Hopyard Event Staff Wanted for Aug 25 Brewfest

**JULY 10, 2012 UPDATE**

2012 Staff Registration has now been filled however...

You still have the opportunity to be a part of the Simple Earth Hops Harvest Brewfest by registering for free tickets at http://hopharvest.eventbrite.com/. Show your hopyard love by purchasing a Simple Earth Hops "Hopyard Staff" shirt or a commemorative "Cheers To Local Beers" pint glass at http://hops.goodsie.com/

We are stoked to announce that the Simple Earth Hops Harvest Brewfest will return to the farm in Dodgeville, Wisconsin on Saturday, August 25, 2012. Tickets for this local beer tasting-hop picking event will be made available in July.

In the mean time...

We are looking to fill the following volunteer event staff positions:

• Hopyard Staff Manager
• Tasting Glass distribution
• Hopyard event registration/reception 
• Hoppy Merchandise
• Server / Pourer
• Designated driver
• Hop Picking Manager
• Setup/ tear-down/ clean-up
• Parking & Hopyard Bouncers
• Master of Ceremonies/Announcer
• Face Painting
• Hopyard Harvester
• Band Roadie
• Hop Drying
• Hopyard Photographer

→ SIGN UP HERE ←

Benefits to being a event staff member

• Participation and experience from being a part of a beer festival event
• Moderated sampling of beer while you are at this event while you work (except for some team members like the designated driver).
• Warm fuzzy feelings of knowing that are helping to spread the good word about local craft beer and local hops.
• A tasting glass for you to enjoy local beer with.
• A chance to meet other hop growers and new friends.

Important Info

• Staff members are requested to volunteer from 8am to 5pm at this event. 
• You will receive your team/shift assignment by email.
• This event takes place at 4352 State Road 23, Dodgeville, WI 53533 on Saturday, Augus t 25, 2012.
• All the information you provide here is strictly confidential! We promise not to share it with anyone.
• All event staff volunteers must be a minimum of 21 years of age before the event to volunteer. 
• Be aware that volunteers represent Simple Earth Hops and we don't like mean people. 
• Volunteering for this hopyard event may not be for you. We want friendly, fun, warm and dedicated volunteers only who don't mind being around people who are consuming beer and possibly being loud.

→ SIGN UP HERE ←

**Waiver of Liability

By submitting the Hoppy Registration Form, staff volunteer agrees to bear full responsibility and full liability for any and all damage or injury which might result from volunteering at this Simple Earth Hops farm event. Staff volunteers also releases and agrees to hold harmless and indemnify the Sweeny family and the Kerr family, event sponsors and their insurance carriers from any and all claims, actions or damages without any limitation whatsoever, whether consisting of personal injury, property damage or death that results in any way from any act of the volunteer while attending or volunteering at this Simple Earth Hops event.

NOTICE!

Completing this volunteer application does not guarantee your participation in the volunteer program. We will confirm your volunteer involvement as soon as possible so that you can enjoy some other fun, local event if you need to.

Poster Art Approved for Simple Earth Hops Harvest Brewfest

Simple Earth Hops of Dodgeville, WI is proud to announce the 1st release of poster artwork for the 2012 Harvest Brewfest which will be on Saturday, August 25, 2012.

More details will be available in the coming weeks for this “Brewing Up The Community” celebration - an all day beer tasting environment for 100+ VIP attendees who will participate in hop picking at the hopyard farm in Dodgeville, Wisconsin.

Event tickets will be required and available after July 1. Keep your hoppy palettes open for this family-friendly event which will also feature hopyard tours, live music and beer samples and a community potluck with bonfire in the evening.

Stay tuned to the Simple Earth Hops Facebook page for the most up-to-date news.

Wisconsin Hopyard Internship Now Available in Dodgeville, WI

Simple Earth Hops has an opening for a hopyard intern to work on our 200 plant hopyard in the rolling hills of Southwest Wisconsin. The hopyard is located in Dodgeville, 1/2 mile north of Governor Dodge State Park. The internship will run from June through early September 2012.

General Farm Description:

Simple Earth Hops operates a sustainable hopyard which is used for education, research and demonstration and is located near Governor Dodge State Park at Greenspirit Farm CSA. The hopyard is planted with old and new varieties of hops and was founded with the idea of providing a much needed agricultural product for local craft brewers. This Dodgeville, Wisconsin small-scale commercial hopyard is owned and operated by the Sweeny family of Dodgeville who cultivate biodiversity to slowly grow earth friendly hops for local brewers with similar locavore ethics.

Simple Earth Hops was established to demonstrate that local farmers can produce a consistent, sustainable supply of quality hops by working directly with local craft brewers while still maintaining a focus on ecology, the land and the people involved.

Internship Position Compensation:

- Housing is provided in exchange for work on the farm
- The number of hours per week is VERY flexible
- Housing includes a guest bedroom, with bath, kitchen, etc
- This is not a paid internship
- You will be required to provide meals

Intern's Primary Responsibilities:

- All aspects of the Farm’s production
- planting rhizomes
- trellis construction and maintenance
- hopyard irrigation
- working with local brewers
- field preparation
- cultivating/weeding
- harvesting
- farm events
- Wisconsin Hop Exchange meetings
- assisting with the CSA every week

Skills Required:
- A good attitude
- Willing to learn
- An open mind
- Able to work outside in the sun and rain (with exception)
- An interest in beer is not required but is recommended
- You don't mind kids
- Nunchucks
- A rain coat

Benefits of being an Intern with Us:

• Educational.
  We will teach you everything that we know.
• We will give you access to all the research and relationships that we have established for the hopyard.
• Provides a unique opportunity.
  This Organic farm gives you a chance to watch life grow from the ground up and literally taste the fruits of your labor as we use the hops to make beer for our hopyard events.
• Fun and Useful Experience.
  This is an excellent chance to get your hands dirty and learn about sustainable commercial hops production in the Midwest.
• Exceptional Location.
  We are blessed with one of the most beautiful locations in Wisconsin. The hopyard is located 1/2 mile from the State's 2nd largest State Park: Governor Dodge State Park. Because of this location, you will benefit from being centrally located in a recreational paradise, with a hiking system of more than 40 miles or trails, several nearby lakes, camping, yummy local beer, good food and a community of locavores.

How to Apply

To apply for the internship, send an email (to fattymattybrewing@gmail.com) with:

1. your contact info [your address and phone number]
2. a resume;
3. 2 or more references and;
4. a letter of interest including the following information:

* Why do you want to be an intern at Simple Earth Hops?
* What experience have you had working on a farm and/or with hops?
* Do you like beer?
* Do you have specific skills to offer?
* What do you feel you can learn here?
* Do you have your own transportation?

Please be sure to include your complete address, phone number and available start date so we can contact you about your application.

Please send the above info to fattymattybrewing@gmail.com

Beer Release Party at Great Dane Downtown Madison April 19th

The Wisconsin Hop Exchange is proud to announce a Beer Release Party & WHEx Open House at the Great Dane Pub & Brewing Company on April 19, 2012 at 6pm at their downtown Madison brewpub on Doty Street.

This Beer Release Party is open to the public and organized to celebrate yet another locally sourced beer made with hops grown by the Wisconsin Hop Exchange Cooperative's Grower Members - aka come help us drink all their WI hopped beer!

As described by the Great Dane, this beer is called HopSconsin Imperial Red is a:

"...light amberish red with intense aromatic hop nose and is frighteningly drinkable..." 

This particular ale pays homage to the hop being 9.25% ABV and was brewed at the downtown Madison brewpub.

• Meet some Wisconsin hop growers
• Lean about hops grown in Wisconsin
• Get hops to make your own beer
• Pickup a WHEx t-shirt or sticker

WHEN

6 to 9pm on April 19, 2012

WHERE

The Great Dane Pub & Brewing Co’s downtown location at 123 E. Doty Street, Madison, WI.

READ MORE

Read this event’s official press release. Got friends who live near Madison and like beer? Print out the event PDF and share this event on Facebook

Show your support and come enjoy some local craft beer made with Wisconsin Hops!

Brewing Up a Community Commercial Hops Webinars

Simple Earth Hops is proud to present the Brewing Up a Community Hops Webinars

• Get tickets @ http://hopsontap.eventbrite.com/
• View the Hops Webinars Schedule @ http://www.mattsweeny.com/hops-webinars/

Read the press release!

A MONTHLY EVENT on the
3rd SATURDAY OF MARCH-APRIL-MAY 

2 Hops Webinars per day on:

• Saturday - March 17
• Saturday - April 21
• Saturday - May 19

The cost for each webinar is $20 and each webinar is 2 hours long.

Commercial Hops Webinar Choices 

Morning Hops Webinar: [10am - 12pm CST]

Q&A, Marketing & Processing Commercial Hops Webinar / This Hops Webinar is dedicated to just answering your questions with a focus on marketing and processing hops.  

SOLD OUT!
Afternoon Hops Webinar: [2pm - 4pm CST]
Marketing & Processing Hops Webinar / Whether you are selling hops to your local brewmaster down the street or setting up a website to sell your hops online to homebrewers, you will want to know what do with your hops once they are done growing right? 

Late Night Hops Webinar: [9pm - 11pm CST]

Q&A, Hopyard Establishment & Sustainable Growing Webinar / This webinar is dedicated to answering your questions about how to setup a small scale commercial hopyard and how to use earth-friendly growing practices while still providing a profitable yield.  

You can also buy tickets for a Personal Hopyard Tour which exists to give us with time to answer your questions in person, share a beer together and walk around the hopyard to see the small scale commercial hopyard in Dodgeville, WI.

• Get tickets @ http://hopsontap.eventbrite.com/
• View the Hops Webinars Schedule @ http://www.mattsweeny.com/hops-webinars/

Place multiple ticket orders if you'de like to attend webinars on different days. The individual webinars are presented independant from each other. The tickets offered for the Brewing Up a Community Hops Webinars give you a 2 hour session to talk with Matt Sweeny, ask questions and hopefully learn some too. A requirement for attending the Hops Webinars is that you must have a beer in hand!

Have a question about this event?

• Ask Matt Sweeny directly at http://www.vcita.com/matt.sweeny
• Post your question on the Hops Webinars Facebook Event Page

Hops Webinar Marketing Partners

• Brookston Beer Bulletin
• Commercial Hops Webinar press release [Google Docs]
• Commercial Hops Webinars Press Release on PRLog.org
• madison.Craigslist.org
• Hops Webinars promo video
• Hops Webinars event on Linked In
• Fatty Matty Brewing blog

Wholesale Hop Rhizome Pre-ordering ends Jan. 15, 2012

You can now pre-order (wholesale quantities only) hop rhizomes for 2012 at http://hops.goodsie.com/

Pre-ordering ends Jan. 15, 2012. Don't wait, pre-order now! 

 As of Jan. 5, 2012, these hop rhizome varieties are available at http://hops.goodsie.com/ :

• Brewer's Gold
• Cascade
• Centennial
• Chinook
• Columbus
• Galena
• Nugget
• Mt. Hood
• Perle
• Sterling
• Willamette 

 As you make plans to grow hops at home (to brew with in your own beer), to grow hops on the farm or expand your current commercial hopyard), Simple Earth Hops is proud to offer a 2012 hop rhizome pre-ordering option for hops which may grow best in the Midwest.

As you make choices about which hops to by you can review our Hop Variety Profile spreadsheet available on Google Docs at http://goo.gl/Oa5Av

 ** These hop rhizomes ARE NOT necessarily certified Organic! **

Hop Rhizome Sources
Most of these varieties do not come directly from our hopyard in Wisconsin but rather, are sources from other local Midwest hopyards and other reliable local hop growers in the U.S.A.

Wholesale Rhizome Pricing
Minimum order is 100 hop rhizomes. We reserve the right to change prices based on supply and demand. 

Wholesale Hop Rhizome Limited Availability
Hop rhizome supplies are limited! You'll have a better chance to get your complete hop rhizomes order filled by pre-ordering early. First come first serve! Simple Earth Hops reserves the right to limit quantities on all varieties based on supply when you order. Varieties that are sold out will be refunded.

Shipping
Due to the quarantine on hops coming from outside the States of Washington and Idaho, we can't ship to those States. We also do not ship to Hawaii or out of the U.S. These rhizomes will ship days after being dug out of the ground and shipment will be in late March or some time in April.