Planting Season

A long stretch of rain ushered in the barley planting season here at Rogue Farms in Tygh Valley, Oregon.

We’re just getting started on seeding our fields of Dare™ spring malting barley. And like so many things in farming, the rain is a mixed blessing this time of year.

It’s great for the barley. The rain will help the newly planted Dare™ seeds germinate and grow.

But if you’ve ever tried running a tractor through a wet field, only to see it bog down in the mud, then you’ll understand why we wish it was a little bit drier right now.

What we’re pulling behind the tractor is called a seed drill. It cuts furrows into the soil, drops in the seed, and then pushes the dirt back over the seeds.

So far the fields have been in good enough shape. Moist but not wet. We’ve got a lot more rain coming in the next several day so we’re going to take it nice and slow. Drill when we can. Wait when soil conditions are too wet.

Spring rains over our fields of Risk™ malting barley.

Meanwhile, the Risk™ winter malting barley we planted in the fall is healthy and green, and about 8-10 inches tall. It too, likes having rain during spring.

But we did lose a few acres of Risk™ during an extreme cold spell over the winter. We’ll replant them in Dare™ next week.

When you grow your own proprietary palate of flavors, you work with whatever Mother Nature sends your way. Things usually work out in the end, but she sure loves keeping us on our toes!

Please join us this spring at Rogue Farms, agri-fermenters of craft beverages, and see how we grow beer and spirits.