Isithombe: I-Sussex Hop Fields

Isithombe sithwebula ubuhle obungapheli benkundla ye-English hop yendabuko ebekwe emagqumeni ase-Sussex, akhazinyuliswe ngokusagolide kokukhanya kwelanga kwantambama. Ngaphambili, ama-hop bine akhuphukela phezulu kahle, iziqu zawo eziqinile zizungezwe ama-twine strung anqamula izigxobo ezinde zokhuni. Izigaxa ze-hop ngokwazo zilenga ngobuningi obuhlangene, obuluhlaza obuphaphathekile obunokusikisela okuphuzi, ama-bract awo agqagqene enza ukwakheka kwephepha elithambile elimema ukubhekisiswa. Ikhoni ngayinye ibonakala icwebezela njengoba ukukhanya kubamba indawo yayo ethambile, okuphakamisa kokubili ubuthakathaka nokunotha, izindlala ze-lupulin ezicashile ngaphakathi ezithembisa ukunambitheka okuyinkimbinkimbi namaphunga abaphisi botshwala abaye bawathanda amakhulu eminyaka. Amaqabunga amakhulu, anamacici anamacijile azungeze amakhoni engeza umehluko kukho kokubili ukuthungwa kanye nombala, amathunzi awo aluhlaza ngokumnyama anikeza ingemuva elicwebezelayo lamakhoni aphaphathekile amelela isiphetho somsebenzi wesizini.

Njengoba iso liya endaweni emaphakathi, imigqa ehlelekile yama-trellises idlulela ebangeni, yenze iphethini enesigqi yemigqa eqondile eyakha igceke elikhulu le-hop. Le lathisi yezigxobo nezintambo, nakuba ilula ekwakhiweni kwayo, ibalulekile ekusekeleni ukukhula okusheshayo kwezitshalo ze-hop, ezingakhuphukela phezulu ngamamitha angu-20 ngesizini eyodwa. I-symmetry yemigqa iholela ekubukeni phansi endleleni ephakathi, ithrekhi yokungcola egqokwa abalimi abahamba ngayo izikhathi ezingenakubalwa ukuze banakekele izitshalo zabo. Lo muzwa wokuhleleka uphambene nokuchichima okuphilayo, cishe okungalawuleki kwamabhina ngokwawo, amathenda awo afinyelela futhi agoqe nhlangothi zonke, okufaka ubungqabavu obungapheli besitshalo se-hop. Kungumshado wobuhlakani bomuntu namandla emvelo, ibhalansi eye yachaza ukulima kwe-hop eNgilandi izizukulwane ngezizukulwane.

Ngasemuva, insimu igingqika kancane iye ebangeni, inikeze indlela yokuguquguquka okuthambile kwezwe laseSussex. Phakathi kwala magquma kukhona idolobhana elimangalisayo, iqoqo lalo lamakotishi kanye nenqaba yesonto ephakama ngokucashile ngaphezu komugqa wesihlahla. Ukuba khona kwedolobhana kugcizelela isithombe endaweni ephilayo, kukhumbuza umbukeli ukuthi ukulima kwe-hop akuwona nje umzamo wezolimo kodwa futhi kuwusiko lwamasiko oluhambisana nesigqi sempilo yasemakhaya yamaNgisi. Amasimu akude nothango kuhlangana ngaphandle komthungo emkhathizwe, kudala i-vista yokwelusa ezizwa ingaphelelwa yisikhathi, ingashintshile amakhulu eminyaka igcina i-hum ethule yezindlela zokulima zesimanje manje ezingase zikusekele.

Ukukhanya kwelanga okusagolide okugeleza kuyo yonke indawo kucebisa yonke imininingwane. Igeza ama-hops ekufudumaleni, iguqule ama-cones abe amagugu acishe abe mnyama akhanya ngokumelene nohlaza olumnyama lwamaqabunga. Ithunzi liba lide futhi lithambile, ligcizelela ukuthungwa nokujula, kuyilapho umoya ohelezayo unyakazisa amabhina, udala ukunyakaza okucashile okuphakamisa kokubili ukuzola nobungqabavu. Lokhu kukhanya kuguqula i-hop yard isuke endaweni yezolimo ibe yindawo enokuthula, lapho imijikelezo yemvelo nokuphatha komuntu kuhlangana khona ngokuzwana.

Sekukonke, lesi sithombe asihlanganisi nje kuphela ubuhle bomzimba benkundla ye-hop kodwa futhi nokubaluleka kwayo okungokomfanekiso. Imele amakhulu eminyaka efa lokuphisa lamaNgisi, lapho ama-hops afana ne-Fuggle, Goldings, noma izinhlobo zesimanjemanje ziye zatshalwa ukuze ziboleke uhlobo lwazo oluhlukile kuma-ales ajatshulelwa kokubili kuleli naphesheya. Kuvusa isineke nokunakekela kwabalimi abanakekela lezi zitshalo phakathi nezinkathi zonyaka, ukulindela isivuno, namasiko okuphuza ancike ezithakweni ezinjalo. Okungaphezu kwesifinyezo, kuwumfanekiso wendawo nenjongo, lapho umhlaba ngokwawo udlala indima ebalulekile enqubweni yokuphisa njenganoma yiliphi igedlela, umphongolo, noma iresiphi.

Isithombe sihlobene: Ama-Hops ku-Beer Brewing: Sussex