"The alternating wet & cool weather we've had all summer has put the brakes on pretty much everything growing up here, including my hops."
This is my experience this year, too--I live in Western Massachusetts. I had great hopes for my three hop plants (Northern Brewer, Perle, and EKG) because it is their third year, and I heard year three typically produces a bumper crop. But it ended up being more or less like year two.
The most difficult aspect of hop growing, for me, is knowing when to harvest. Last year, I harvested too late--and so, surprise surprise, I think I harvested too early this year. I did the "split test" that I read about: pulling apart a cone to see if it splits right down the middle, and it did, but even after the cones were dried, they didn't seem too fragrant. Nevertheless, they're vacuumed sealed and in the freezer and will be added to recipes using pellet hops.
I haven't lost the faith: looking forward to better results next year.