Meet the Farmers.

Our Story

After growing a Cascade plant in his front yard, Steve got the hop growing bug and decided this was a sure way to make a few more mates and lose some money on a new hobby.

With limited options and an equally naive mate (Andrew), some very kind relatives offered half an acre on top of a hill in the old farming community of Hemmant, Brisbane. The landlords rent was agreed at creating a vegetable garden adjacent to the Hops. The vegetable garden was a failure and the Hops were equally disappointing in the first year.

With repetitive advice and a general consensus that ‘you can’t grow Hops in Queensland’, obstinance prevailed and the Hops farm expanded , the veggie garden was ploughed in.

Six years later with a lot of mistakes, we now grow over a tonne of Hops annually and for bragging rights, have a second harvest in winter utilising our subtropical weather and a couple of other tricks. In 2024, we’re expanding to our new farm in Cleveland, Brisbane, tripling in size to accomodate the demand from brewers and breweries.

Lessons learned and tips from our mates:-

• ‘You can’t grow Hops in Qld.’
• Favourite brewer - any that drop in with beers.
• Don’t track your costs.
• Find 30 minutes a week to look up and enjoy the show.
• Hops are weeds - if we can grow them, then anyone can.
• Picking hops by hand belongs in the dark ages.
• ‘You can’t grow Hops in Qld.’

When they’re not farming (or visiting breweries) Steve is a Civil and Tunnel Engineer (reality, digging holes and pushing pipes) and Andrew is a Policy Officer (Public Service).