Interesting labor-saving news coming from the Wisconsin State Journal:
This month, the company will ship its first 12 small-scale hop harvesters — the only machine of its kind, they say, made to mechanically harvest hops grown on 10 acres or less.
Most farmers growing hops on less than 50 acres are forced to harvest by hand, said James Altwies, president of Gorst Valley, headquartered near Mazomanie. While it takes six workers an hour to harvest from two bines (the vines on which hops grow), Gorst Valley’s harvester, operated by three people, can harvest 30 to 60 bines an hour.
The Bine 3060 — a combined hop picker and sorter — was two years in the making and sells for $12,900. Large-scale hop harvesters can cost around $180,000 new or $30,000 used, and are too complex to be affordable for small growers, Altwies said.
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