I do know that is may not be a very good subject but it is something I would like to know. I want to grow and prepare my own tobacco for smoking. I know it would be the best to quit but that right now is a LOT easier said than done. I know there are tobacco plants that are suitable for my needs from the big farms around Lancaster Pa. So getting good stock is not much trouble. The real problem is How do you shred the dried leaves to get a good finished product that can be rolled? I have thought of using a paper shredder that cuts paper into little squares but that may not be small enough. I also fear that the el-cheap-o shredder would clog up with the sticky leaves fast. I do know that some of you out there smoke tobacco and grow your own. I would like any and all input other than the obvious that I need to quit.

-- Wes Waterbury (wswiii@worldnet.att.net), February 25, 2001

Answers

A couple of small growers I know from Tennessee while advising me of the difficulty of growing (high susceptabilty to parasite and desiese due to organic growing) and drying times of up to months and humidity critical, said that homegrown tobacco is best used for cigars and pipe smoking. I was told that if making cigars, you need to purchase roller leaves that are grown in one particular area (maybe PA, I can't recall). They did say pipe or chewing tobacco was easier to home prep. The attitude I got from both was that if I was looking to cut costs in my smokes or chew to consider discount sources first as the hassle was less with the other things I was undertaking at the time. They both said cigarette production was something better approached industrially,requiring processes and equipment out of the reach of small producers.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), February 25, 2001.

I don't know about the grow part, but I think you are right about the paper shredder, it would not be small enough. I think the thing to try is a small food processor. I have even seen ones made especially for for herbs and spices. The important thing to do is to make sure the tobacco is completly dried.

-- David in NH (grayfoxfarm@mcttelecom.com), February 25, 2001.

Grandad grew his own chewing baccer. Even in Mich. I remember helping him trim the leaves,, and painting molassas over each one,, and pressing it between boards with bricks on top. Never saw him cut it,, but know he did. Sometimes he would just dry it and crumble it between his hands for pipe smoke.

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), February 25, 2001.

Hello Wes, I am growing it for the first time this year. In fact I just started my seeds. The best time to start your seeds is the same time your area starts seeds for tomatoes. Which for this area is the end of Febuary. Now as for cutting, I believe with the small amount I am growing, (25 to 30 plants) it would be best to cut it with a very charp chef (butcher) knife. It was suggested that I do that if I wanted to roll it into cigarettes. All store bought cigarettes have a mostly filler in them and very little tobacco. It was told to me that if you use your tobacco for cigarettes make sure it is cured long enough that when you try a sample of it, that it has a pleasent taste. If it is still too strong just let it cure a little longer. When you roll it up into cigarettes, roll the cigarettes as small as you can. Were talking pure nicotine here. Unless, you want to ad fillers. Of course that kind of defeats the purpose of growing in your self. I hope that I helped. Sincerely, Ernest www.communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks

-- Ernest in the Ozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), February 25, 2001.

We have raised tobacco to sell but never for our own purposes. In Ky.we hang tobacco in a barn to dry. When it is dry it is crumbly so seems to me all you would have to do is crumble it up. We always had to wait till a rainy day to bale it so it wouldn't crumble up.

-- bwilliams (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), February 26, 2001.

I agree with the suggestion to cut it with a very sharp chef's knife. I've seen cooks on TV cut rolled herb leaves into 1/8 inch wide (or thinner) strips with one of those knives that have about an 8 or 10 inch long blade, about 2" wide at base of hilt and tapered to a point. It may take some getting used to, but if they can do it...

I've smoked organically grown roll-your-own tobacco for a while (whenever I can find it) and I keep an apple wedge in my pouch with the tobacco so it won't dry out. If it still gets a little dry, I'll add another apple slice. If it gets a little moist, I'll take one of the apple slices out.

-- Wingnut (wingnut@moment.net), February 26, 2001.

More power to you!! I have tried to quit, but I ENJOY smoking, so I wouldn't mind learning this myself.

One thing.... the government regulates the growing of most forms of tobacco. Either be careful, or check.

Let me know how you are doing with this - its something I've wanted to try for a long time, just haven't had the space (family smokes A LOT!) and/or the time to look into it seriously...

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), March 01, 2001.

Grew tobacco here in Iowa last year and like the answer above says you start it in the basement about the same time as tomatoes. Speaking of which, my tobacco plants were infested by those big green tomatoworms with the horn on their head. You just pick them off and harvest whats left.

-- Fred Taylor (fred@mddc.com), March 04, 2001.

I found lots of info on ta'baccy on the net. Whatcha want it for... Pipe, Cigar, or cigarette? Different types of tobacco have differing qualities. Do a search, and look around, you will find what you need. You can grow your own, and experiment with differing mixes, drying, fermenting, and even find casings to flavor with, etc... Its all out there, and you can grow a years worth of smoke for a few bucks, vs. hundreds or thousandss for commercial stuff. G'luck. Bm.

-- blaine (NO_SPAM-bm1073@denverweb.net), March 02, 2002.