“The Scratch of the Hop” by Marsha O’Mahony Hop Picking in Herefordshire, Worcestershire & Shropshire

In Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire, the clay soil is deep and rich, offering unmatched conditions for the growing of the key ingredient in beer – hops.

Like cider apples, hops were once a major part of the farming landscape and rural economy of this part of the Midlands, but today just 27 hop-growers are left here. At one time, the distinctive wirework of the beautifully-strung hopyards stretched as far as the eye could see, but now most of the old hopyards have disappeared.

Harvest-time attracted thousands of hand-pickers from the Midlands, Liverpool, Bath, Bristol, Manchester, South Wales and even London. Some were Gypsies and itinerant labourers; others were whole families, including grandparents and children, and service men and women, evacuees and prisoners of war. For many, hops were a way of life, for others a seasonal event akin to a family holiday.

Tracing the story of hop-farming – through local archives, interviews and a wealth of unseen photographs, from the early days of hand-picking through mechanisation to modern varieties, farming methods and the boom in craft-brewing – this richly-illustrated book celebrates the social history, traditions, culture and magic of hops.

Format: Paperback