Question; I was thinking about getting out and maybe visiting a tobacco field/processing facility to see if I could view the production of a tobacco farm. Has anyone had the opportunity to visit/walk thru a harvesting facility? What time of year did you go?
Tobacco Field Visits?
- Thread starter Salvaje
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It depends on what you want to see. Do you want to see topping, or harvesting? You are not going to see anything close to what the industry was like 20-50 years ago. None of us kids setting on a 2x6 strapped on the back of a tractor sticking the seedlings, or cutting tops by hand, or even harvesting leaves any more. This is going to be about as exciting as it gets nowadays...
The first seven years of my working life were spent on tobacco farming.
I grew up working as a carpenter and joined the military so I’ve never had the experience. We grew a garden growing up and my grandfather had a large greenhouse that he later sold and that’s were it ends. I’ve never seen, worked, experienced the tobacco industry/process and any aspect I would very much appreciate and enjoy learning about. Any aspect of the tobacco process would excite me to see and learn. Just growing a single plant would intrigue me and thrill me to think of the potential of what I could do as a side mad piper tobacco experiment.
That’s amazing and hard work. Thank you! I enjoy watching YouTube videos on the process but to visit and have all 5 senses involved seems exciting to me.
I’d be interested in every single detail of this as amazing process that brings us to the final product of pure exciting exhilaration of opening a tin or cellared mason jar and packing a perfect relaxing moment.
Love the photo. I could see myself in a farmers harvesting bliss smelling the dirt and driving a tractor in uniformity.
Get some seeds for spring! It is very easy to grow a few plants, and really only starts to get a bit more involved at the curing stage after the growing season.
One of the whole leaf websites has a tobacco growing forum attached and also sell seeds.
One of the whole leaf websites has a tobacco growing forum attached and also sell seeds.
One of my friends grow up about 1.5 hrs from here. Up until he was in highschool, he helped out at tobacco farm. One of the reasons why he never smoked. He told me it's a nasty job and he would be happy if he never see another tobacco plant. Of course, I bug him about it as only smoker among my friends. We occasionally see small patch of land with tobacco still, but it's no longer like back in 90s. And I'm in NC.
I’m also in NC and when we drive around I’m always looking at the farmland for tobacco plants. But it’s usually soybean or something else that I don’t want in my pipe. Lol
Once a pipe enthusiast forever a crazily passionate dilettante.
I came across a website or YouTube video that said that you can buy tobacco seeds. What a new level of crazy! Just when you think you’ve got a bit of a grip on one obsession someone hits you with a Louisville off shoot. Damn you Codgers!
I recently read that NC had the 4th lowest tax rate on tobacco and worst rate of attention towards anti-smoking programs and ads. I guess…Yeaaa for low tobacco tax.
it is the promised land!I recently read that NC had the 4th lowest tax rate on tobacco and worst rate of attention towards anti-smoking programs and ads. I guess…Yeaaa for low tobacco tax.
I would love to go see and smell how Kentucky fired is made!
I work as a consultant for farmers in Tennessee and find myself in Burley fields every now and again. For insurance purposes, the farmer is probably not going to let you out there while they're working in the field, lest you get caught up under a tractor wheel.
As for those who dark fire their 'backer, best of luck in visiting the barn when it's in operation. The wood species and cuts used as well as the process by which they use them is generally proprietary and the farmers don't even share that info with each other. Best you can get is if you live near a dark fire house, you can smell the air and try to determine which wood you're smelling. I do know at least one farmer uses slabs of hickory, oak, and sycamore because I was lucky enough to see the slabs after they were delivered.
I had no idea that you were an AG agent. A few years ago I ran my guy ragged with questions, ha ha. I really respect what you guys do. It seems like an awesome job.
We like questions - as many as you got. I personally don't like hobbyists who have never farmed anything beyond a couple hundred square feet, and then quit their real jobs to pursue pipe dreams. Those are the people that make me question my move from private to public sector, because I have to stand there and listen to their argumentative drivel until they've worn themselves out. Maybe I'm just in a sore mood today as that's been my morning - a lady who is demanding I route a drain pipe right through an electrical trench that has multiple 440amp wire service lines within.
But, yes, awesome job. I spend half of my time driving and visiting out in God's Country, far away from the city. I focus on conservation plans, projects, and standards, which makes me sleep extra easy at night.
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Come over for supper, someone literally owns a tobacco field in front of our home. I watch them work and it is hard work to say the least.
Thank you for your candor. I’d just be happy to see a tobacco field and look at the finished products in the storage rooms. You must have an interesting and demanding job. Thank you.
That’s cool. I used to live across from a cotton field. There one day gone the next.