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CapitalPress.com
Friday, April 8, 2022
Gooding Farms: Hops bring sisters together
By BRIAN WALKER
For the Capital Press
PARMA, Idaho — Good-
ing Farms boasts 1,300 acres
and 12 hop varieties, includ-
ing a gem that was devel-
oped in its own fi elds.
The Idaho Gem variety,
named after the Gem State,
allowed the farm to diver-
sify and reach new markets.
“When we founded
our own hop variety, that
allowed us to capitalize on
the New England IPA-style
beer and other Pale Ale and
IPA styles that have become
popular,” said Michelle
Gooding, one of three sisters
involved in management of
the company.
Idaho Gem features
stone fruit, red berry, citrus,
mojito and even powdered
sugar aromas. Its fl avors are
soft and smooth.
Other varieties that Good-
ing Farms grows include
Citra, Galena, Mosaic and
El Dorado.
SERIES
3120R
2205 3520R
2505
3510H 4020R
2400h
2610h
4525R 4720H
15 series
20 series
6640
8050
35 series
The family roots of
Gooding Farms run deep,
dating back to 1895 when
Nick Gooding grew hops in
St. Paul, Ore., in the Willa-
mette Valley.
Gooding
Farms,
a
six-generation
operation,
moved to southwest Idaho in
1944 after the family noted
the ideal hop-growing envi-
ronment during an earlier
trip.
“Hops grow based on
day length,” Michelle said.
“We have to hold them back
in the spring so they don’t
bloom too early. This is also
why most hops are grown
near the 45th Parallel in
both the northern and south-
ern hemispheres.”
Row crops actually con-
sumed all of the farm’s acre-
age in 1990 except for 190
acres of hops.
“Dad (Mike) fought hard
to keep hops in Idaho and
to keep the farm going his
entire career,” Michelle said.
She said the return of her
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4520
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Gooding Farms
Gooding Farms near Parma, Idaho, is a sixth-generation
operation that includes Diane, Michelle, Mike (father)
and Andrea.
sister Diane and the rise of
the craft beer revolution
in 2011 provided the farm
a much-needed boost and
opportunity to diversify.
“Those coinciding events
undoubtedly saved the
farm,” said Michelle, who
returned to the farm in 2015.
Sister Andrea returned in
2019.
Andrea’s return marked
the fi rst time since 2002 that
the three sisters worked on
the farm together. The farm
expanded to eastern Oregon
in 2020. About 950 acres
of the farm’s acreage is in
southwest Idaho between
Parma and Wilder. The
remainder is near Adrian,
Ore.
Industry involvement is
evident with the sisters.
Michelle is the president
of the Idaho Hop Growers
Association. Diane is on the
Wilder Irrigation District
Board and Hop Research
Council. Andrea serves on
the Wilder Housing Author-
ity Board. Mike is the chair-
man of the Wilder Rural Fire
District.
Gooding Farms has 115
employees during harvest
and 30 full-time. Among
those employees is Alvin
Smallwood, an 83-year-old
tractor operator who has
worked for four genera-
tions of Goodings and began
working at the farm in 1952
at age 16 hanging hop sacks.
“Alvin is part of the fam-
ily,” Michelle said.
The farm primarily sup-
plies large third-party pro-
cessors and distributors all
over the world.
“We also do direct sales
with larger regional craft
breweries and Anheus-
er-Busch,” Michelle said.
“We have seen an increased
demand for aroma varieties,
allowing us to shift our acre-
age composition. We plan
to focus on producing the
highest quality hops while
improving our soil heath and
biodiversity.”
The family also plans to
expand the farm with ani-
mals and hay crops while
also having a retail pres-
ence at Red Top Market that
opened in 2020.
Changes on the farm in
recent years included hav-
ing solar power installed
in 2018 on the dryer roof
and shop to off set 40% of
the power usage. The farm
planted its fi rst organic hop
crop in 2020.
Still, multiple challenges
are ahead.
“Increases in input and
labor costs are big chal-
lenges for us,” Michelle
said. “Additionally, the
increase in land prices near
the farm and urban sprawl
make it diffi cult to expand
the operation. We are also
in the middle of a drought,
which will cause more diffi -
culties this year.”
Gooding Farms has seen
an increase in idled acres
and contract reductions
during the pandemic.
“When the taprooms
were closed it was diffi cult
for small craft breweries to
make ends meet. Alas, many
went under,” Michelle said.
For hop growers that
meant less hop sales, as craft
breweries are some of the
highest hops per barrel users
despite them being small
operations.
“Some breweries adapted
and began canning, but that
also faced its own chal-
lenges with the aluminum
can shortage,” Michelle said.
“We had some employee
shortfalls during harvest
when people were sick, but
for the most part we have
weathered the COVID-19
storm fairly well.”
Michelle said the family
tradition of hard work and
togetherness should pay div-
idends in the future.
“Full-circle farming is
the goal, actions that sup-
port and continue the farm
for generations to come,”
she said. “We are passion-
ate farmers. We love what
we do, and we are trying to
make a positive impact on
the community and indus-
try as we go forward. With a
focus in minimizing our car-
bon footprint and improving
soil health, we hope that the
farm will be here for many
more years to come.”
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