How many plants

[TheNewestOldtimer]

Hi,
I am new here, and I have a Question.
I have a 50 acre farm lot already prepped, and it is flat. I used to rent it out to a farmer who would grow corn or soy on it. I grew my first crop of tobacco this year, and after smoking it I found out it was amazing. I am not a regular smoker so I am not asking about how much I need to grow. I am asking how much I can grow? Approximately how many plants can one person handle? (I also have family, friends, and others to help with the parts that require more work: EG planting and harvest)

By my calculations I can grow approximately 7000 plants per acre, and each plant will yield 4 OZ, and at aprox $15 a pound that would be $26,250 per acre if I could sell it all at retail cost for whole leaf.

 

[Aaron]

Re: How many plants per person

Hello and welcome to the forum. Whew that is a big question and I'll guess there are going to be many variables. I only finished my second year growing and am no where near being able to answer your question really. I think most of us here are really just hobby growers of a much smaller scale than you may be considering. You may try to read through some of Bigbonners posts to see if you can get any ideas. I think he is our only commercial leaf grower. Also, check the posts by Skychaser. He grows a large crop for seed production. It would also be helpful if you add your general location to your profile, it may help in considerations for length of growing and curing seasons. Another thought would be to check some websites of some state departments of agriculture in areas where tobacco is a common crop. They tend to have lots of helpful info for growing.

Aaron

 

[Knucklehead]

Re: How many plants per person

Hello. Welcome to the forum. What state do you live in? What type of equipment do you have access to? Do you have a market for your produce? Can you invest in a tobacco setter? Do you have a curing barn and wagons? Do you have a greenhouse to start your plants in approximately two months before your last frost? Can you afford a flood or hail storm that wipes out your crop? Are you looking to grow 1 acre, 10 acres, more?

There are many variables in an answer to your question. Tell us more about your situation.

This is a good thread about starting tobacco seedlings. BigBonner has many posts in the thread: http://wholeleaftobaccollc.com/forum/showthread.php?18-Tell-me-about-float-tray-systems

Photos of tobacco setters: https://www.google.com/search?q=tob...oWvG4n4kQfnmYBQ&ved=0CCwQsAQ&biw=1152&bih=617

 

[DrBob]

if you planted the whole 50 acres it would be worth $1,312,500.00. If you could sell it all for that price. If you fertilized well you may even get more.
Talk to a tobacco farmer. It aint that easy

 

[Boboro]

Wellcome to FTT. I have trouble keeppin up with 4or500. But I just work on it in the afternoons and weekends. The farmers have acess to chems. seeds and knolage passed down in the famaley for genarayions. With resurech and a good plan it can be done.

 

[DGBAMA]

I don't remember exactly where i read it, did a LOT of reading this year; one acre of tobacco is the equivalent of a full time job for a single farmer. Often needing additional labor for planting and harvest.

 

[BigBonner]

Hi,
I am new here, and I have a Question.
I have a 50 acre farm lot already prepped, and it is flat. I used to rent it out to a farmer who would grow corn or soy on it. I grew my first crop of tobacco this year, and after smoking it I found out it was amazing. I am not a regular smoker so I am not asking about how much I need to grow. I am asking how much I can grow? Approximately how many plants can one person handle? (I also have family, friends, and others to help with the parts that require more work: EG planting and harvest)

By my calculations I can grow approximately 7000 plants per acre, and each plant will yield 4 OZ, and at aprox $15 a pound that would be $26,250 per acre if I could sell it all at retail cost for whole leaf.

The question is not how many plants you can grow , but barns or areas for curing the tobacco in .

Let us know what equipment and barns you have for handling and curing tobacco .

 

[TheNewestOldtimer]

I do not currently have curing barns up, but that can change. I have a fair amount of capital to invest. Yes I have a greenhouse to start seedlings. Currently I do not have any equipment specific to growing tobacco. I live in the delta of Mississippi, and I have an average frost free growing season of 230 days. I can get any fertilizers, or other farm chemical there is. I hope to note have to use any harmful pesticides, or insecticides (because I feel that it lowers the quality of the smoke). I could afford for a hail storm, or a flood to wipe out my crop, but that is highly unlikely to happen in my area. The plants I grew this year are almost all wrapper quality.

I Don't know where to buy a tobacco setter, but if I can find one for a decent price I will buy it.

 

[POGreen]

I am also just a simple hobbygrower that took on the challenge of raising up to some 800 plants this season , with 25 different varieties to be made into snus.
And I have kept myself busy , thats for sure.......

 

[Boboro]

If you have the means and the time I think you can try a acre or two. For that much land I would use at least a herbicide and sucker regulator. I sell trusses That make puttin up a barn a lot easier and are affordable enuff for you to drive here. They are made for prefab homes and we get the blems, knots and stuff like that. I don't know if you can make money growin tobacco any more but you have the best dirt in the world to give it a shot.

 

[Brown Thumb]

You said How many one person can handle. I grow approx 1250.and that kicks my butt.
I have a full time job and a part time one also. You will need a lot of help.
I think I read somewhere 3000 plants pre person full time job. I am probably Wrong tho.
Welcome aboard Also
BT

 

[Boboro]

I do want to say a Sp. welcome to anutter Ms. grower.

 

[Knucklehead]

You already possess the greatest asset and that's the sense to ask questions. BigBonner is from a long line of commercial growers and would be the best source of knowledge on this forum. Whichever way you choose to go, I wish you luck and hope I can be of assistance in some small way somewhere down the line.

There's a vast store of information here, the best place to start is with the FAQ's, then just start reading and asking questions: http://wholeleaftobaccollc.com/forum/links.php?ab_s=1

 

[workhorse_01]

If I were going to grow commercially I'd start by pm'ing BigBonner. Second I'd get him to start the plants for me, and purchase them from him. Third when counting your future help cut the number that say they'll help in half, then factor in heat, tobacco sickness, people with allergies, and folks who think they will like it , but find out later on they don't, and you should end up with about a third. Plant accordingly. Welcome aboard, and GOOD LUCK!

 

[deluxestogie]

The pre-industrial recommendation was 1 solo man per acre of tobacco. A man with a family to help could manage 3 acres. With mechanization, it's a different equation.

Bob

 

[skychaser]

How do you plan on marketing your end product? Do you plan to sell it wholesale or retail it all out yourself?

If you go wholesale, you will end up selling it for a lot less than $15 a lb. If you go retail, you will need to grow a customer base and that will take time. You could easily over produce what you can sell during your first year or two if you go to big. To sell any substantial amount yourself, you will need to reach more customers than your local market can provide. In this day and age, that means you need a website and need to be able to maintain it, or pay someone to do so. You also will need to set up a merchant account of some kind so you can take credit cards. And you will have to work out how to ship it.

Growing a nice crop is one thing. Selling it all is another.

 

[workhorse_01]

These days that's easy. The square register, you can swipe or enter the numbers manually, and you pay 2.7%. When I started my A/c business I got a merch. acct, a monthly payment, and a big machine that I had to buy special paper for. LOL

You also will need to set up a merchant account of some kind so you can take credit cards. And you will have to work out how to ship it.

Growing a nice crop is one thing. Selling it all is another.

 

[BigBonner]

Skychaser is right .

I am sitting on several tons of whole leaf tobacco for sale .
You have to figure aging time for the tobacco .
Customers list and getting the tobacco out there for every one to see .

It has me thinking of building my own website to sell from .

 

[BarG]

I think that it might be unrealistic getting retail price for 50 acres of whole leaf without a lot of help distributing.

 

[TheNewestOldtimer]

You can build an eCommerce website in about a day, and it will cost about $100 per year . There is also always amazon, Ebay, Bonanza etc.