Hop Growers of America.

Rogue grows seven varieties of aroma hops on 42-acres in the oldest hops growing region of the West Coast. The first commercial hop yard in Oregon was planted near here in 1867. Within a few years this area was the most important hops growing region in the world, a position it held for more than five decades. Today, it's the top producer of aroma hops.

The Wigrich Appellation is named for the Wigan Richardson and Co. hopyard that operated on this site  for about 30 years in the early 20th century.

The climate is one of cool, cloudy and rainy winters, and warm, dry, sunny summers. The soil is mostly well-drained alluvial loams that were deposited here by ice age floods and annual flooding of the Willamette River.

The hopyard is along the 45th parallel, the "sweet spot" for hops growing in the Northern Hemisphere. During summer, the long periods of daylight and short periods of nighttime create ideal conditions for growing hops. This combination of long days and short nights are necessary to produce the hormones within the plant that stimulate growth of vines and flowers, leading to an abundance of cones for harvest in the fall.

Travel times/distances from surrounding cities to the Chatoe Rogue Micro Hopyard:
Portland (66.2 mi) = 1hr 36 min
Salem (19.1 mi) = 35 min
Corvallis (22.9 mi) = 40 min
Woodburn (36.3 mi) = 1 hr 1 min
Albany (16.2 mi) = 38 min
Newport (74.7 mi) = 1 hr 39 min
Astoria (140 mi) = 3 hr 11 min

The Chatoe is also just a hop, skip and a jump from 13 Oregon Vineyards/Wineries...