Traditional ‘burning off’ of the hop bines

During this Autumn I’ve continued to shoot photographs of the Surrey farming community.  Last week heading down to Puttenham documenting the traditional ‘burning off’ of the hop bines which takes place after the harvest. The “bines” or stems grow up to 20 feet each year on poles during the growing season. In September the bines are cut down and picked in the hop garden by mechanised picking machines. Later in the Autumn each bine is cut off close to the ground with a swap, they are placed in small piles which are later collected up and burnt, leaving the gardens neat and tidy for next year.