Wicked cool!!!!! I have been tossing around this idea for a long time. I am super excited to see how it turns out. I'm always up for trying new things if you end up with an extra stick. This will be Maria (my better half) and I second trip to the DR. We go to the Fuente fields and factory for the foundation trip. I have a lot of knowledge in the tobacco industry, hit me up if you have any questions I might be able to help with. We just toured the JC Newman factory yesterday with Eric, seeing the machine made cigars was really neat. Not that I smoke them, but watching those 80 year old machines in action was amazing.
The grand experiment
- Thread starter mdwest
- Start date
3/5King
Shwing!
How long are you going to cure/age the tobacco?? Awesome idea. My buddy just asked me last night (because we already have a garden) "So are we growing tobacco?"Shadowcam, Zama80, and myself are looking for inputs, advice, suggestions, recommendations, or any other information the collective membership here might be able to offer...
Ive just procured CT broadleaf, Habano 2000, and Criollo 98 seeds (should be here within the week).. my plan is to start the germination process around the first of Feb.. and then get them into the ground as soon as we are clear of the final frost (most likely around April 1st..).. Ill grow a couple plants of each variety until they reach maturity.. then harvest and ship to Zama.. who lives in a much better climate for drying/curing...
Zama will take us through the curing process and all the other steps it takes to get the leaves ready to be turned into cigars.. and then will ship them off to Shadowcam...
Shadowcam just bought a cigar mold.. he will be diligently practicing his blending and rolling skills until the bundles arrive from Florida and are ready to be transformed into cigars.. and then will apply his newly acquired expertise on our leaves
We have no clue how this is going to turn out.. none of us are experienced at any of this (Im not even knowledgeable...).. but we thought it would be fun to each take part in the process of starting with a seed and ending up with a cigar..
We'll post pics, provide updates, etc.. as the experiment moves along..
But thought in the meantime.. if any of you have any experience at this.. we thought we'd ask for your help! (please provide information if you have it.. or offer up suggestions/advice as we move along.. etc..etc..)..
Really looking forward to this.. it should be interesting to see how things turn out.. and I think we'll have a lot of fun along the way
Any volunteers out there who want to play guinea pig once we have a stick in hand? :grin:
And I will also be a guinea pig!
3/5King
Shwing!
This is brotherhood at its finest. Investing on the ground floor...lol
xFreebirdx
Patriot Guard Rider
One week later.. things are shaping up nicely.. sprouts are in every one of the starter soil sections (not really sure what they are called).. so we have a total of 36 plants growing at this point...
Im only going to need 9 plants total (Im going to grow 3 of each to maturity).. not sure how I could possibly ship the others.. but if anyone would like a few tobacco seedlings.. once they get old/mature enough to survive transport.. I'd be happy to ship...
Im only going to need 9 plants total (Im going to grow 3 of each to maturity).. not sure how I could possibly ship the others.. but if anyone would like a few tobacco seedlings.. once they get old/mature enough to survive transport.. I'd be happy to ship...
God daVe. I feel like a kid waiting for Xmas. I just want these done to see how it turned out. Thanks a lot.One week later.. things are shaping up nicely.. sprouts are in every one of the starter soil sections (not really sure what they are called).. so we have a total of 36 plants growing at this point...
Im only going to need 9 plants total (Im going to grow 3 of each to maturity).. not sure how I could possibly ship the others.. but if anyone would like a few tobacco seedlings.. once they get old/mature enough to survive transport.. I'd be happy to ship...
😭. These are so beautiful :'(
Still growing!
Another month or so and it will be time to put them in the ground!
My precious!
The plants will just about be perfect for planting at the time of the E TN HERF.. I'm keeping 3 of each to put in the ground.. But have 9 to spare of each variety... If you're attending the HERF, tell me which variety you want and put in your order now and I'll bring you a plant to take home with you
We might even have put a few in the ground at the pavilion when the HERF is done.. And see if we can get our own little wild tobacco field growing out there that we can visit year after year
The plants will just about be perfect for planting at the time of the E TN HERF.. I'm keeping 3 of each to put in the ground.. But have 9 to spare of each variety... If you're attending the HERF, tell me which variety you want and put in your order now and I'll bring you a plant to take home with you
We might even have put a few in the ground at the pavilion when the HERF is done.. And see if we can get our own little wild tobacco field growing out there that we can visit year after year
This is so cool, what a great idea!!
its a sad, sad day in the tobacco world....
Grand Experiment 1.0 has failed....
about 2 weeks ago all of the plants "got sick" for no apparent reason... one day they were bright green and looking healthy.. the next morning everything was starting to loose color and began wilting.. within a week it was pretty obvious that nothing was going to come back to life.. yesterday I decided to pull the plug.. I still have no idea what happened or why.. the plants were never exposed to temps below 68 degrees... got plenty of sunlight daily... plenty of water.. etc.. and appeared to be on track from day 1... and then all of a sudden... they were gone...
the good news however is that all is not lost.. I still have plenty of seeds on hand.. and we are early enough in the season to give the experiment a second try.... so... today... Grand Experiment 2.0 begins... with 12 cirollo 98 seeds, 12 habano 2000 seeds, and 24 CT broadleaf seeds hitting the soil...
will keep everyone posted and let you know how things turn out...
Grand Experiment 1.0 has failed....
about 2 weeks ago all of the plants "got sick" for no apparent reason... one day they were bright green and looking healthy.. the next morning everything was starting to loose color and began wilting.. within a week it was pretty obvious that nothing was going to come back to life.. yesterday I decided to pull the plug.. I still have no idea what happened or why.. the plants were never exposed to temps below 68 degrees... got plenty of sunlight daily... plenty of water.. etc.. and appeared to be on track from day 1... and then all of a sudden... they were gone...
the good news however is that all is not lost.. I still have plenty of seeds on hand.. and we are early enough in the season to give the experiment a second try.... so... today... Grand Experiment 2.0 begins... with 12 cirollo 98 seeds, 12 habano 2000 seeds, and 24 CT broadleaf seeds hitting the soil...
will keep everyone posted and let you know how things turn out...
Damn, that sucks. Fingers crossed for 2.0!