For researching hops production at the local and nantional levels, the best places to search s in newspaper indices (MSU Newspaper Guide) and the current agriculture literature databases.
MSU Extension has published the following publication on which addresses getting started, varieties and germplasm, traditional and organic culture, hopyard construction, etc: Estimated Costs of Producing Hops in Michigan. (Bulletin E3236 pdf).
For more in-depth information and all things 'Hop'ping in Michigan, visit their full site: Small Scale Hop Production in the Great Lakes Region.
Also - the Michigan Hop Alliance which is based up near Grand Traverse, has potentially helpful information.
More sources of current information
Plant Diversity Website: Humulus lupulus L. (pdf format, 4 p.)
Duke, J. A. 1983. Handbook of Energy Crops. Humulus lupulus L., Cannabinaceae, Common hops. Unpublished but archived at website for Purdue University Center for New Crops & Plants Products.
Starting up small-scale organic hops production, Robert Sirrine, Michigan State University Extension
Hops: Organic Production, George Kuepper, National Center for Appropriate Technology [pdf link]
Growing Hops in the Backyard / William Bamka et al, Rutgers, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station
Challenges and Opportunities for Organic Hop Production in the United States, Agronomy Journal, Volume 103, Issue 6, 2011
Hops were grown in Michigan about the time of the Civil War, but then declined with the infestation of the hop louse.
Very few records exist regarding how hops were grown in Michigan. The best information I have located so far is data in the early agriculture census works.All the years listed below link to this page,
Census of Population and Housing. Just click on the year desired then the appropriate drop-down link.
Census of 1850 - Michigan. table XI, p. 906. Data is Hops in pounds, by County.
Census of 1860, vol. 2, Agriculture in 1860 - Michigan. p. 78. Data is Hops in pounds, by County.
Census of 1870, v.3. Industry and wealth (Containing Agriculture by State).- Michigan. table IV, p. 179. Data is Hops in pounds, by County.
Census of 1880, v. 3. Productions of agriculture - Michigan. table XV, pp. 285, 287. Data is Hops in pounds and by acreage, both by County.
Census of 1890, v. 5 - Agriculture - Michigan, table 20, pp.436-37. Data is Hops in pounds and by acreage, both by County.
Census of 1900, v. 6 pt. 2 - Crops and Irrigation - History and Summary (Michigan mentioned in the text) pp. 517-519. Michigan, table 12, pp.586. Data is Hops in pounds and by acreage, both by County. Hops by State 1850-1900 (including Michigan) p.594.
Hops in their botanical, agricultural and technical aspect and as an article of commerce by Gross, Emanuel and Salter, Charles. London,Scott, Greenwood and Co., 1900. Full text available through the Biodiversity Heritage Library.
DOCUMENTS
Estimated Costs of Producing Hops in Michigan. Bulletin E3236.
Sustainable Hops Production in the Great Lakes Region / Nikki Rothwell and Robert Sirrine. Michigan State University Extension Bulletin E3083. 2/1/2010. 12 pages.
Hops / Geo. P. Oatley. In: "New Crops" and a letter from Geo. P. Oatley, dated Dec. 1866; includes a section on hop-houses and hop-boxes by H. H. Potter. Fifth Annual Report of the Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture of the State of Michigan, for the year 1866. pp. 172-185.
Hops / Geo. P. Oatley. Sixth Annual Report of the Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture of the State of Michigan, for the year 1867. pp.67-69
ARTICLES
Sewell, Richard H. Michigan farmers and the Civil War. Michigan History 44 (1960): 353-374.
Hops mentioned specifically on pages 362-363.
The following articles can be accessed by MSU thorugh American Periodical Series.
Editorial: Hop raising at the west. The New England Farmer, and Horticultural Register Nov 21, 1868. Vol. 47, Iss. 47; p. 1.
PROSPECTS OF THE HOP CROP. The New England Farmer; a Monthly Journal. Nov 1870. Vol. 4, Iss. 11; p. 508
Hop raising at the west. The New England Farmer, and Horticultural Register. Jan 1869. Vol. 3, Iss. 1; p. 28.
Condition of the crops: Corn. Wheat. Rye, Oats and Barlev. Buckwheat. Potatoes. Hay. Sorghum and Sugr Cane. Hops. Tobacco. Fruits. Wool. Stock Hogs. Prairie Farmer. Sep 24, 1870. Vol. 41, Iss. 38; p. 300
HOPSTATISTICS. Prairie Farmer. Mar 10, 1877. Vol. 48, Iss. 10; p. 76
Practical Department.; Hops in Michigan. Ohio Farmer. Aug 17, 1872. Vol. 21, Iss. 33; p. 513
R. The Farmer's Index.; Hop Culture. Christian Index. Sep 20, 1883. Vol. 150, Iss. 37; p. 14
HOP CULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES. Christian Union. Sep 29, 1880. Vol. 22, Iss. 13; p. 264
GATHERING THE HOPS. Christian Union. Oct 6, 1880. Vol. 22, Iss. 14; p. 288
These are articles in the newspaper Michigan Farmer. Electronic access to them is supplied to MSU thorugh American Periodical Series. Articles are listed in chronological order.
Hops and Barley. Michigan Farmer
many articles from 1881-1885 by this title in Michigan Farmer.
Hops. Michigan Farmer
many articles from 1882-1886 by this title in Michigan Farmer.
Cummings, Lincoln. Hop Culture.--Drying, &c. Michigan Farmer. Aug 23, 1847. Vol. 5, Iss. 6; p. 82 (2 pages)
Hop Culture. Michigan Farmer. May 1, 1864. Vol. 2, Iss. 11; p. 489 (2 pages)
Warner, A. S. HOPS IN OAKLAND COUNTY. Michigan Farmer. Aug 23, 1881. Vol. 12, Iss. 34; p. 1
Wells, Emmet. MR. WELLS ON THE HOP MARKET. Michigan Farmer. Nov 1, 1881. Vol. 12, Iss. 44; p. 4
THE OUTLOOK FOR HOPS. Michigan Farmer. Jun 20, 1882. Vol. 13, Iss. 25; p. 4
The Price of Hops. Michigan Farmer. Sep 5, 1882. Vol. 13, Iss. 36; p. 2
A Hop-Picking Machine. Michigan Farmer. Lansing: Oct 17, 1882. Vol. 13, Iss. 42; p. 8
OUR FRENCH LETTER; Fertilizer from Blood--Preserving Diseased Potatoes-Cultivation of Hops FERTILIZER FROM BLOOD PRESERVING DISEASED POTATOES MEW IMPLEMENT CULTIVATION OF HOPS, Michigan Farmer. Nov 7, 1882. Vol. 13, Iss. 45; p. 1
Riches in Hop Farming. Michigan Farmer. Jan 9, 1883. Vol. 14, Iss. 2; p. 2
Agricultural; A WORD ABOUT HOPS. Michigan Farmer. Mar 6, 1883. Vol. 14, Iss. 10; p. 1
The Cultivation of Hops. Michigan Farmer. Mar 20, 1883. Vol. 14, Iss. 12; p. 10
The Future for Hops. Michigan Farmer. Mar 20, 1883. Vol. 14, Iss. 12; p. 2
Farm Matters; Hops as a Farm Crop. Michigan Farmer. May 1, 1883. Vol. 14, Iss. 18; p. 2
Hop Growing. Michigan Farmer. Jul 31, 1883. Vol. 14, Iss. 31; p. 2
Wires for Hop Yards. Michigan Farmer. Sep 2, 1884. Vol. 15, Iss. 36; p. 1
Clark, John W. TWIN BROTHERS DRY HOP YEAST. Michigan Farmer. Nov 18, 1884. Vol. 15, Iss. 46; p. 5
A New Method of Preserving Hops. Michigan Farmer. Feb 10, 1885. Vol. 16, Iss. 6; p. 2
HOP-GROWING IN MICHIGAN. Michigan Farmer. Aug 4, 1885. Vol. 16, Iss. 31; p. 1
Hop Culture. Michigan Farmer. Oct 20, 1885. Vol. 16, Iss. 42; p. 2
A BOOM IN HOPS. Michigan Farmer. Jul 13, 1886. Vol. 17, Iss. 28; p. 4
The Hop Crop of 1890. Michigan Farmer. Aug 16, 1890. Vol. 21, Iss. 33; p. 2
Wilson, Jennie M. HOP CULTURE. Michigan Farmer. Sep 18, 1897. Vol. 32, Iss. 12; p. 190
Warner, A. THE WHY NOT OF HOP CULTURE. Michigan Farmer. Oct 16, 1897. Vol. 32, Iss. 16; p. 270
"THE WHY NOT OF HOP CULTURE." Michigan Farmer. Lansing: Nov 27, 1897. Vol. 32, Iss. 22; p. 394
Mitchell, G. HOP SPROUTS AS VEGETABLES. Michigan Farmer. Jul 22, 1905. Vol. 48, Iss. 4; p. 55
