tobaccotalk.myfastforum.org

Dan · Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 11:09 am Post subject:

Hello Bob,
I didn't sell cigarette leaf but I asked my guy to grow some for me this year. I asked him if he would grow about 20 pounds because I don't want to be stuck with a pile of leaf that I don't need if I can't sell it. And besides that I want to keep what I am doing, a hobby. I'm not looking to start a business here.
If he does come through it will be #18 and I will have a limited amount. So the best I can say is check back with me around the middle of November and I should know if I'm getting it.

bob_kemp · Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 1:45 pm Post subject: Harvest time

Hi -

Dan, I know you don't normally sell cigarette leaf, but I'm looking to find some cured and fermented to compare against mine, which I'm picking now! I'll buy 2-3 lbs for sure. I'll probably want a few lbs of burley too, to blend with my crop for taste. I'll grow my own burley next year too and will also want some seeds.

Right now I'm picking the Silk Leaf I grew and I've had basically two picks, primings as they are called, as they are turning yellow from the bottom of the plant up.

Got about 4 lbs of little bottom leaves the first pick. Got 8 lbs this one. I hope to get about 60-80 lbs wet when I'm done.

I'm tying them together, hanging and drying them in the loft of my garage that gets around 110F/50% rel. humidity days and about 80F/80% humidity nights. I built a plastic "room" to the ceiling over the exposed beams so it's completely surrounded by plastic. I also put three, 5-gallon buckets half filled with water in there to maintain humidity while it (hopefully) slowly dries. If that isn't enough I'll add some wicks made of strips of towels.

After this I'm planning to build a small kiln to maintain 125-130F/70% humidity and well ventilated to ferment it.

Thanks!

Bob

Dan · Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 2:00 pm Post subject:

Hey Bob, Yeah like I said in my last post I don't have any cigarette leaf now and I don't know of anyone who sells it. If I do get it I know it won't be fermented. It will be dried but not fermented.

russ · Joined: 02 May 2009 Posts: 29 Location: n.mi

should i pick all my real yellow ones ???

Dan · Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 3:37 pm Post subject:

That's about as ripe as they're going to get russ.

Guy · Joined: 12 Jul 2009 Posts: 60 Location: NC

bob_kemp · Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 12:34 pm Post subject: Guy's Quandary

Guy --

Since this is my first year curing my tobacco crop take this info as just what my research has turned up.

There are several ways to harvest and several ways to cure the tobacco.

The word curing can be used to describe setting the final color of the leaf, or as the fermenting (if done) or as the aging or can be used to mean all of the above!

Generally speaking, you can either harvest the whole plant or the leaves. If you harvest the leaves you can either harvest them all at once mostly pure green or as they turn yellow with just a touch of green.

Flue curing is a method of rapidly drying the leaf and setting the color using stages of humidity and heat increasing until the whole leaf is a crispy critter and takes about a week total.

Most home growers I've talked to don't flue cure, but they provide a humid area (70 rel. humidity or so) at around 80F-90F to hang the leaves with plenty of space for air ventilation until the proper color is reached. This can take 2-4 weeks depending. The leaves should remain supple throughout this step. After that you can dry them completely or move directly into a fermentation stage (or as normally done in cigarettes, baled up and stored in temp/humidity controlled warehouse for up to 1-1/2 years).

Let's assume you want to ferment it to provide reasonably tasty smoke within about a month or so after color curing. You can build a KILN with temp/humidity controls and ventilation to reach the proper conditions to do this step. It must have good air flow, humidity around 70% and temperature around 130F. After about a month of this, the tobacco should be ready to smoke or store at around 20% moisture levels and the older it gets, the smoother it gets.

Hope that helps. Right now, I have a batch (Silk Leaf) finished color curing and I'm working out the best way to ferment it.

Bob

Guy · Joined: 12 Jul 2009 Posts: 60 Location: NC

Bob,

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply with so much detail.
However, I am still confused a little. I had previously thought that curing and fermenting were just two different ways to arrive at the same point of drying the tobacco. Am I wrong on this or are both processes needed?

I had originally planned to plant my tobacco into pots since the space I had to plant was limited. I kept transplanting them into larger and larger containers until they needed to be in the final 4 to 5 gallon container. I had a few but needed many more containers and discovered they were really cost prohibitive to purchase. Now I have decided that I am going to have to plant many in the ground even at this late date. Better that than losing them altogether.

I had planned on hanging them in my workshop since it gets really hot in the summer and of all years, this is the first year I remember when we had a July that seemed like October. Unusually cool for NC. I think that should change soon and even if not I think the temps will be high enough to dry the tobacco. I already have 3 fans out in the shop to circulate the air and 3 windows also and would need to keep a check on the humidity.

By the way, before I forget, I want to say how jealous I have been watching you and others post pictures of your plants. Yours were especially healthy and vibrant looking.

Thanks again.
_________________
When Stressed-Smoke and have a drink.

bob_kemp · Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 4:21 pm Post subject: Guy

Hi --

As I said, the word "curing" can mean many things.

Color curing is the first step. You must eliminate the green. This must be done slowly, artificially, or can be done by harvesting the leaves at the right color then drying slowly.

Fermenting is artificial aging. So, you can age for a year, or you can ferment for a month. As a gardener, I recognize fermenting as what I would call composting at a lower temp. If you have a large amount of tobacco, say enough to make a pile that's 8 feet tall and 8 feet wide and long, and keep it wet enough, and turn it regularly, then you can do this step like that.

Look for free 5 gallon pots at landscaping companies.

You should be able to color cure your leaves outside out of the sun, within 3-4 weeks. If the leaves stop being supple can get crisp, you need more humidity.

I can do better at growing, next season I'll have a bumper crop!

Bob

Guy · Joined: 12 Jul 2009 Posts: 60 Location: NC

Again, thanks for taking the time to explain once again. Now I understand.
Should you harvest enough of those Silk Leaf seed this year and decide to sell some of them, I certainly would be interested in buying some from you.

Thanks!

_________________
When Stressed-Smoke and have a drink.