Ah, the joys of being back in school....

[HatCreekFan]

So that I don't have to worry about this

and I don't have to worry about this...

Except on weekends, of course...

 

[Susie David]

Hay needs bailing but the bacca isn't ready and will wait for you...isn't that what your dad said! Been along time since I was in the south but I still remenbered what a tobacco field looked like.

 

[Medic24]

Don't you have waaay too much homework to do on the weekends to worry about the little farm chores that need doing? :idea: ;-)

 

[msscamp]

Don't you have waaay too much homework to do on the weekends to worry about the little farm chores that need doing? :idea: ;-)

While that works well in theory, it just don't fly with Dad. He simply steps up the pace so I can 'get back to my homework'. :shock: :roll:

 

[HatCreekFan]

Homework to do? HA! I've got to GRADE the homework that I was foolish to assign! :shock:

Heck, I'm going back to school again for a second Masters degree - The Spouse uses my summer vacations as Free Experienced Labor Supply. (Not that there's anything wrong with that...) ;-)

 

[certherfbeef]

Real stupid question here but keep in mind that I am a yankee.

How do you harvest the tabacco?

 

[Susie David]

Thats why the school year is delayed in some years, when the harvest is late.....may date myself but many years ago when I was involved it was done by hand and hung in the curing barn by hand...any improvement in the methods in the years since the 60s..dave Mc

 

[HatCreekFan]

Dave, sad to say, but for us it's still all by hand. This year we've contracted 50,000 pounds with Phillip Morris, which is nothing compared to larger growers further south.

Cert- each stalk (plant) of tobacco is cut, then usually about 6 stalks are spiked (using a spike) onto a stick, the sticks of tobacco are staked out for 3 days, then it's loaded by hand onto a trailer, which is then hauled to the barn. Then, in the barn, it's hung on tiers to cure - usually takes a couple of months to cure, then it comes back down out of the barn (by hand, of course), it's taken off the stick, each leaf is stripped off and grouped with others of the same grade, and then it's baled into ~80lb. bales, loaded on the gooseneck trailer, and hauled to our nearest contracting station, which is 1 1/2 hrs. away.

I'd be glad to send you some pics as we (ahem, I mean 'they') get the tobacco in this year. We should be starting to cut here within the next week. Gotta get that field sown down in cover crop wheat in time for dove season...how convenient! ;-)

 

[Rustler9]

That's one thing, well that and calf pulling that I don't miss. My family grew tobacco all my life and it is a hard job. Seems like it takes all year to get a crop in and harvested and sold. They finally gave up growing tobacco when I married and left home.

 

[flaboy]

Real stupid question here but keep in mind that I am a yankee.?

Yeah but a western one. We will forgive you.

:lol:

 

[showme]

I hate school I could mess with cows all day instead of going in a class room and doing book work.

 

[Arnold Ziffle]

Hatcreek, your timely comment gives me an idea. I think I might need to seed a portion of my place to some late wheat, milo, corn and possibly some sesame seed. But I don't have a drill or traditional planters so maybe I'll just broadcast the seeds and hope those pesky doves leave something for a crop. If a game warden questions the efficacy of my planting method may I refer him to you for enlightenment?

Never realized that harvesting and curing the 'backy was so much work. Do y'all use migrant workers and "foreign exchange students"?

 

[HatCreekFan]

Teaching has its merits, true, but I love being outside, working on the farm... There is something to be said for physical labor. With teaching, I can't always see the results immediately. On the farm, you can. I'm usually glad for the break when the school year rolls around again, but then again, I'm looking forward to the first three-day weekend, labor day.

 

[certherfbeef]

Thanks for the explaination HatCreek. I'd love to see the pictures when you get them.
When I was a kid, we used to shock corn. Funny how Dad and Grandpa quit that when I went off to college. ;-)

Guess the combine has me spoiled now.

 

[HatCreekFan]

Hatcreek, your timely comment gives me an idea. I think I might need to seed a portion of my place to some late wheat, milo, corn and possibly some sesame seed. But I don't have a drill or traditional planters so maybe I'll just broadcast the seeds and hope those pesky doves leave something for a crop. If a game warden questions the efficacy of my planting method may I refer him to you for enlightenment?

You know, we have been trying to get a little strip of wheat to come up all summer, and darn the luck, it sprouts a little bit, and lo and behold, that tractor and disc run over it, and then the EZ flow spreader goes over it, and we have to start all over again..... I think Medic's luck has moved in a westerly direction or something... ;-)

 

[Ryder]

Thanks for the explaination HatCreek. I'd love to see the pictures when you get them.
When I was a kid, we used to shock corn. Funny how Dad and Grandpa quit that when I went off to college. ;-)

Guess the combine has me spoiled now.

Certher I am southern, but the only tobacco I have experience with came in a pack from the store.
Like you, I have been well acquainted with shocking corn. I enjoyed about as much of that as I could stand.

 

[HatCreekFan]

flaboy - Yes, we use migrant labor.

 

[msscamp]

Dave, sad to say, but for us it's still all by hand. This year we've contracted 50,000 pounds with Phillip Morris, which is nothing compared to larger growers further south.

Cert- each stalk (plant) of tobacco is cut, then usually about 6 stalks are spiked (using a spike) onto a stick, the sticks of tobacco are staked out for 3 days, then it's loaded by hand onto a trailer, which is then hauled to the barn. Then, in the barn, it's hung on tiers to cure - usually takes a couple of months to cure, then it comes back down out of the barn (by hand, of course), it's taken off the stick, each leaf is stripped off and grouped with others of the same grade, and then it's baled into ~80lb. bales, loaded on the gooseneck trailer, and hauled to our nearest contracting station, which is 1 1/2 hrs. away.

I'd be glad to send you some pics as we (ahem, I mean 'they') get the tobacco in this year. We should be starting to cut here within the next week. Gotta get that field sown down in cover crop wheat in time for dove season...how convenient! ;-)

:shock: :shock: I take back every ugly thing I've said about alfalfa!!!

 

[flaboy]

flaboy - Yes, we use migrant labor.

Did I say anything :?: :lol: :lol:

 

[HatCreekFan]

Uh, sorry. I meant to answer Arnold's question, not yours, flaboy.

Sometimes the typing gets in gear before the brain engages. My bad.