Tobacco cutting and the economy

kyplowboy · Sep 9, 2009

Going to start cutting tobacco Thursday. Maybe the econmoy has gone down more since I started topping it 6 weeks ago. If half (which is a good number to figure on) show up I should have a fair crew. I have had all kinds of people ask if they could help me this time. There has been a few growers around me who have got'n done already in record time with a "local" crew this time. Seems to be alot of folks with factory type town jobs looking for side money again. Have not seen that in over 10 years. I even have two high school boys that want to ride the bus to my house! Just hope they all ain't scared of hights, last two years me and a buddy of mine have been the only barn crew I have had.

Dave

Anonymous-0 · Sep 9, 2009

Isn't it a little late in the season to be cutting.My wifes family reunionis in mid August and cutting is usually in full swing then at Glasgow,Ky.
I thought the fun didn't start till you were on the top tier and it was 90 or 100 degrees...

kyplowboy · Sep 9, 2009

I am a little north of Glasgow. I raise dark and it needs to stand a little longer than burley. I am about two weeks late this time, while every one else was mudding it in between the rains, I could not get off work on the days it wasn't rain'n and just kept clipping my plants. Some folks around here got started in mid August, some are about done. One guy here with the wild weather had all of his (7 acres) get about knee high and every bit of it bloomed out. He disked it up and reset it the 3rd of July. He is bout done topping. I wouldn't sleep too well if I was him.

Dave

Hotflashjr · Sep 9, 2009

In the Connecticut River Valley some guys had plants a foot high that were bloomed out. I don't know many people that harvested anything here in Massachusetts. Most people here do the wrapper tobacco, Type 51. Last year price was OK, and not everything was bought up. A few of the bigger guys lost their whole crop a week or two before harvest due to hail last year so one would figure the buyers would have taken everything available.

Traditional Farmer · Sep 9, 2009

Supply and Demand.Last year there were more jobs than people now there are more people than jobs.Guys will probably be lined up down the road at your place next year.

Dwayne Berry · Sep 9, 2009

I just got my burley in the barn this Sunday. I had to hire one teenager to help and the rest was family. The small growers in Henry are using local help but, the 50 plus acre guys are going mexican.

Just a guess but I'd say at least 1/3 of the crop in Henry County is still in the field. I know some people raise so much they are still setting in early July.

It about whooped me getting it cut this year. The tobacco was huge due to all the rain. My 100 year old barn is still popping and cracking under the weight.

I was lucky. I only had about 30 plants drown. Some others weren't so lucky.

Revredneck · Sep 9, 2009

Are you in Henry County, KY? I grew up there, and graduated high school there. The folks here in Iowa look at me like I have three eyes when I mention cutting tobacco.
Good Luck and God Bless

Dwayne Berry · Sep 9, 2009

(quoted from post at 10:07:11 09/09/09) Are you in Henry County, KY? I grew up there, and graduated high school there. The folks here in Iowa look at me like I have three eyes when I mention cutting tobacco.
Good Luck and God Bless

Well, I live a little closer to Louisville now but the farm is Henry county. I grew up there. Graduated From HCHS in 1977.

Anonymous-0 · Sep 9, 2009

The tobacco housing is going good in central Ky. We are about half done, cut 10 acres today, 6more tomorrow house over the weekend. We have the same guys for the last 3 years, not very skilled but hard workers. There does seem to be more people looking for work than in the past. We hope to finish 75 acres Sep. 20-25.

ben brown · Sep 9, 2009

drop by couple my coustmer today to get a donation for lady colonels soft ball team here in christian county ky. ask the one how cutting was going he said thought by end of day they would be on down hill side of cutting having only 110 acers to go. so if you in this area becarefull on the hwy, as a lot slow moving equipment hauling tobacco on the roads along with school busies it can be a slow go at times.

Tobacco cutting and the economy

kyplowboy

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Anonymous-0

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kyplowboy

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Hotflashjr

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Traditional Farmer

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Dwayne Berry

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Revredneck

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Dwayne Berry

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Anonymous-0

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ben brown

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