Harvest Report – Part 2
Excited to share the news of a bountiful harvest! Back in June we collected grain samples from around our region and patiently waited for the lab results. The early reports were strong, showing solid protein levels, strong germination, and little evidence of pre-harvest sprout.
After reviewing these data, we’ll be bringing in a majority of our grain from North Carolina….which is always the goal we strive for! Tennessee, Virginia, and Kentucky growers will supply the remaining portion. We’ll also have Georgia-grown wheat and some Florida grown rye available, too! We decided to have a little fun with the name on that one…..calling it Flo-Rye-da.
We applaud all of the hard work that goes into growing a beautiful crop of barley. Our growers are definitely “students of the game”, always looking to fine tune their approach. It could be as simple as switching to a field with slightly better drainage, or something more technical like updating their pest management strategy. Their efforts and increasing experience levels are beginning to pay dividends. When grain yields in the Southeast begin to rival those of the traditional barley growing regions out West (>100 bushels/acre), you know they are doing something right!
Seeing these bright, plump kernels and hearing about increasing yields illustrate how much has been achieved across our supply chain. Early on, we were probably a bit of nuisance to our growers…..asking for small amounts of specific varieties with strict quality parameters. Ten years later, we are receiving truckloads of grain every few days. These volumes provide meaningful income and support jobs at each link in the chain. Portions of these purchases also support the research that will bring us the next round of 2-row varieties.
Couple all this good news with the rise of some stellar craft lagers and single malts that are being created from these grains and you have a distinctive a host of beverages that showcase a terrior that is unique to Southeast!
- Brent