Dark Fired Harvest

[tinsel]

It's that time of year again in West Ky, gentlemen.
The first of the early planted Dark Fired tobacco has been cut, spiked, and is currently being fired. All across Calloway County, there are smoke signals towering from tobacco barns as farmers begin the process of curing the revered tobacco. This will continue for the next 3 months until the last of the late planted fields are finished curing.
This was not a great year for the crops, I'm sad to say. An abnormally dry April and May followed by an unusually wet and stormy June didn't do the plants any favors. As a matter of fact, the month of June was the wettest month ever recorded in Calloway County. It felt like it rained the whole month. Not just rain, but pouring rain and storms. Many fields were flooded and many acres of crops were lost.
Hopefully all the farmers had enough decent acres to turn the profits they need for the year. Tobacco is a hard business to be in, and it doesn't take much to turn a bumper crop into a bankruptcy year.
I'm looking forward to enjoying the smell of the tobacco firing for the next few months, and looking forward even more to eventually enjoying this tobacco crop in a delicious pipe blend (FDA willing).

 

[leacha]

Thanks for the report! It's great to have info from the field.
I bet the smells are divine.

 

[pagan]

When I was stationed at Ft Campbell I used to travel around tobacco Country and watch the wondrous harvest work going on, amazing thing to see, and the smells........

 

[hiplainsdrifter]

Sorry to hear about the hard year. The land remains!

 

[tinsel]

When I was stationed at Ft Campbell I used to travel around tobacco Country

Ft. Campbell is just about an hour up the road from Calloway County. If you leave Ft. Campbell and head West, Calloway is just on the other side of the lakes, (lake Barkley and Ky Lake). We're the epicenter of DFK farming.
Also, thanks for your service. Were you airborne?

 

[mso489]

Seems like dark fired has gone from a specialty tobacco to a more widely appreciated leaf that is used as a single-leaf, base in blends, and an often-used condiment leaf, all of which can produce an excellent smoke. It can be a dazzling flavoring as an alternative to Lat and Perique, just for example, or with one or both of those. I think it is respected and revered as never before. Are most crops under contracts? Here in N.C., the old tobacco auctions are nearly gone. Everything seems to be prearranged, and the auction barns are locked or used as flea markets, etc. A grand old tradition by the way.

 

[tinsel]

Are most crops under contracts?

My family hasn't been in the tobacco business for nearly 15 years. We never had contracts. However, I understand that contracts are becoming very common for the tobacco farmers around here these days. And yes, the auctions are all but gone nowadays.

 

[torque]

Yeah, the auctions were always a big thing every year in my hometown but now I think they rollerskate in the old tobacco warehouse where the auctions were held. But Pinkerton's is still in business so the local farmers at least still have that outlet for their crops.

 

[mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast]

Thank you for painting that picture again in my mind. The fires smoldering and the smoke filling up and pouring out of the barns. It's a neat sight, but yes siri it is not an easy gig. I have a lot of respect for those willing to roll the dice and do the dirty work every year to keep us sad puds happy.

 

[pagan]

Also, thanks for your service. Were you airborne?

It was my pleasure. Airborn, Air Assault, Pathfider, I was in the Div Pathfinder Det for 3 years
Spent much time in the Land Between the Lakes area and around Paducah, picked up some fine Amish furniture there, beautifull country there

 

[tinsel]

It was my pleasure. Airborn, Air Assault, Pathfider, I was in the Div Pathfinder Det for 3 years

Awesome. Some of the best men I have ever known were/are airborne guys outta Ft Campbell.

Spent much time in the Land Between the Lakes area and around Paducah, picked up some fine Amish furniture there, beautifull country there

Yes, I firmly believe that this area is God's Country. I love it here.
If you hung around LBL and Paducah then you were right in my neighborhood. Paducah is about 45 minutes north of here, and Calloway County borders Ky Lake. Awesome place to call home. Plus, there's all the Dark Fired tobacco to look at and smell