So new I don't have a pipe

[chlorophil7]

Hello,
My name is Philip and I like to grow plants, thus my screen name Chlorophil7.
I have never really smoked anything, but pipe smoking interest me. My thought is this if I'm going to try it I want to start from the very beginning, the tobacco plant. While looking around the www.howtogrowtobacco.com forum I found you guys here.
I also enjoy history, and I do different types of reenactments... And this is part of where my interest stems from.
I have experience growing orchids, bonsai, and normal garden plants (hot peppers, tomatoes...). So I think It will be fun to try tobacco as well. I have some seeds on the way to me, the types are:
Tennessee Red Leaf

Orinoco

Black Sea Samsun Turkish
I also ordered some

Indian Tobacco (Rustica) for making Tobacco dust.
How did I do on picking seeds?
For smoking, I think I want to grow things that are high sugar and low nicotine... I'm not sure though. Any help with staring out in this hobby would be great as I don't know much. Like my title says, I don't even have a pipe! :P
~Philip

 

[oklansas]

If you want to keep your pipe selection in the reenacting vein, you might want to consider a clay or corncob. Old Dominion Pipe Company makes a nice little cob, even has a wood stem. Missouri Meerschaum is the classic cob choice, in addition to being the world largest corncob maker and a veritable American institution.
With clays, I have little experience. But, there are others in this forum that could offer you good advice on those.

 

[chlorophil7]

Thanks Oklansas, I will have to look in to that. Do you know how far back corncob pipes go?
From the photos of pipes I have seen, I really like the look of the "Medieval/Churchwarden" style pipes, as well as ones like the one in this photo. What type would it be called?

 

[ravkesef]

Old Dominion Pipes makes cobs in a 19th Century style from a stand of heritage corn on Virginia's Eastern Shore. I think that would be a good way to start in your quest for authenticity. The proprietor, Bob Savage, is also quite knowledgeable about tobaccos that were smoked during this period. Contact hin--he has a wealth of information at his fingertips.

 

[darwin]

Learning to smoke a pipe has a learning curve like any other pursuit but the tobacco growing curve is considerably steeper yet. Before you undertake the considerable project of growing and making your own pipe tobacco I suggest at least a couple of years of honing your pipe and tobacco handling skills.

 

[oklansas]

@chlorophil7

Well, Missouri Meerschaum has been in business since 1869. I've seen references to them going back beyond the Civil War and into colonial times (although, clay pipes were much more common at the time). And to add to what ravkesef said, Old Dominion even makes its cobs out of a heritage variety of native Indian corn.

 

[phil67]

From the photos of pipes I have seen, I really like the look of the "Medieval/Churchwarden" style pipes, as well as ones like the one in this photo. What type would it be called?

I have no idea what the pipe is called in the photo, but I can well assure you that it's a very modern pipe and is no way shape or form a churchwarden, much less a Medieval pipe as pipe smoking, nor did tobacco exist in Medieval times. Well, at least not in what would be considered as the civilized world.

 

[mcitinner1]

Darwin is right, there's a lot to learn about smoking a pipe and it takes several hundred bowls worth of experience. I'm a gardener too, but haven't tried tobacco. Others here have though.

 

[oklansas]

I will say this, if you happen to live anywhere near the Chesapeake, tobacco is so easy to grow - it practically grows itself.

 

[chlorophil7]

Thanks everyone for your input. I do appreciate it!
Looking at the Old Dominion vs. the Missouri Meerschaum, they both are good looking. The Old Dominion looks to be more authentic but the coating of plaster of paris on the Missouri Meerschaum looks like it might make them last longer. I wonder how the Old Dominions hold up?

 

[chlorophil7]

By Tobacco Dust I mean I want to use it as a pesticide. From what I have read, tobacco Rustica is supper high in nicotine compared to normal tobacco and is good for this use.
Also, I live in Nebraska if anyone has tips from growing down here.
Mmjk, you must of posted while I was responding.

 

[chlorophil7]

What are all your suggestion for starting tobacco to smoke? I don't have much to spend (and I probably should not spend) right now because I want to be able to send my wife to an event later this year... but I would still be interested in your suggestions.

 

[phil67]

Start out with a MM cob and an OTC tobacco such as Prince Albert or Carter Hall. That, in my opinion, would be a good test to see how you like it.

 

[oklansas]

Carter Hall is the true "OG" starter Burley. Really, I would suggest any kind of pure Burley blend as a starter tobacco. Pure burley blends aren't fussy and allow you to focus on the experience rather than babysitting something finicky.
As far as growing tobacco goes, it likes humidity. But, with Nebraska in mind, anywhere you can grow corn should be able to handle tobacco...if not as a farm crop, certainly as a garden annual.

 

[dottiewarden]

Welcome aboard Philip. Good luck on your latest endeavor!
I'd recommend Early Morning Pipe by Dunhill as a first blend as it smokes smooth and cool without any fuss.
Just remember though, it takes a bit of fiddling to get the hang of pipe smokng, but once you get it there's no turning back!

 

[mcitinner1]

Phil I sent you a Private Message.

 

[literaryworkshop]

I'll be interested to hear how your tobacco growing endeavor turns out. It's been grown in the Americas for a long, long time.
As to pipes, I don't know how long the cob has been used. Small clay pipes are the traditional colonial pipe, though, and many of them did have rather long stems, much like the churchwardens you sometimes see today. (As was mentioned above, although the churchwardens do look "medieval," tobacco wasn't known to Europeans until sometime in the 1500s.) Briar pipes are a relatively recent development, about 150 years old or so.

 

[jmmize]

Have fun on your journey! :P

 

[danielplainview]

Welcome aboard. Need a pipe? I'll shoot an estate pipe your way. No Dunhills of course, but a fully refurbed and sanitized good smoking briar.

 

[chlorophil7]

I have been apart of other forums, but none of them have been a group of people as inviting,encouraging,and generous as you all!
-Dave, I must be honest another member as already offered to send me a MM cob and some different types of tobacco for me to try out sense I am completely new. That being said, from what I read different pipes smoke differently... and I would be interested in your offer if you still wish to offer. If so, I can send you a P.M. with my addresse. If not, there will be no bad feeling.
-On another note, it sounds like there's an interest to see how my tobacco growing experience goes. Who all would like to see photos of the process I go through, and my process of learning the pipe? If I do so it probably should be a new topic. Where should I put it, and what do you think I should name it?
Cheers,

Philip