Eric is a hops farmer and CEO of Mighty Axe Hops Farm in Foley, MN. With over 80 acres of land, he owns and operates the largest hops farm in Minnesota and takes on the dual role of farmer and entrepreneur. After harvest winds down in November Eric puts on his salesman hat, creating and strengthening relationships with regional brewers. With a growing market and a passion for sustainability, Eric is creating a true force for good off his farm.
Transcript
My name is Eric Sannerud, and I am a hops farmer. I grow 80 acres of hops in Minnesota, and hops are primarily used for brewing. We sell most of our hops to breweries in Minnesota. We're a regional grower. We're not a big grower. We're not an average-sized grower; we're smaller. So in order to survive, we're more vertically integrated. So we grow all of the product that we harvest. We harvest it all on site; we package it on site. We sell it direct. I'm the one selling my product to the brewer. Hops are perennial, so that means they come back every single year like a apple tree or a strawberry patch. And so that means our season's a little different than an annual crop, but every spring when the plants are ready, they start growing again. And we basically grow them throughout the season and applying chemicals and fertilizers to grow them. And then we get to the point of harvest, which is about August here in Minnesota. And when harvest comes around, we throw on all the machinery and start harvesting. Farming is primarily seasonal. Harvest wraps up in about September, and by November, Thanksgiving time, the farm is pretty well put to sleep. And then, I spend the next months until Spring comes back around primarily on the sales track. And that's really when I have the time to go out and visit the breweries and make those relationships. So that's when I like to go out and do some sales. For me, it's about finding breweries we can have a good relationship with. I want to know you, and I want you to know me. And so, for me, I think about it as not so much sales but relationship building and making sure people know that we're around, what we have available, what our values are. And we like to work with brewers who share our values. So, that's quality, that's transparency, that's really being authentic and having a passion inside your business. And it's not just about the dollars and cents. It's about something a little bit more. But really I think the biggest, unique difference is that I'm the farmer. I'm the one there talking to you at your brewery about my product. It's not a sales guy. It's not a sales rep; it's not a broker. It's all connected, and the story there is really strong.
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