Greenmonster714's Grow Log 2017

[Jitterbugdude]

+1 on the pasta maker sucking ! There are many shredders out there for sale. All of them (with the exception of one) shred .8 to 1mm. The Powermatic is nice and robust but has a thin shred for a pipe tobacco. Fairtrade's high end shredder is also nice but again, it shreds less than 1mm. If you want a shredder that will last a lifetime and shreds 1.6mm (the perfect pipe shred) let me know and I'll give you some contact info. Cost is about $230.00

Here is mine in action with a drill hooked up to it. Most of the time though I use the manual crank.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs3Jg5_APHk

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

If you're smoking a pipe, I don't think you need anything other than a press, a cutting board, and a decent knife. You could even do without the press. A lot of guys make carrottes/periques/ropes, and cut them into discs. When I'm at work, I often just roll up one leaf and cut it with scissors. It adds about a minute to packing a bowl. I store most of my tobacco as whole leaf because there are provincial laws which limits possession of processed tobacco to 1kg. Whole leaf is 15kg.

 

[deluxestogie]

A press can be as simple as a quart-size freezer Ziploc bag (left unzipped). Add tobacco, fold closed, then squish under a stack of books. Cut with a Kuhn Rikon 6" kulu:

Unlike a chaveta (which is what I usually use the kulu for), holding it by the riser opposite the handle allows me to apply the heavy pressure required to slice a press block. And the kulu blade is sharper and thinner than any chaveta--and stays that way.

Bob

 

[greenmonster714]

Thank you all for the input. I am interested in pressing. Keeping it simple. I only use my pipe so course cut stuff would be fine.

About storage. Are you guys using freezer bags or something that breaths a little?

 

[deluxestogie]

I use poly-Nylon vapor-proof bags, similar to the ones WLT ships. (You can order some bags from Don.) They keep the tobacco in the same case for years. Freezer bags are polyethylene, and though less gas permeable than sandwich bags, they are not vapor proof. Tobacco in a freezer bag will become dry and crumbly over a period of a month or two.

Bob

 

[greenmonster714]

Great. Thanks for the info. I'll have to contact Don. I'm gonna need a few.

 

[deluxestogie]

If you plan to bag all the leaf you grow, you might consider buying a carton (500) of 10" x 30" poly-Nylon bags from Uline (or splitting an order with one or more members).

https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-16470/Plastic-Retail-Food-Bags/Poly-Nylon-Vacuum-Bags-10-x-30

Bob

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I store my whole leaf in plastic tubs. When I shred large quantities of a pound or more I store in mason jars or mylar bags.

 

[greenmonster714]

I saw a video once where a guy stored his leaf in tubs. He used the tubs to kiln the tobacco as well.

Those bags Bob mentioned are a bit more money than I want to put into storage. Anyone know off the top of your head how much the bags Don sells are?

I'm kinda between the tubs and bags.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

He used the tubs to kiln the tobacco as well.
.

He got that idea from this forum!

I don't know the cost of Don's bags but a poly-nylon or mylar bag is much more airtight. The tubs will allow your tobacco to eventually dry out. No big deal really, just mist your leaf a few hours before you want to shred it.

 

[greenmonster714]

He got that idea from this forum!

I don't know the cost of Don's bags but a poly-nylon or mylar bag is much more airtight. The tubs will allow your tobacco to eventually dry out. No big deal really, just mist your leaf a few hours before you want to shred it.

So you've seen the video of the tubs. I was trying to find it last night but can't seem to. It seems like a pretty good way to store product but it would take up some room.

As you mentioned. It really would not matter if they dry out. Maybe I'll just invest in some burlap bags. Or just leave them hanging in the shed like Bob.

 

[rainmax]

Anyone know off the top of your head how much the bags Don sells are?

I'm kinda between the tubs and bags.

http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/418-Vapor-Proof-Bags

 

[greenmonster714]

Awesome, thank you. This may be the ticket. Not a bad price either. I have no idea how much I'm going to have by the end of the year. I imagine it will be more than i need but that's okay. More is always better.

 

[greenmonster714]

Today has been a busy day. The forecast calls for some rain tomorrow and today is pretty hot but overcast. I took advantage of the window and set out a little over a dozen each of 5 strains. Frog Eye Orinoco, White Stem Orinoco, Hickory Prior, Perique, and Golden Burley. These are the strongest and largest of the lot so I wanted to get them in the ground. All plants in the rows are staggered at about 3.75ft apart. I hope that with the rain coming it will help them get their roots going after a good soak all night. In this back yard plot I think I have three or four more rows to go. Each seems to hold about 15 plants. The rest of the yard is for veggies n stuff. I would have done more today but I am tired. Saving it for another day. Maybe the rains will shed off fast and I can get in there and finish the backyard and start on the front. All in all its been hard work but it has been fun. Very happy that I've committed to this tobacco project. Learning many new things and it keeps me busy.

 

[greenmonster714]

After planting this morning I did some extra work on my drying shed. I guess I wasn't as tired as I thought I was. I am using pallets to construct the shell. Leaving the floor dirt bare. One challenge is a few of my pallets are different size. I'm not real concerned about it because I can make up for space at the top. If its not even everywhere then so be it. All in all its is fairly sound and sturdy. I will button it up more when it takes full shape and the roof ties in. I landed some free roofing tin so I'm pretty happy about that. To enclose the slats I have more slats and some roofing shingles. Not sure exactly how this thing will look when its done. Not really concerned about that I just want it to function. I do plan on adding an additional roof extending from the shed. My thoughts are maybe I can construct a kiln there. At least it would be out of the rain.

This shed should be 12'x7'x7' roughly. So, if I calculate right there should be about 580+ square ft inside. That should be enough to hang quite a bit of tobacco full stock or leaf. I do have alternatives to hanging but I kinda want it in my backyard where I can monitor it easier.

This shed is costing me about the price of two pounds of deck screws so far. I will have to get some hinges but other than that it is all re purposed materials and my labor.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

It's nice to get out working in the sun, eh. Cool pallet shed. (You're thinking 580+ cubic feet though)

 

[Brown Thumb]

Find a trailer frame and you have a mobile pallet house.

 

[greenmonster714]

It's nice to get out working in the sun, eh. Cool pallet shed. (You're thinking 580+ cubic feet though)

Yes sir, I get out early in the morning. It's not terribly hot yet. Just in the mid 80s w/ humidity. Enough to make ya sweat n later up like a horse..lol.
Yeah, did a miss type on the dimensions. It's 10' not 12'. So it will be a little less. Did I do that right? Length x width x height? So, 10x7x7= 490.

 

[deluxestogie]

Unless you'll be hanging tobacco in multiple tiers, the volume is not as meaningful as the square foot area of the floor. (I'll just call it floor space.) So, 10 x 7 = 70 square feet. In a single tier, strings of long leaves, strings of short leaves and hanging stalks take up "floor space", regardless of how tall they are.

For strings of primed leaf, it's relatively easy to hang them in two or even three tiers. But it's a challenge to get in there with your body. If you plan for a secondary hanging space into which you can move color-cured leaf as it becomes ready (say, the living room, above the TV), then 70 square feet may do the job.

Bob

 

[greenmonster714]

Okay, that makes sense to me. So I'm not going to have as much room as I thought. Hmmm?? I'll be glad when I get through a whole season of this tobacco thing so I can plan a little better. Things are going okay but it's just the little things. Not ever gonna say I'm having a bad time though. I am having a blast and I'm always on the hunt to read and learn more.
Tobacco is probably not the best thing for me considering my health issues but I can't seem to kick the nicotine. I try to justify it by saying I don't inhale but ultimately nic does construct blood vessels. I've known that for a long time but failed to pay heed. I found out the hard way once when I kept wondering why snuff was giving me chest pain. One double bypass later and I pay close attention now. Today I'm glad to say my heart does okay. It's not 25 anymore and my stamina has taken a large ding but he'll who's in a hurry these days? Certainly not me.

Thanks to you guys I'm having a great spring/summer and I hope there will be many more.