Plant a hop, grow a community

Those of us who live here know the feeling well…

That ‘breath of fresh air’ that follows a quiet winter, when life begins to sprout up again and ever so gradually the refreshed and friendly faces of our community appear and begin to busy themselves with preparations for the upcoming season.

That was definitely the scene last weekend at Boothbay Region Greenhouses in Boothbay Harbor.  A passerby might have been intrigued to observe an otherwise uncommon group of folks gathered together on a sunny Saturday afternoon to play in the dirt.  The ‘players’ represented pretty much every sector of business in our community: A town official (Boothbay Town Manager, Jim Chaousis), an Excavating Contractor (E.M. Wood), a Resort owner (Spruce Point Inn), specialty shop owners (Oak Street Provisions and Eventide Specialties), gracious hosts, Boothbay Region Greenhouses and ‘Project Hop’ organizers, the Boothbay Craft Brewery.  Heather O’Brien of Marketing Cents 4u was also onsite as project cheerleader, whose sole purpose was to spread the ‘dirt’ around town.

This otherwise uncommon group had come together to plant 500 baby hops; for the eventual purpose of growing their business and more importantly, growing community relationships.  Many of these baby plants will remain under the generous care of the expert growers at Boothbay Region Greenhouse until they are adopted by their future hop families. 

The hops arrived last week, traveling all the way from the west coast and landing at Boothbay Craft Brewery in anticipation of their upcoming debut at the Hop Swap Event scheduled for June 2^nd.  The Hop Swap is one of several festivities planned for the weekend of June 1^st-3^rd, which will include a golf tournament at the Boothbay Country Club, ticket holder specials at McSeagull’s restaurant, Eventide Specialties and Oak Street Provisions.  Area businesses are encouraged to jump on board by offering additional reasons for folks to visit the region in conjunction with these already made plans.  Participating businesses have partnered with Marketing Cents 4u to assist in getting the word out to potential vacationers during the decision making season.   The Marketing campaign will also consider in state visitor potential, due to the rising trend in local travel.

Project Hop is one of many exciting efforts happening around the region for the purpose of increasing exposure to potential visitors by combining resources and sharing costs.  As demonstrated by its participants, businesses need not be tourism related to take advantage of community efforts intended to grow the economy of our region.  

In need of ideas on how your business can generate sales by participating in these efforts?  Attend a free community workshop being held on May 3^rd at 5:30pm at The World is Mine Oyster or contact Marketing Cents 4u at: marketingcents4u@gmail.com /http://www.marketingcents4u.com/ 671-7676/380-7580

Interesting Facts about Hops:

Did you know that Hop farming in Maine dates all the way back to the 1800’s?  Once a viable commercial crop in our state, hops were harvested for reasons far beyond making beer.  An ingredient in products such as natural deodorants, body and face lotions, shampoos, stress relievers and countless food recipes, hop growing is clearly not just for beer lovers!  Old folk remedies report the use of hops for healing wounds, jaundice and even cancer.  How about inexpensive landscaping ideas?  Hops are a vine plant, which means they are the perfect natural privacy fence or the solution to hiding unsightly yard items such as a propane tank or the hubby’s pile of junk covered in blue tarp.  In a community so rich in creative, artistic minds, hop growing could become yet another reason folks visit the region.  Not to mention the potential opportunity in yet another Maine made product line!  Move over salt water taffy! 

Hops are available at a bulk rate or in conjunction with the Hop Swap Event which gets you a plant and a ticket to the event on June 2^nd for just $10.   Tickets are being sold at the following  partnering businesses:  Boothbay Region Greenhouses, Oak Street Provisions, McSeagull’s Restaurant, Hammond Lumber, Grovers Hardware, Southport General Store, BBHR Chamber of Commerce, Spruce Point Inn, Blissful Touch, Yoga Firm Studio, Eventide Specialties, Salon Capella, Sewell Auto Parts, E.M. Wood Construction, Video Loft and Marketing Cents 4u, in conjunction with several area lodging packages.

FMI contact the Boothbay Craft Brewery at 633-3411 or visit any of the aforementioned local businesses.