The weekend in review (pics)

BillyinStoughton · Aug 20, 2013

Put some new shoes on the old Farmall this weekend. Glad to have that behind me. I think the checkbook is still smoking after that excursion.

We also got a start on harvesting tobacco. We've got a couple of acres to go yet, but a good start none the less.

Al L. in Wisc. · Aug 20, 2013

BillyinStoughton"I haven't seen tobacco hanging in the shed for many a year now. Up here in Vernon Co. we were big into 'the weed' as the weekly paper called it a century ago. Helped in it since I was about six years old to mid-20's or so. I love that aroma of it curing in the shed...not a tobacco barn, as southern folk call it. Looks like it is hung up to the peak also. I'm guessing your crop must be contracted out to somewhere in Kentucky? For folks who haven't a clue...it is [b:9fe208e6cd]ALL[/b:9fe208e6cd] hand-labor, hard and 'oft times dirty work but, we sure slept good! Oh, yeah...your Farmall looks sporty in new expensive rubber also. Keep hydrated!

BillyinStoughton · Aug 20, 2013

You got it right Al. We hung out to the peak in this shed because it'll be filled top to bottom by the time we're done. You are also correct in the statement that it is all contracted out. It's been a good year for growing it, albeit a bit wet early. It definitely weighs coming out of the field. Hopefully case weather will be good starting this November and it carries weight until delivery. It is hard labor. Even the chain gangs won't help harvest tobacco. :shock:

Anonymous-0 · Aug 20, 2013

Billy in Stoughton: is that Stoughton, Wisconsin?

If it is, does the Stoughton trailer company still have a plant there? Years ago I hauled a load or two there.

I guess that tobbacoa is burly, that is what we grew when I was a lad on the farm. Hard hand work, but it paid the bills. I didn't like to work in it as I liked to drive the tractor the best. I have looked down the handle of a hoe many hours.

sflem849 · Aug 20, 2013

(quoted from post at 13:39:10 08/20/13) Billy in Stoughton: is that Stoughton, Wisconsin?

If it is, does the Stoughton trailer company still have a plant there? Years ago I hauled a load or two there.

I guess that tobbacoa is burly, that is what we grew when I was a lad on the farm. Hard hand work, but it paid the bills. I didn't like to work in it as I liked to drive the tractor the best. I have looked down the handle of a hoe many hours.

I'll steal that one from Billy. Yes, Stoughton, WI. Technically it is Utica, but Stoughton mailing address. If you are in modern view you can see that info.

Stoughton trailers...ugh. I don't know what is going on in Stoughton, but Evansville is shut down and I heard some others are VERY up and down.

When I was soil sampling this spring the fellow I talked to said burly was just coming into the area.

sflem849 · Aug 20, 2013

Are you doing your own or helping "The Boys"? Let me know when you are stringing. I have never been a part of it and it would be neat to see.

BillyinStoughton · Aug 20, 2013

Actually right now I'm just helping the boys. They keep me on retainer for hanging purposes. Apparently I have some monkey climbing capabilities to me I guess. I actually enjoy it so don't feel too bad for me. It's keeps me feeling young though my years are finally starting to add up. It's a heckuva workout.

They will be stringing tobacco all around here over the next two weeks or so. Hit Utica and then go in any one direction. You shouldn't have to go more than a mile or two to check it out first hand. You can always shoot me an email and we can make it a road trip.

sflem849 · Aug 20, 2013

We came down from the Baraboo show on Hwy 12 and it looked like we were on the backside of harvest. There were a lot of full sheds and empty fields.

You should have called me to do the tires. I have all the equipment and half the years. :lol:

BillyinStoughton · Aug 20, 2013

I actually rung both tires off and had the new ones on with tubes and all in just a couple of hours. It went pretty well actually. The only hiccup I had was misplacing a Schrader core that I had pulled out of the tube. I'd like to claim senility, but at 37 that can't be the case. H*ll...I got carded this weekend trying to buy a case of Point beer. I can't be weathering too bad.

The tobacco you saw coming back down Hwy 12 would have been some of the earlier planted stuff. There is still quite a few acres between Edgerton and up to Utica that needs to go down yet.

sflem849 · Aug 20, 2013

Guess you only have me by 6 years.

LMack · Aug 20, 2013

In the south it was flu-cured . . . in barns and my Dad loved to grow the stuff. I hated it. It takes up to seven different harvest to completely gather in the old flu cured tobacco . . . that is before the farmers started using 2-4D to quicken the maturing process. We would start in early June in South Georgia and finish about 8 weeks later and each field had to be harvested about once a week. It took a crew of about 12 to 13 people all day to fill a 16 x 20 barn (five room barn) and it was all hand labor. Barns would be 7 to 8 tiers high and each room was 4 feet wide and 16 feet long. It took about 170 gallons of fuel about 5 1/2 days to "cure" the barn. Once completely dry we would open up the barn and let moisture back in to soften the leaves (get the leaves in "order") so that it could be handled. By the way, I would have had my rear end busted for allowing that many leaves to remain on the floor of the barn after a "hanging". We had to pick up the "scattered leaves" and string them up to cure. It was considered a mortal sin to actually step on and bruise a fallen leaf.

The weekend in review (pics)

BillyinStoughton

Member

Al L. in Wisc.

Well-known Member

BillyinStoughton

Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

sflem849

Well-known Member

sflem849

Well-known Member

BillyinStoughton

Member

sflem849

Well-known Member

BillyinStoughton

Member

sflem849

Well-known Member

LMack

Member

Similar threads