My Golden Opportunity??!!!

[Levi Gross]

I was extended a very precious opportunity this past week. Since 2010 I have been playing around with growing Tobacco and the Idea of turning it into a passion as well as a profit for myself. My plans and goals have shifted considerably over these last few years but, I am now starting to come up with a clearer picture of my desired outcome. With that being said I must also confess that my skill set and knowledge is nowhere near comparable to some of the men in this forum whom I follow. But in careful reading I have learned that even their beginning started with a passion, a thought, and a dream. My grandfather has offered to me, the use of an acre or more of land in Central Indiana which can become certified organic. I feel that this is more than enough for a one man operation. I will also have access to the use of his farm equipment. My biggest obstacle right now though is finding out what specialty tobacco crop I can grow and become that "In Need Supply Member of the forum and our market." Also, I am confronted with the dilemma of proving to him and my spouse that this dream can become real. That there are in fact untold numbers of us who purchase this fine leaf for pleasure and profit. If I can prove this to be true he would even be willing to fund my project with a greenhouse on the farm and possible other assistance. I am putting this out for the members of the forum who have been there and done that and who may have the guidance I need to really get this dream off the ground. I do not want to get rich or take away from other members success but rather become a needed and valued asset of our community providing an unmatched quality grown leaf for our brothers and sisters who can't grow it themselves, want to be freed from big tobacco and their poison, and gain a sense of personal freedom of choice in what they consume. Feel free to let me know some of your thoughts on this.

 

[deluxestogie]

I believe you could count the FTT members who are actual farmers (of any crop) on the fingers of one hand.

You might begin by doing an extensive Google search of Starting an Organic Farm, and Starting a Farm from Scratch. Use of the term "organic" is regulated by the USDA.

For tobacco managed without machinery, 1 acre is probably the maximum acreage you can handle alone.

My initial thought is that you may want to consider devoting a substantial portion of the land to growing one or two in-demand niche vegetables. Tobacco is a tough commodity to make a profit on, at a time when experienced tobacco farmers with all the specialized structures and machinery are going out of business.

You may want to have some detailed discussions with FmGrowit (on the retail end) about what is missing in the market, and BigBonner (a real deal tobacco farmer) for a reality check.

I don't want to be discouraging. You should study the challenges and opportunities in depth, prior to committing to going forward. In US agriculture at the present, small operations are vanishing, while agribusiness is swallowing the market.

Spend this year researching the economics of what you anticipate doing, create a formal business plan, and prove to yourself that you can make it work.

Bob

 

[FmGrowit]

Aquaculture is an area I've always been interested in. Someday, I'd like to raise Sturgeon, but with my luck, once I get established, they will become plentiful in the Great Lakes again (they are actually coming back now).

There will always be a never-ending stream of people who think they want Rustica tobacco...until they get some and realize they really didn't want it.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I would get my home grow down to the point of, "Oh my gosh! I can't believe I grew this."... consistently, first before I considered doing an entire acre.

However, in the mean time, I would take him up on the offer and begin growing crops you can use to, A) improve the soil, organically, B) readily break even or better with, and C) borrow, rent, or hire equipment to do.

I would look into the cost of, and demand for, and consider organic horse and cattle feed like timothy and alfalfa.

 

[DistillingJim]

Learn by doing. Make a start this year but dont quit your day job. This time next year you'll know what works, what doesnt and adapt for the next year. If it becomess successful, you can quit your job then. If it isn't, you've lost nothing and hopefully will have made some beer money.

 

[Hasse SWE]

There will always be a never-ending stream of people who think they want Rustica tobacco...until they get some and realize they really didn't want it.

LOL guess what, I think your right on that.. But to be honest even I am interested of Rustica tobacco..I have one variant named "DCT-4" listed on my "would like to grow list" with two lines under and a ring around.. I have been promised that variant two times but I have not got any seed yet. so I have almost ending hope when it comes to that variant..

 

[greenmonster714]

Your getting some solid advice here. I like the..oh my God I grew this comment. It's pretty easy to get caught up in this tobacco stuff. Ya convince yourself it cant be that difficult but in some ways it is. Much like anything else that is new we all start from the word go. You've got a great idea in your head and it appears you even have some support. But research and baby steps may be what you need right now. Save that dream and slowly work at it.

 

[GreenDragon]

You might also want to consider the area and equipment you will need to process your harvested tobacco (curing and fermentation) on a large scale and long term storage. But there is nothing to say you have to go all in all at once is there? You could plant say 1/5 of the acre with tobacco the first year, and vegetables on the other 4/5 and go from there as you learn and slowly scale up.

 

[BigBonner]

Growing tobacco is the easy part , selling is the hard part . Getting mother nature to cooperate is a whole different story . I have a stock pile of a lot of different varieties just aging .
My suggestion is don't quit your day job hoping to make big $ with tobacco .

 

[greenmonster714]

You might also want to consider the area and equipment you will need to process your harvested tobacco (curing and fermentation) on a large scale and long term storage. But there is nothing to say you have to go all in all at once is there? You could plant say 1/5 of the acre with tobacco the first year, and vegetables on the other 4/5 and go from there as you learn and slowly scale up.

Some good ideas there Green.

 

[Levi Gross]

I thank all of you for your very real advice! I know that it is not just going to happen over night and that along the way there will be many set backs and failures. It is truly not my goal to get rich with this but if I could make a living that would be awesome. I grew up on a small farm and it is just something that has never left my heart. Going organic may not be the answer, tobacco, may not be the answer, all of my so called crazy ideas my family says that I have may never ever be the answer, but I have something the average man does not. An overwhelming desire to try... Fail or Succeed. The land that has been offered for use is virgin land never touched by any of my grandfathers plows. The road they live on is still dirt and the only people who have lived on that road for the last 100 years has been them and two other homes which was the house my grandma grew up in built by her father and one built for my uncle. I hate to sound so romantic about things but time has slipped by, they are in their 80's now and quit farming when I was a child. I want to preserve that always and be able to pass something on to my children. I will definitely listen to everyone's advice who has responded to this thread. Farming and the old ways are a bygone era that this modern world has no idea about. The little man is dying and being swallowed by corporate "Go Big or Go Home" outfits that are killing the once legendary American Dream of opportunity and promise. I am going to do some very careful planning and maybe find my niche. I am also going to grow some awesome tobacco this year proving mother nature is kind.

 

[deluxestogie]

...something that has never left my heart.

That's probably the most important factor of all.

Bob

 

[Chris A]

Where ya at Levi? I grew up in Grant County.

 

[FmGrowit]

Class 3; air-cured types and groups.

(a) Type 31. That type of air-cured tobacco, commonly known as Burley, produced principally in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, and Missouri.



(b) Type 31–V. Notwithstanding the definitions of “Type” and “Type 31”, any tobacco having the general visual characteristics of quality, color, and length of Class 3, Type 31, air-cured tobacco, but which is a low-nicotine strain or variety,
(2) Production under contract. Type 31–V tobacco shall be grown under contract with a dealer in tobacco or a manufacturer of tobacco products. In addition to any other provisions not inconsistent herewith, the contract shall provide that:
(d) Type 32. That type of air-cured tobacco commonly known as Southern Maryland tobacco or Maryland Air-cured, and produced principally in southern Maryland. (Upper Country Maryland is classed as “miscellaneous domestic.”)
(e) Type 35. That type of air-cured tobacco commonly known as One Sucker Air-cured, Kentucky-Tennessee-Indiana One Sucker, or Dark Air-cured One Sucker, including the upper Cumberland District One Sucker, and produced principally in northern Tennessee, south central Kentucky, and southern Indiana.
(f) Type 36. That type of air-cured tobacco commonly known as Green River, Green River Air-cured, or Dark Air-cured of the Henderson and Owensboro Districts, and produced principally in the Green River section of Kentucky.
(g) Type 37. That type of air-cured or sun-cured tobacco commonly known as Virginia Sun-cured, Virginia Sun and Air-cured, or Dark Air-cured of Virginia, and produced principally in the central section of Virginia north of the James River.
Class 4; cigar-filler types and groups.

(a) Type 41. That type of cigar-leaf tobacco commonly known as Pennsylvania Seedleaf or Pennsylvania Broadleaf, produced principally in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and adjoining counties and including other areas of Pennsylvania and Maryland in which the seedleaf variety is grown.
(b) Type 42. That type of cigar-leaf tobacco commonly known as Gebhardt, Ohio Seedleaf, or Ohio Broadleaf, produced principally in the Miami Valley Section of Ohio and extending into Indiana.



(c) Type 43. That type of cigar-leaf tobacco commonly known as Zimmer, Spanish, or Zimmer Spanish, produced principally in the Miami Valley Section of Ohio and extending into Indiana.

 

[Levi Gross]

Clinton Co.

Where ya at Levi? I grew up in Grant County.

 

[Levi Gross]

Thank You. I will do some home work with this information.

Class 3; air-cured types and groups.

(a) Type 31. That type of air-cured tobacco, commonly known as Burley, produced principally in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, and Missouri.



(b) Type 31–V. Notwithstanding the definitions of “Type” and “Type 31”, any tobacco having the general visual characteristics of quality, color, and length of Class 3, Type 31, air-cured tobacco, but which is a low-nicotine strain or variety,
(2) Production under contract. Type 31–V tobacco shall be grown under contract with a dealer in tobacco or a manufacturer of tobacco products. In addition to any other provisions not inconsistent herewith, the contract shall provide that:
(d) Type 32. That type of air-cured tobacco commonly known as Southern Maryland tobacco or Maryland Air-cured, and produced principally in southern Maryland. (Upper Country Maryland is classed as “miscellaneous domestic.”)
(e) Type 35. That type of air-cured tobacco commonly known as One Sucker Air-cured, Kentucky-Tennessee-Indiana One Sucker, or Dark Air-cured One Sucker, including the upper Cumberland District One Sucker, and produced principally in northern Tennessee, south central Kentucky, and southern Indiana.
(f) Type 36. That type of air-cured tobacco commonly known as Green River, Green River Air-cured, or Dark Air-cured of the Henderson and Owensboro Districts, and produced principally in the Green River section of Kentucky.
(g) Type 37. That type of air-cured or sun-cured tobacco commonly known as Virginia Sun-cured, Virginia Sun and Air-cured, or Dark Air-cured of Virginia, and produced principally in the central section of Virginia north of the James River.
Class 4; cigar-filler types and groups.

(a) Type 41. That type of cigar-leaf tobacco commonly known as Pennsylvania Seedleaf or Pennsylvania Broadleaf, produced principally in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and adjoining counties and including other areas of Pennsylvania and Maryland in which the seedleaf variety is grown.
(b) Type 42. That type of cigar-leaf tobacco commonly known as Gebhardt, Ohio Seedleaf, or Ohio Broadleaf, produced principally in the Miami Valley Section of Ohio and extending into Indiana.



(c) Type 43. That type of cigar-leaf tobacco commonly known as Zimmer, Spanish, or Zimmer Spanish, produced principally in the Miami Valley Section of Ohio and extending into Indiana.

 

[FmGrowit]

I will tell you, there is an extreme shortage of Burley wrapper. This grade is used almost exclusively for twist tobacco, but that doesn't necessarily mean you'll make money at it.

If your hobby doesn't make you money, you need a new hobby.

 

[Hasse SWE]

I will tell you, there is an extreme shortage of Burley wrapper. This grade is used almost exclusively for twist tobacco, but that doesn't necessarily mean you'll make money at it.If your hobby doesn't make you money, you need a new hobby.

LOL or perhaps beginning to think if you ain't have a brother or sister you can sell! I work for money, my life is pretty much money here, money there.. But my hobby is my hobby and the money.. The money I get from it is pretty often already gone before I see them. But my hobby is so good that I probably go +/- zero every season. But I stay away from selling tobacco.

 

[FmGrowit]

But my hobby is so good that I probably go +/- zero every season. But I stay away from selling tobacco.

There's no money in growing tobacco, but there's a hell of a lot of it in not buying it.

 

[Levi Gross]

I’m a very optimistic person and consider the risk worth it. Something I don’t fully understand though is I know a lot of emphasis is placed on the type of tobacco and the region it is grown in. Would I be confined to only growing those types specific to Indiana in order to be recognized as an authentic grower? I’m not so much interested in commercial production as I am a much more interested in a high quality much sought after leaf and type of tobacco. The burley wrapper mentioned above has my interest. But what about other types even if they are not my region specific???