EDEN, NY (WKBW-TV) — The Koester family in Eden made the switch from growing pumpkins to growing hops in 2015. Nancy Keoster says "I was getting tired of picking up pumpkins."
The Koester Hops Farm is the largest of its kind in Western New York and they grow four varieties. Nancy says "Hops are what give beer it's flavor, otherwise it would taste like bread."
The hops growing is just a hobby, but one that keeps Nancy, her husband Dan and brother-in-law Greg busy from April through August.
The Koesters sell their crop to a co-op, so it is possible that their hops end up in some of the many Buffalo and Western New York brews.
According to Nancy, New York State was the #1 producer of hops. That was log before the 1914 "aphids infestation" and prohibition. She says "We are probably fifth now, maybe. Washington, Oregon, Michigan are ahead of us. We are doing better than we were."
Harvesting is in August and Nancy says lots of people like to stop and watch. "It's quite an operation."
You can find more information about the Koester Hops Farm at their website.
