Cuban way of growing cigar tobacco

[rainmax]

As I promised I made a video in Cuba. Visiting Vegas Robaina or plantations about 100 miles western of Havana. I will not explain you how difficult is to make this kind of trip and deal how to get there and back. It is hard, believe me. So many good and bad things happened during this excursion. I couldn't collect all the information that I wanted from beginning but I finally edit the footage that I bring back home. I hope you will enjoy even when you know all the details already.

Later I visited also Partagas factory in Havana but they strip me at the entrance and take away from me my camera and telephone, so I couldn't make any note at all. It sucks. They didn't even answer all of my questions. It was to heavy issues. Maybe next year...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY1yp00l8P0

 

[ArizonaDave]

As I promised I made a video in Cuba. Visiting Vegas Robaina or plantations about 100 miles western of Havana. I will not explain you how difficult is to make this kind of trip and deal how to get there and back. It is hard, believe me. So many good and bad things happened during this excursion. I couldn't collect all the information that I wanted from beginning but I finally edit the footage that I bring back home. I hope you will enjoy even when you know all the details already.

Later I visited also Partagas factory in Havana but they strip me at the entrance and take away from me my camera and telephone, so I couldn't make any note at all. It sucks. They didn't even answer all of my questions. It was to heavy issues. Maybe next year...

[video]https://youtu.be/zY1yp00l8P0[/video]

rainmax, very very nice video! Thank you so much for sharing!

 

[Smokin Harley]

Thank you ... always a treat seeing a video made by members

 

[Jack in NB]

Well done, Max.

Just got back myself from Cuba. But because of the problems you mentioned, I was unable to get to the growing area, and 6 busloads of tourists had descended on the cigar factory in Havana just before we arrived with our private guide. (He was a wonderful chap from Cardennas; very flexible, and half the cost of the tourist packages!)

Mayhem - 2 hour wait - we went elsewhere.

 

[USHOG]

That looks like fun. Thank you for sharing and taking the time to put that video together. So what all did you learn about growing tobacco that you didn't know before?

 

[FmGrowit]

Excellent video again. Thanks for the plug at the beginning of the vid.

 

[Gdaddy]

Thanks for the video! Well done.

@ 2:38 does she say they mix horse manure and peanuts for fertilizer? That the peanuts add the oil to the leaf?

 

[deluxestogie]

Maks,
Another outstanding video. For home-rollers, listen to how dry the filler leaf sounds at about 10:50.

I found it interesting that they make tobacco stem tea ("tobaccina") to spray for hornworms and other pests.

Ah! And the FTT logo!

Bob

EDIT: Added to the Index of Key FTT Forum Threads: http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/3868-Key-threads-in-the-FTT-forum

 

[waikikigun]

Good Lord what a great video! That is the new best tobacco vid I have ever seen.

Thanks so much for making it and posting it!

I couldn't make out what one of the minerals was, just before "iron,"

and I wish I could have seen more of the bunching part. Looked like he takes the volado in hand and then fills that up with the other and wraps the volado around it as a sort of pre-binder, right?

The peanut part sort of blew my mind. I lived in Buenos Aires for 6 months in 2008 during which time I ate zero peanut butter, my favorite food, because they don't have it there. When I came home I had a potentially deadly peanut allergy. Haven't had a Cuban since then. Next time I have one I'll be thinking, hmm, peanut oil, huh...

 

[Nic]

Good Lord what a great video! That is the new best tobacco vid I have ever seen.

Thanks so much for making it and posting it!

My thoughts exactly! two thumbs up to you rainmax!

 

[MarcL]

That was really very nice Maks. I was thinking about you the other day when this clip came on my TV. Seems like that dude likes red shirts.

www.cnn.com/videos/business/2015/04/09/spc-business-traveller-cuba-b.cnn

 

[rainmax]

That looks like fun. Thank you for sharing and taking the time to put that video together. So what all did you learn about growing tobacco that you didn't know before?

Tabakina is interesting. Maybe that sweating tobacco shouldn't be over 38 deg.Celsius (100F). Last year I did ferment tobacco from 40-45 deg.Celsius (105-115F) and it was much better than the year before when I ferment it over 50 deg.Celsius(125F)

Excellent video again. Thanks for the plug at the beginning of the vid.

I couldn't add the video on the site like I did with rolling Habanos. Plug? I was wondering who will first find this detail. You just win the prize. It is still in my humidor.

Thanks for the video! Well done.
@ 2:38 does she say they mix horse manure and peanuts for fertilizer? That the peanuts add the oil to the leaf?

Yes. Peanuts. Interesting but maybe this is just for tourists. Who knows. If peanuts weren't so expensive in my country I could try.

...I found it interesting that they make tobacco stem tea ("tobaccina") to spray for hornworms and other pests.

I already making it. And it smells like manure with honey. I'm just not sure how concentrate it should be. If it's working will see. What you say about peanuts providing oil to the wrapper???

...Looked like he takes the volado in hand and then fills that up with the other and wraps the volado around it as a sort of pre-binder, right?

pre-binder. Interesting word and yes two volados for good burning.

My thoughts exactly! two thumbs up to you rainmax!

Thanks again guys for kind words. I need to make another one next year,...I'll be back

 

[deluxestogie]

About the peanuts, I could believe that they use peanut waste (the plant, the husks, etc.). But even if they used the actual peanuts, I doubt that any oil in the nut would be transported, unaltered, to the leaves.

It is possible that the nourishment of decaying peanuts may increase the leaf's ability to produce oils.

Bob

 

[FmGrowit]

So are you saying I probably shouldn't have dunked all my wrapper in peanut oil today?

 

[Ben Brand]

This question must have been asked before, and for that I say sorry. Why does he roll it in newspaper, I watched the video, but don't have sound on my pc at work!!!
Ben

 

[MarcL]

This question must have been asked before, and for that I say sorry. Why does he roll it in newspaper, I watched the video, but don't have sound on my pc at work!!!
Ben

In Maks video she states its for wicking moisture so it can be smoked earlier.

 

[LewZephyr]

I couldn't add the video on the site like I did with rolling Habanos. Plug? I was wondering who will first find this detail. You just win the prize. It is still in my humidor.

I had to go back and watch to look for this. TWICE. finally saw it.
Nice little insert.

Thanks for the video.

 

[charlie G.]

Thanks for posting your video. Very well done and alot of info on it. She was very interesting to listen to.

 

[istanbulin]

Despite having problems with local security or whatsoever procedures you really made a good job. Thanks for the video.

 

[tzrnee]

A great video, Max!

I am now really sorry I didnt have my camera with me in Nicaragua. I will make sure to make something like this next time I visit cigar factories. Maybe Costa Rica.