Another tamper technique is to hover the tamp just barely above the surface of the tobacco. Draw on the pipe a few times. The blockage of the tamper creates a venturi that helps get the edges better lit.
So considering that I live in Alabama not Arizona - will I probably need to dry my tobacco in the oven or something? (No microwave). Or should putting it out in the sun be ok even with the humidity? This Parson's Bend is one of the driest out of the bag that I've tried and drier than some tobaccos I've let sit out in an open bag/jar for a day or two..