Tobacco Planting, Processing, Etc...

[Colt45]

Just thinking out loud, but I'm wondering -

Are tobacco fields situated so as to take advantage of how the sun travels in the sky (or before I am corrected, how the earth moves in the relation to the sun),

and how the prevailing breezes blow.

Same for the curing barns - built and windows placed with breezes in mind...... None of the above.....

Other practices, techniques, "tricks"......

[mazolaman]

Total guess.

I would say originally yes.

The Spanish embraced the concept of using the breezes to their advantage,as this was taught to them by the Moors.

If you go to Sevilla for example,the main streets were orientated to funnel the breeze off the sea to cool the city,at certain periods of the day.

So the concept of using the weather as part of a farming plan would be obvious to them.

The movement caused by breeze also makes for a stronger plant,and limits the possible infestations from pests.

Some of these factors may have been overridden by chemicals etc,as with other crops.

Supposition on my part,but historic peoples knew how to read the land a lot better than we do now,and how to work with it.

[Stalebread]

I didn't see any references to the fields but Charles Del Todesco's book The Havana Cigar says that, "the casa de tabaco runs east to west, parallel to the path of the sun whose rays are meant to heat only the building's front and back openings."

[Fuzz AI]

I would say a definite yes. If they knew how to find and set up the ideal conditions for growing grapes for wine, I don't see why they wouldn'y use similar techniques for tobacco. They probably knew more about agriculture than we do now.

[El Presidente]

Have forwarded to Jose

[Tony12]

When my dad produced tobacco, we had wind flaps on our barn for curing. That way, you could open the flaps up to get extra circulation when needed.

I believe the secret in making great cigar tobacco is in the fermentation process. I would love to have information on how that part of the process works.

[#2 man]

Great question Colt . I haven't a clue but whatever they are doing seems to work

[El Presidente]

Colt, from our mate

I admit I have no information regarding the tobacco field orientation towards the sun. I have seen fields spread alongside the country near roads, mountains or low zones by the rivers. I have not recalled or being told anyhting related to that but while some may follow that principle, others do whatever they think it´s best becuase of the portion of the land where they grow the leaf is best located if they got enough water during the rainy season so the fields close to rivers get the nutrients with the flow and in the drying season they could be benefited by having that soil enriched and ready. Others just cultivate tobacco in the same way or position they learnt form their ancestors.

As far as the curing barns is concerned is almost mandatory to have them oriented towards the East so as to in our winter season, when the tobbaco growing already started they could have the heat needed for curing and if it´s too much, the floor is irrigated, windows are opened at certain hours and you can control the situation.

But anyway, sometimes you see things that make you doubt that a few are not following that rule. So it´s a matter of the grower in charge. They have their personal book to be guided from. And it´s called Nature.

It also depends on the region.

[Colt45]

Thanks Rob, thanks Punchy!