The new season is upon us again. After coming back from our winter travels, bubbling with ideas and improvements to move the farm forwards, we donned our wellies to see what winter had done to the land. The farm in all respects is looking well, considering the battering it’s had in the off season. With winds of up to 80mph and incessant rain it seems that the winter storms have not let up since we left in November.
One noticeable difference this year is the grass. It looks like it has flourished over the mild (but wild!) winter and has spread across some of the hop rows. We’ll be trialling mulching techniques this season to help prevent weeds and invading grass. We’re also looking into alternative feeds for the hops; we’re keen to try out the organic seaweed fertilizer we’ve bought to give the ‘girls’ what they need.
The lower field, the site for our new development (more about this shortly), is a marsh of grass and water. Although not flooded, it’s currently saturated under foot. It will drain quickly but it has to stop raining first!
This brings me nicely on to our latest development. Over the coming year, we’re looking to construct a geodesic tunnel to create a home to over 6 varieties of hops – all grown hydroponically. We’ve been playing around with hydroponics for some years with mixed success. So 2020 is the year we put our findings into action, improve on our mistakes and provide a better feeding regime for our lovely hoppy family!
You can follow this projected nicknamed the ‘Beer Garden’ on our website darkfarm.co.uk
Feature image: Gareth Davies
