Any Grow Your Own Folks Here?

[Cotton1]

I am thinking about growing my own here on my farm just in case.

I have never attempted and am clueless.

I'm seasoned at planting and nurturing crops for decades but never tried tobacco.

If anyone does and can suggest anything like seeding times/transplant times I would appreciate it.

Also not sure about where to procure seed. Variety and post harvest are also of concern.

I am most fond of aero and Cavendish fwiw.

TIA,

Cotton1

 

[Ahi Ka]

I suggest you check out Fair Trade Tobacco - How to grow, cure and process tobacco. - https://fairtradetobacco.com/

 

[Cotton1]

I suggest you check out Fair Trade Tobacco - How to grow, cure and process tobacco. - https://fairtradetobacco.com/

Will do, thanks!

 

[spicy_boiii]

I'll be growing air cured varietals in the future. Too much on my plate right now.

The link provided above has kept my mind occupied for months - it's a great resource.

 

[rajangan]

Will do, thanks!

We'll see you over there.

 

[Cotton1]

We'll see you over there.

What a place of wonderment! I had found it in the past and forgot about it. So much to take in!

 

[F4RM3R]

I found this site for seeds: Northwood Seeds Providing organically grown seed for home gardeners - http://www.northwoodseeds.com/Seed%20List2.htm
I'll be trying some of those out next year.

This year I grew:
-virginia gold
-canadian virginia
-burley
-monte calme brun
-rustica

In the process of kilning the leaf right now. I grew about 60 plants.

I would suggest growing something that's meant to whole stalk air dry such as a burley. Virginia gold was also easy to whole stalk air dry too. the canadian virginia is meant for flue curing so it was a little trickier to dry correctly, but it can be done. It will just make things a bit easier for your first time growing if you choose varieties that easily air cure.

 

[Cotton1]

I found this site for seeds: Northwood Seeds Providing organically grown seed for home gardeners - http://www.northwoodseeds.com/Seed%20List2.htm
I'll be trying some of those out next year.

This year I grew:
-virginia gold
-canadian virginia
-burley
-monte calme brun
-rustica

In the process of kilning the leaf right now. I grew about 60 plants.

I would suggest growing something that's meant to whole stalk air dry such as a burley. Virginia gold was also easy to whole stalk air dry too. the canadian virginia is meant for flue curing so it was a little trickier to dry correctly, but it can be done. It will just make things a bit easier for your first time growing if you choose varieties that easily air cure.

I pulled the trigger on some seeds this morning. I have been trying to find a cold smoker cabinet to cure some pork belly in anyway and am wondering if something like that would work for curing tobacco?

Much, much, much to learn but will be a interesting journey.

I don't remember the variety I ordered off the top of my head. Will have to check the invoice but it was a few types of heirloom Virginias and some Burley.

I think I would like to make some Cavendish too.

Are you air drying your whole crop?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I must have missed this thread.
I've had a crop every year for a while, except this year. Cosmic Crop 2018 :: Pipe Tobacco Discussion - https://pipesmagazine.com/forums/threads/cosmic-crop-2018.62694/ But, for some reason the pictures no longer load in that thread.

I built a small flu for curing. Anything works really, and I've even seen some built from just insulation sheeting, old refrigerators, etc....
Mine is merely a small shed like cabinet with three crock pots in the bottom for heat and moisture. I'll try to remember to post the pictures when I get back home.

 

[Cotton1]

I must have missed this thread.
I've had a crop every year for a while, except this year. Cosmic Crop 2018 :: Pipe Tobacco Discussion - https://pipesmagazine.com/forums/threads/cosmic-crop-2018.62694/ But, for some reason the pictures no longer load in that thread.

I built a small flu for curing. Anything works really, and I've even seen some built from just insulation sheeting, old refrigerators, etc....
Mine is merely a small shed like cabinet with three crock pots in the bottom for heat and moisture. I'll try to remember to post the pictures when I get back home.

Sounds great! I'm going to check the thread out too, thanks!

 

[jvnshr]

But, for some reason the pictures no longer load in that thread.

Yeah, somehow the links are not working. I tried to copy paste the link, no success. The only way is to open the picture, download it and upload it again.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Yeah, somehow the links are not working. I tried to copy paste the link, no success. The only way is to open the picture, download it and upload it again.

Some of them are working now. Are you fixing them for me, Javan?
It's kind of weird how they work that way, by clicking to load them in a new tab. It must have been something in the updated version of the site.

 

[jvnshr]

Some of them are working now. Are you fixing them for me, Javan?

I fixed only the first one, two posts with pictures.

It must have been something in the updated version of the site.

Probably, even the old urls won't open, you have to copy paste them to a new tab.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Ok, so the two pics I was looking for...
Here is the shed...

I really need to move it. Mrs. Cosmic wants me to extend the deck out, and it's in the way. I DO NOT look forward to that. I may have to get a front-end loader to help me. It's pretty heavy. I also need to paint it. The wood is starting to age.


Heat and humidity from one source, crock pots. I had this temp and humidity control unit set up, but it's worthless when the only control for the crock pots is off/on. I now just use a cordless indoor weather thingy, like...

They have some now that will report to your iPhone, which is great for letting me know when to run out and shut the pots off.

Flu curing gets a little technical. There's no easy answer to any questions you may have. But, if you get a grasp of the concept, you can use something like this to flu cure or color cure. I have to keep checking my notes each year to refresh my memory.

 

[Mr.Mike]

Now that cosmic had revealed his secrets, he has to kill us all. Way to go.

 

[Cotton1]

Ok, so the two pics I was looking for...
Here is the shed...
View attachment 50942
I really need to move it. Mrs. Cosmic wants me to extend the deck out, and it's in the way. I DO NOT look forward to that. I may have to get a front-end loader to help me. It's pretty heavy. I also need to paint it. The wood is starting to age.

View attachment 50943
Heat and humidity from one source, crock pots. I had this temp and humidity control unit set up, but it's worthless when the only control for the crock pots is off/on. I now just use a cordless indoor weather thingy, like...
View attachment 50955
They have some now that will report to your iPhone, which is great for letting me know when to run out and shut the pots off.

Flu curing gets a little technical. There's no easy answer to any questions you may have. But, if you get a grasp of the concept, you can use something like this to flu cure or color cure. I have to keep checking my notes each year to refresh my memory.

You ran that with croc pots? How long does it take to cure and how many croc pots etc?

 

[pantsBoots]

Ok, so the two pics I was looking for...
Here is the shed...
View attachment 50942
I really need to move it. Mrs. Cosmic wants me to extend the deck out, and it's in the way. I DO NOT look forward to that. I may have to get a front-end loader to help me. It's pretty heavy. I also need to paint it. The wood is starting to age.

View attachment 50943
Heat and humidity from one source, crock pots. I had this temp and humidity control unit set up, but it's worthless when the only control for the crock pots is off/on. I now just use a cordless indoor weather thingy, like...
View attachment 50955
They have some now that will report to your iPhone, which is great for letting me know when to run out and shut the pots off.

Flu curing gets a little technical. There's no easy answer to any questions you may have. But, if you get a grasp of the concept, you can use something like this to flu cure or color cure. I have to keep checking my notes each year to refresh my memory.

Thank you for sharing this! I guess it's about time for me to jump down this rabbit hole.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Cosmic was kind enough to provide a generous sample of a couple of his home grown blends. Quite nice, it would sell if he tinned it up and put it on the shelf. We're I able to match his efforts and could only smoke my own, I wouldn't suffer.

 

[karam]

I'm currently curing some non name burley, will come back when it is done and I make some ropes out of it.

The other forum is a great place too.

 

[chilllucky]

I have two seasons of growing a variety of seed types under my belt now. The growing is pretty easy if you've ever gardened before (which I had not, and still did ok). The only challenge while they're in the ground is keeping after suckers.

Curing and then fermenting/kilning is less well understood at the hobby level, but there's a lot of good info and helpful folks at fair trade.

Honestly, for me the hardest part has been untangling the very knotty thread connecting growers, brokers, and blenders. These are each ancient trades and completely siloed with their own terms and technology. If all you know of tobacco is from the copy on a store-bought tin, you will be very confused when you look in a seed catalog. At least I was.