OldDinosar's 2018 Grow blog
- Thread starter OldDinosaurWesH
- Start date
- Status
You are right ! I should go outside more 
But I have to say that I spend all my spare time (and more) in my tobacco
Less than two hours from Metz ? Since I live at about 2 hours from Metz, it's less than four hours from me
... well, to be honest, I am not enough interested in minerals to make a eight hours trip to go to a mineral show, sorry
I will continue to enjoy your pictures
But I have to say that I spend all my spare time (and more) in my tobacco
Less than two hours from Metz ? Since I live at about 2 hours from Metz, it's less than four hours from me
... well, to be honest, I am not enough interested in minerals to make a eight hours trip to go to a mineral show, sorry
I will continue to enjoy your pictures
OldDinosaurWesH
Well-Known Member
Bob:
You are reminding me. Idar-Oberstein is one of the biggest gem cutting / carving locales in the world. They probably have lots of neat stuff to look at.
Wes H.
You are reminding me. Idar-Oberstein is one of the biggest gem cutting / carving locales in the world. They probably have lots of neat stuff to look at.
Wes H.
They certainly did when I was there, back in the 1980s. Over half the businesses in the town have a large sign that says, "Schmuck." I recall one oblong amethyst geode that was about 18" in diameter and 3' long, with the tip cut off, and a small light positioned inside at the far end. I believe most of their treasures come from elsewhere, though there were many spectacular, locally mined agates and jasper. I'm not particularly knowledgeable about gemstones, so I'm sure I missed a lot of what was right in front of me.
Bob
OldDinosaurWesH
Well-Known Member
Yes, having that background, I probably get a lot more out of shows and shops than most people. I'm not overly familiar with European geology, but as far as I know there aren't a lot of gems that occur there. The official gemstones of Scottish royalty are Smoky Quartz.
Most of the places that produce gemstones are not very friendly to Americans and Europeans. Brazil, East Africa, Myanmar (Burma) are a few major production areas.
Got a translation for Schmuck, other than the slang of course?
Wes H.
Most of the places that produce gemstones are not very friendly to Americans and Europeans. Brazil, East Africa, Myanmar (Burma) are a few major production areas.
Got a translation for Schmuck, other than the slang of course?
Wes H.
If you consider the sarcastic expression, "Isn't he a real prize," that is roughly what the Yiddish expression means. Literally, in modern German, schmuck means "jewelry." It fits a storefront sign more easily than "Schmuckstücken", which means jewels (pieces of jewelry).
Bob
Bob
OldDinosaurWesH
Well-Known Member
Bob:
I learn something new every day.
I'd better get out there & take a photo or two of my Raspberry bushes for the "show me your veggie garden thread". Lots of fruit out there to pick. Fresh berries for breakfast tomorrow. Now if I could only get my bread to make itself...
Thanks Bob.
Wes H.
I learn something new every day.
I'd better get out there & take a photo or two of my Raspberry bushes for the "show me your veggie garden thread". Lots of fruit out there to pick. Fresh berries for breakfast tomorrow. Now if I could only get my bread to make itself...
Thanks Bob.
Wes H.
OldDinosaurWesH
Well-Known Member
Okay, back to tobacco. Most recent photos.
Photo 1, 3 rows of mostly Gold Leaf 939.
Photo 2, east garden. I got these planted fairly straight. The diagonals are pretty straight.
Photo 3, west garden. 5 different varieties in here.
Photo 4, more volunteer ornamental tobaccos sprouting up in the sidewalk seam. Tough little guys.
Wes H.
Photo 1, 3 rows of mostly Gold Leaf 939.
Photo 2, east garden. I got these planted fairly straight. The diagonals are pretty straight.
Photo 3, west garden. 5 different varieties in here.
Photo 4, more volunteer ornamental tobaccos sprouting up in the sidewalk seam. Tough little guys.
Wes H.
OldDinosaurWesH
Well-Known Member
More photos taken today.
Photo 1, Swarr-Hibshman. Seed donated from a member
Photo 2, Golden Burley. Seed originally from northwoodseeds.
Photo 3, Corojo 99. Seed donated from a member.
Photo 4, Piloto Cubano PR. Seed donated from a member.
Photo 5, one you've probably never heard of, Ostrolist 316. Seed imported from Ukraine, & passed on to me from a third party.
I gave my crop it's second dose of fertilizer today. I fertilize at planting, and again two more times at about 30 day intervals. Per recommendations I read on the UNC website for tobacco, I shoot for 60-90#'s of N and 15-15-15 P - K- S over the course of a crop year. I also use a trace amount of Fe, Cu, and Boron at planting time. Seems to work.
Since I am an unrepentant smoker,
Photo 6, 2 one gallon bags, each containing 24 "packs" of 21 ea. home-made cigarettes, made from last year's crop. !,008 cigarettes, or a little over 5 commercial cartons. Worth a small fortune in this second highest cigarette tax state. Retail smokes (20 per pak) go for about $8.50 fully taxed and out the door. Plus, I get my own custom blend. These are a 70 - 30 blend of bright leaf and burley containing 5 different varieties (or was that 6? I don't recall but I have it written down somewhere).
Wes H.
Photo 1, Swarr-Hibshman. Seed donated from a member
Photo 2, Golden Burley. Seed originally from northwoodseeds.
Photo 3, Corojo 99. Seed donated from a member.
Photo 4, Piloto Cubano PR. Seed donated from a member.
Photo 5, one you've probably never heard of, Ostrolist 316. Seed imported from Ukraine, & passed on to me from a third party.
I gave my crop it's second dose of fertilizer today. I fertilize at planting, and again two more times at about 30 day intervals. Per recommendations I read on the UNC website for tobacco, I shoot for 60-90#'s of N and 15-15-15 P - K- S over the course of a crop year. I also use a trace amount of Fe, Cu, and Boron at planting time. Seems to work.
Since I am an unrepentant smoker,
Photo 6, 2 one gallon bags, each containing 24 "packs" of 21 ea. home-made cigarettes, made from last year's crop. !,008 cigarettes, or a little over 5 commercial cartons. Worth a small fortune in this second highest cigarette tax state. Retail smokes (20 per pak) go for about $8.50 fully taxed and out the door. Plus, I get my own custom blend. These are a 70 - 30 blend of bright leaf and burley containing 5 different varieties (or was that 6? I don't recall but I have it written down somewhere).
Wes H.
Plants are looking good. If you do the ugly math, we're still only making a pittance for all our tobacco labor.
I'll make an unrealistically low estimate that I spend only 1 hour of labor a day on my tobacco, from March 1 through October 1 (about 210 hours) x $7.50/hr = $1,575 in low-wage labor. At my atrocious 5 cigars a day habit (x 365 days), that's 1,825 cigars per year. So my minimum labor cost (at minimum wage) is $1 per cigar. Realistically, it's probably more like $3 or $4 per cigar at minimum wage labor. We're crazy!
Bob
I'll make an unrealistically low estimate that I spend only 1 hour of labor a day on my tobacco, from March 1 through October 1 (about 210 hours) x $7.50/hr = $1,575 in low-wage labor. At my atrocious 5 cigars a day habit (x 365 days), that's 1,825 cigars per year. So my minimum labor cost (at minimum wage) is $1 per cigar. Realistically, it's probably more like $3 or $4 per cigar at minimum wage labor. We're crazy!
Bob
CobGuy
Well-Known Member
Very impressive ... great looking plants!
OldDinosaurWesH
Well-Known Member
Of these facts I am well aware. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on your perspective, I have more time than I have $. I'd go broke in a hurry if I were buying fully taxed smokes. This of course is what the social engineers in the capitol want...to force you to quit. A rough calculation would be over $6,000 per year in this high tax state. So yes, I end up making the equivalent of about $8.00 / hr. A wise man (me) once said, either you have time and no money, or you have money and no time. I've done my share of the rat-race (money and no time) and I'm enjoying my more recent life-style (time and less money) much more.
Besides, coaxing your very own tobacco out of the earth is a challenge worthy of pursuing. Anyone can grow corn or other vegetables.
In the past, I have given tobacco seedlings to other people to grow and have gotten zero results. Tobacco growing is just not that easy. As you have noted it takes a lot of time and labor to grow tobacco successfully.
(In my state, the minimum wage is $11.50, second highest in the land. $12.00 in 2019, and $13.50 in 2020.)
Crazy? Yes. But Crazy good!
How much do smokes cost in Virginia? I'm guessing a lot less. In NYC they are $12.50!
Calculation: 2 hrs per day x 365 days = 730 hrs x $8 = a little under $6,000. This includes the time spent curing, cleaning, stemming, shredding, blending, and making the smokes. A realistic if imprecise #. (not a hashtag!)
There are two Indian tribes here in this state that have gotten into fully vertically integrated cigarette production. From the field on up. These guys are working some kind of a tax loophole in order for this to make economic sense.
Wes H.
Besides, coaxing your very own tobacco out of the earth is a challenge worthy of pursuing. Anyone can grow corn or other vegetables.
In the past, I have given tobacco seedlings to other people to grow and have gotten zero results. Tobacco growing is just not that easy. As you have noted it takes a lot of time and labor to grow tobacco successfully.
(In my state, the minimum wage is $11.50, second highest in the land. $12.00 in 2019, and $13.50 in 2020.)
Crazy? Yes. But Crazy good!
How much do smokes cost in Virginia? I'm guessing a lot less. In NYC they are $12.50!
Calculation: 2 hrs per day x 365 days = 730 hrs x $8 = a little under $6,000. This includes the time spent curing, cleaning, stemming, shredding, blending, and making the smokes. A realistic if imprecise #. (not a hashtag!)
There are two Indian tribes here in this state that have gotten into fully vertically integrated cigarette production. From the field on up. These guys are working some kind of a tax loophole in order for this to make economic sense.
Wes H.
OldDinosaurWesH
Well-Known Member
CobGuy:
I was looking at Fire Agate collecting in Arizona. Most of that is way away from anything in south east Arizona almost New Mexico. Does that sound right to you?
Wes H.
I was looking at Fire Agate collecting in Arizona. Most of that is way away from anything in south east Arizona almost New Mexico. Does that sound right to you?
Wes H.
No idea. I stopped smoking cigarettes 22 years ago.
[In 1973, they were $2.20 per carton in Columbia, Missouri.]
Bob
More chatter...
Where you might want to grow tobacco.
hourly minimum wage:
EDIT: Puerto Rico should grow superb tobacco, but hourly minimum wage is --> $7.25!
Where you might want to grow tobacco.
hourly minimum wage:
- DR: $0.38
- Honduras: $1.08
- Mexico: $0.48
- Nicaragua: $0.51
EDIT: Puerto Rico should grow superb tobacco, but hourly minimum wage is --> $7.25!
CobGuy
Well-Known Member
There is a somewhat famous site called Deer Creek in SE Arizona near Safford. However, this is a "pay to play" area and quite expensive ... close to $1000 per hour.
Our locations are in SW Arizona near the Big Horn Mountains ... easy to find but we've paid our dues to know where the best spots are.
CobGuy
Well-Known Member
OldDinosaurWesH
Well-Known Member
That's why the tobacco industry is dying in the U.S. How can you compete with those tiny wages?
Wes H.
Wes H.
skychaser
Well-Known Member
Geez, That's twice what I make!! lol
OldDinosaurWesH
Well-Known Member
More tobacco photos.
Photo 1, Gold Leaf 939. These were the first I planted are getting the biggest fastest. Seed from northwoodseed.
Photo 2, Ternopolskii 7. These will get about 8 feet tall. They are just getting going. Seed from northwoodseed.
Photo 3, Chillard's White Angel. Seed donated by a member.
Photo 4, Connecticut Broadleaf (left) and Delhi 34 (right) These were the latest planted and still have a way to go. They got buggy early on and that hasn't helped, but they look better every day. Connecticut Broadleaf seed from northwoodseed. Delhi 34 seed donated by a member.
Wheat harvest will be starting soon. Lots of very long days. I probably won't have a lot of time to be snapping pictures and adding to my blog. I'll be spending most of my time in the cab of Semi - Pup combination vehicle. A tractor & two trailers, ~85' long & over 100,000#'s. A real beast, it takes 2 acres to turn the thing around.
Wes H.
Photo 1, Gold Leaf 939. These were the first I planted are getting the biggest fastest. Seed from northwoodseed.
Photo 2, Ternopolskii 7. These will get about 8 feet tall. They are just getting going. Seed from northwoodseed.
Photo 3, Chillard's White Angel. Seed donated by a member.
Photo 4, Connecticut Broadleaf (left) and Delhi 34 (right) These were the latest planted and still have a way to go. They got buggy early on and that hasn't helped, but they look better every day. Connecticut Broadleaf seed from northwoodseed. Delhi 34 seed donated by a member.
Wheat harvest will be starting soon. Lots of very long days. I probably won't have a lot of time to be snapping pictures and adding to my blog. I'll be spending most of my time in the cab of Semi - Pup combination vehicle. A tractor & two trailers, ~85' long & over 100,000#'s. A real beast, it takes 2 acres to turn the thing around.
Wes H.
Last edited:
- Status
