C.t.Valley Tobacco Update

C.t. Valley Broadleaf grower are having a banner year. Mid Spring rain with late spring heat. With zero named storms. Minimal Blue mold, fleck, with no potato viruses. All the crops are curing nicely. New England Fall night temperatures in the 40's help's cure the broadleaf. Packaging Will begin in 2 weeks. This is what i have been waiting for. To blog about taking down broadleaf nature with rain -with fog - and with a huge steamer. When taking down tobacco done right there is zero water marks the leafs are moist soft and pliable not wet! Packaged to dry the leafs will have cracks or even worse crush like Corn Flakes. All of these preparations are for one and only one reason. To market the perfect leaf so manufactures can roll that Perfect Cigar !!! 

Charcoal drying

Driving up to the smoking shed it sure looks like it's on fire.  It's not, just drying Broadleaf. The same charcoal used in your outside grill at your home is used to dry tobacco.

Smoke bellows out the Eves of the shed.

This shed is in Enfield CT.

 Empty Charcoal bags

The Charcoal is place in a pan lit then the smoke begins a few minutes later the smoke stops the coals glow red.  Once an hour the coals must be turned with a big metal fork. In 4 hours more coals are added. After 8 hours there is lots of ash in the coal pan's. The pans are picked up turned upside down so the ashes are shaken into a wheelbarrow. Then the hot coals go back in the coal pan.

Charcoal curing is 100 percent hands on. When using the coals farmers cant stop until the tobacco is dry. When tobacco is damp you add heat then stop the heat before tobacco is dry.  Rot begins.  This means you just screwed up your crop.  During the cigar boom of the late 90's into 2000's when every one and there brother was growing. Some Broadleaf never made it to market because new growers didn't under stand curing. There are no rookies growing ct broadleaf in 2013.  These farmers are hard core.  There some of the best of the best in the world.  Because these growers know how not to loose a crop to disease,dealing with bad weather in the field. How to take care of the crop in the sheds until the broadleaf is packaged!  

drying tobacco

The weather has been wet, damp and humid for 2 days. The broadleaf farmers are gearing up to dry the tobacco in the sheds.The weather forecast is rain on & off all week.With dry clean air a week away. The sheds must be dried. Charcoal bags are being carried into the Sheds. Burners hoses and gas pipe are brought into other sheds. Lots of important work to do.If the broadleaf crop hangs in the sheds damp for a week the crop will be ruined.Farmers would be unable to sell the tobacco to the world market. There will be great pictures to post this week .

Cigar Rolling Machine

The rolling shop at Enfield Shade Tobacco.  This is a cigar rolling machine.  Two men can produce 1000 cigars an hour.  It's amazing how quiet the machine is. 

 A True working man cigar.  Fresh off the press.  

Regal Palm Products are packaged here on site in Enfield, Connecticut. For more information contact Ken Chickosky at regalpalmtobacco.com  or   regalpalm@gmail.com.  I truly felt like I was in a candy store. The earthy smell of all the great flavors of blending tobaccos is so much better than any walk in humidor. So cool an owner would open his business give the ok to take pictures, and answer questions.  

Thanks Ken Chickosky owner of Enfield Shade Tobacco. Today was a Great Day !!!  

Cigar being rolled by machine in Connecticut

Visiting a farm tomorrow in Enfield Ct.The owner grows his broadleaf crop then rolls his cigars by machine. I can't wait to blog about the visit.

Cover crop

After harvest farmers disk the ground next they spin on 50 pounds of field rye per acre. Last we disk the  ground very lightly so the seed doesn't sink to deep.At last the Field work is completed.   

Harvest party

The harvest tradition has began. After the 100 hour weeks for the owner who planted in May. Harvest is Done. In East Windsor , Enfield , Suffield and Westfield. The owners Throw a party for the employees with pizza, chicken, rice and more good food. Finally a chance to relax to enjoy and reflect on there accomplishments - complement every one who helped in harvesting. Those who planted early and late June will complete there Broadleaf harvest by The first week of September.