Throughout the Great War of 1914-1918 Poperinge, or “Pops” as the British soldiers called it, was used by the British Army as a gateway to the battlefields of the northern Ypres Salient. The railway station at Poperinge became one of the most important on the Western Front in World War One. It was used for the distribution of supplies, for billeting troops, for casualty clearing stations and for troops at rest from duty in the forward trench areas. Thousands of troops passed through this small town at some time or other. Hops (Humulus lupulus) is a species of climbing flowering plant in the Cannabaceae family, native to Europe, western Asia and North America. The female cone shaped fruits from the hop plant are used by breweries to preserve and flavor beer. The region is famous for growing hops and now furnishes 80% of Belgian production The proliferation of hop farms in this area is no coincidence. The mild maritime climate and the fertile soil, a mixture of sand and loam, are eminently suitable for growing this special plant. Thanks to the monks of the St.Bertin's abbey the hop plant took root in Poperinge. After harvesting the hops cones have to be dried in typical kilns, which one can remark in many places in the landscape or they are an almost invisible element in traditional farm. A triennial hop festival and parade is held in the month of September. The local brew is known as Hommel-beer (‘hommel’ means hops in the West Flanders dialect). Hops is not only used in the brewing process. Hop shoots that are harvested in the spring are a veritable delicacy. They can be found on the menu of several local and regional restaurants during the first four months of the year. Enjoying hop shoots is no recent fad. As far back as the Middle Ages, feudal lords were given hop shoots by their tenant farmers.