Dark Fired Tobacco

Farmers in western Kentucky's black patch region produce fire cured dark tobacco. Heat from burning hardwood slabs and sawdust inside tight metal barns creates finished products used in snuff and chewing tobacco.
Here, UK researchers and farmers show viewers how the process works from seed to market. Topics include greenhouse seeding, transplanting, conservation tillage, strip till, topping, sucker control, harvest, and the art of firing.

[@matthewmartin7639]

I live on one of those tobacco farms right on the Tennessee side of the Tennessee Kentucky border. And yes, dark fire tobacco is a way of life here. Our barn is maybe a half mile away and the way the wind blows in the morning you get that sweet smoky signature camp fire smell as you wake up. It is incredible.

[@riverbottomband]

Hey I would like to do some drone pictures this fall of the barns, Could you point me to a farm where i could get permission? I could give you my email if you wish.

[@adaptercrash]

It's illegal lol has to be brown

[@GamelanSinarSurya]

Sounds like heaven

[@adaptercrash]

Except your dying all the Time

[@matthewgabbard6415]

OMG I love the smell of Dark Fired tobacco. I bet the actual hard wood fire smells great in the late Summer early Fall air

[@GamelanSinarSurya]

I had no idea that tobacco farming was so scientific and ecology conscious. Amazing work.

[@jimsonjohnson3761]

Most farming is. Except large scale industrial plant farming

[@ReadingInRedding]

*narrator:* "the highly skilled workers will gently lay the plant down" *dude with the axe:* _hacks the shit out of the plant and tosses it on the ground_

[@maxhallman1036]

Yeah we do that

[@ReadingInRedding]

@@maxhallman1036 lol! Hey, have you ever tried to cure the leaves on the stalk? just leave them on the stalk until they turn light /golden brown, wetting them every day with the hose, then letting the dry and 110 degree summer days cure the fuck out of them..? it produces really bad ass cig tobacco if you use indian (hopi) and turksih (shirazi) strains...

[@mlggetrekt8948]

😂

[@bveracka]

This was a cool video. It's nice to see a great American tradition being kept up, even if there are many new-age changes to the process. The only thing I wish I could un-see was that chemical sucker-control spraying scene. At any rate, I have a lot of respect for the farmers who still make an honest living the old fashioned way.

[@blusnuby2]

Not to mention all the herbicide & insecticide spray applications that, evidently, don`t get rinsed-off during cultivation....

[@joeestes8114]

We didn't spray just topped and suckerd by hand! Hard work too!

[@npensol]

I use Stokers moist snuff everyday. This makes me appreciate what goes into making the product even more.

[@demonetized6837]

Don't American's use moist snuff as dip though?

[@tommerry2814]

I'm sure this tobacco is used for copenhagen

[@samsonagonistes9856]

@@tommerry2814 looks like it's used for one of the swisher products, like kayak or starr chewing tobacco

[@Drbong777]

Stokers is a classic

[@user-qx2db1sr8k]

grizzly , skoal, 0r kodiak, stokers is not that good

[@matthewgabbard6415]

Moist snuff and pipe tobacco, certain ryo products like Drum Halfzware, and European style dry cured cigars like the Toscana from Italy. Dark Fired, and Dark Air Cured tobaccos are also grown in Italy, and several African countries like Malawi. This style leaf also gave the old French cigarettes like Gauloises and Gitanes their deep rich flavor. Dark tobaccos and Perique from Louisiana are the truffles of North American tobaccos, when used as a seasoning to matured Virginia. Those tobaccos age like red wine

[@titovanssoc1401]

Hola amigo. Soy de Honduras un aficionado al tabaco de pipa. Me podrías recomendar un banco de semillas? Me gustaria comprar Perique y Burley y si es posible Latakia. Yo cultivo el virginia dorado.

[@bjulianlm]

Wow! Look at all my people doing all the hard labor work! Proud to see that such a valuable and recognizied product of the south (Kentucky) runs on the back of labor workers.

[@braquemar]

It shouldn't. You all have to go back

[@cigarnewbie6436]

I tried a fire cured cigar and really liked it. It had smokey and meaty notes that made it very interesting. Reminded me of a peppery smoked jerky.

[@mimief7969]

This is the best stuff to have in a pipe. It's so good.

[@alecgiese3994]

I'm an amateur tobacco grower on the northwest coast. Great knowledge coming from the pros!

[@monsieurdubois2830]

I do absolutely love tobacco!!! I've consumed it in every form. I use nasal snuff nowadays, but I still enjoy a can of Copenhagen snuff now and again. Thank you, tobacco farmers! You guys are my heroes.

[@jeffzimmerman2412]

I didn't realize how much work goes into tabacco production!

[@cigarnewbie6436]

Perdomo cigars has a series of videos going through the entire process from planting seeds all the way to shipping boxes of cigars. It's incredible how much goes into it all.

[@shaverx3293]

Being an Avanti cigar fan, this was great to watch! Thanks for posting.

[@Sharrendan]

really informative! i love the smell and flavour of smoked kentucky tobacco

[@teddycadle3387]

I used to live in hopkinsville Kentucky. You could smell those tobacco barns forever!

[@DonBair]

I work for the USDA in Lancaster Pa., I've never seen the fire-cured process, thanks!

[@thulasi585]

In srilanka people used to do this kind of fire curing methods..

[@graycloud057]

I remember back in the day when the old dark leaf was fired till it was nearly black.

[@getprobed838]

but doesnt it pick up the smell of wood smoke?

[@towhee89]

8:52 firing the tobacco less would explain the differences between the older moist snuff products and today.

[@jasd1183]

Very informative video thanks

[@bradhexumOSM]

Beautiful craft. Thank you for sharing your skills.

[@tecnogof]

Shame about the use of fungicides and chemicals... I'll grow my own without...

[@HaZeyTrades]

Large Scale production. It’s much easier to maintain without fung ans pestis growing your own.

[@freedom8832]

It'd sure be nice if you folks would STOP spraying all those poison chemicals on our tobacco.

[@FireReid]

I learn alot thanks very much

[@drewmal2335]

I grow some don't have all understanding but I get through but it was fascinating to see this production I wish we had that quality and know how mechanism for the product, THANKS

[@dementus420]

I really enjoyed this. I was trying to find a video on how latakia is produced, but I saw this one pop up and had to check it out. Boy, a lot of hard work involved in the dark fired Kentucky business. I wonder if it's been getting harder for these farm operators to find enough laborers willing to do this job. I would imagine that it has.

[@bveracka]

I also was hoping to find a Latakia video, but I'd imagine because it's done far away in Cypress, nobody's made a video about it yet. My guess is that the Latakia process has just as many similarities as differences to this dark-firing. Additionally, I would also think that laborers are hard to find; we can all admit that working the fields in summertime wouldn't be our first choice for a job.

[@joeestes8114]

I grow my personal usage!

[@ModernRome1]

I live in the county next to the one in the video. Most of the tobacco workers now are from south of the border. There is no shortage of people crossing our borders as you well know lol When I was a kid we all had to work in tobacco to earn some money. Times have changed.

[@CHITOWNDEECON1]

Cutting is the only really shitty job and you're lucky to get $.39 a stick, which is bending over to cut 5 plants and impaling them all on a stick to dry in the field

[@titovanssoc1401]

@@bveracka Hola ¿encontraste video de Latakia?

[@arcadegamesify]

thank you for making the beautiful tobacco we enjoy

[@esspecial55]

The video I was looking for

[@geemeff]

I enjoy Skoal LC Mint, always have, always will!! I had no idea that so much work went into it, WOW!!!!

[@geemeff]

@Jacques Guerrier you know it bud!

[@user-qx2db1sr8k]

labor ain't cheap

[@grahamkilpatrick4862]

Love this tobacco in my cigars. Gives them a unique taste.

[@andresgael3012]

Solo recuerdos quedan Yo trabajé por 6 años en Hopkinsville en el rancho de Garnett farms que recuerdos

[@kingjames4886]

thumbs up on the low tillage.

[@angelyncordero1183]

Thanks

[@monmixer]

Interesting, I smoke cigars but never tried the ones made here that are fire cured. I bought a package to see if i like them. not sure yet. Half way through my first parody which is a denobli. has bit of woodie and sweet taste. I'm kind of understanding the process.

[@salsa1bori]

Good info it takes lots of work to do this just would like to see restaurant and hotels have smoking section than taking it out

[@stonerman15]

Grow industrial hemp as a cover crop the benefits are amazing for agriculture and the environment.

[@philipdeppen3189]

2:15 am and smoking a big bowl of Gawith Hoggarth Kendall Kentucky. Life is good at 2:15 am.

[@sandybeach3576]

Kentucky pipe tobacco is powerful good.😊

[@Kevin79232]

Is field wilting necessary if I plan on growing Burleys? Or is that just with dark fire cure?

[@joeestes8114]

Back in the day we stripped by hand three grades and cutting and housing was a back breaking job. We didn't bale either!

[@ModernRome1]

worst sunburns of my life!!

[@gailsack2635]

What time of year is best for seeing tobacco harvest in Kentucky or Tennessee? Are there tobacco tours?

[@No-xo8vg]

Awesome, video...go wildcats

[@DrJayLLB]

where do you get those trays from?

[@claytonbigsby423]

Thanks for the Copenhagen 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@adelkafi8640]

good

[@gooddeed26]

Tabacca'

[@woopeedyscoop1858]

accent of this bois is exceptionally thicc. love it

[@jstarr7506]

Smmmmmokin'!

[@Ghostcamel]

Im looking for growing and curing methods that actually restrict nicotine formation in the leaves, but still maximize leaf size and tensile strength of the leaf material. Any help from an expert?

[@Ghostcamel]

@A M Right, I asked how to grow tobacco a certain way and you say to grow another plant. Well thanks.

[@Ghostcamel]

@A M That's more useful information. I wouldn't try going for zero, just minimized levels of nicotine. The other properties of this particular plant are too desirable to ignore.

[@justdoinmything]

Why would you want that nicotine in the amount you naturally get won't hurt you but the chemicals they use WILL!

[@Ghostcamel]

@@justdoinmything it's not only about hurting you, some people want to minimize the nicotine's effects

[@Taydrum]

Don't top the plant, that forces nicotine into the leaves from the roots, and use low nicotine strains like Nicotiana Alata or Nicotiana clevelandii. There's always going to be some nicotine in the leaves

[@stevehuskey9037]

Interesting and informative. Doesn't the same Tobacco growing region go down into upper Tennessee ??? Isn't it used in more ways than moist snuff ???

[@maxhallman1036]

Yes most of the souteast does the moist snuff

[@ivehadenoughandnotbackingd2517]

Yes it does I used to live in that region there was a barn right across the road from my highschool I love the smell of it curing

[@ModernRome1]

Yes its grown other places. This is probably the most concentrated area of dark firing though. I live in the county next to the one shown in the video. Also , yes to it being used in other forms. Not typically used for cigarettes or inhaling much. Used in pipe tobacco quite a bit and less so for cigars. Drew Estate cigar co. has a contract with the growers in this area for use in their imported Kentucky Fire Cured cigars.

[@stevehuskey9037]

@@ModernRome1 yeah , I've seen those cigars. Most people don't care for them , but I haven't tried one. I've probably had it in some pipe Tobacco blends , but usually go for Latakia if I'm wanting a smoky taste. I have a buddy that just inherited a small farm in Tennessee that was once a Tobacco Farm. I THINK it's in that Geographical area.

[@max917]

Say what you will, this is an incredible science... no, art form.

[@AyAyRonGascon]

My favorite noise is 3:57

[@trevorthecbdreviewer8056]

Chewing grizzly dark now

[@johnconnor1737]

Is it not possible to get organic chewing/dipping tobacco?

[@Itsmannibeats]

john connor the country sides of all Caribbean island . I’m already trying to buy land somewhere and grow my own everything these people dump any chemicals to mass produce

[@ontherims3284]

Depends where you are I guess. Planning on making my own.

[@Der_Kleine_Mann]

No, you would need to make it for yourself. But I guess there would be a market for that, so maybe you can start a business, producing organic Dip or Chew.

[@GoldsberryGirl]

If someone is concerned enough about their health that they want 'organic', I wouldn't think they'd be smoking or chewing.

[@Der_Kleine_Mann]

@@GoldsberryGirlwith smoking, that would make no sense, that's true, but chewing tobacco is not as bad as most people think, Snus is even less bad, comparable to drinking coffee. So when someone wants organic chew, that makes sense indeed, since glyphosate and stuff for sucker control are big problems in tobacco.

[@filipmac5577]

My great great grand father would of loved to have this high tech equipment!

[@crosisofborg5524]

He would have hated you using “of” instead of “have”.

[@badHproductions]

That's a whole lot of chemicals going on those plants.

[@Mike1614b]

Minimike Bloomberg says y'all don't know what you're doing because you don't have enough 'gray matter'. give him a call and talk about that

[@benitorebolledo1792]

Like chinampas. Nice nice nice

[@nickc3891]

moist snuff

[@FattaDan592GY]

Send some to guyana

[@nyashamuza1217]

Nicotiana tabacum

[@glennduffy4873]

Does all tobacco get smoked to cure it

[@Sharrendan]

no, mostly the dark varieties. you can tell it from the smell of your tobacco. it really has a smokey charcoal aroma

[@nitemareman1]

@@Sharrendan Yeah I call it that "campfire" smell. Only present in KDFT and Latakia from Syria or Cypress.

[@maxhallman1036]

No you have dark fired fire cured air cured and some kinds that are hard to find

[@FuriousPsyOp]

"Sucker control "chemical" like what? ?? 😆😆😆

[@Taydrum]

harmful chemicals...

[@maxhallman1036]

The sucker is the bad part

[@DARisse-ji1yw]

Hope smoking it won't wilt me Willy !

[@thecandyman0999]

Man, I love that dark-fired, moist, sugary BLACK GOODNESS! ❤

[@scottm2553]

After watching videos of cigar plantations in nicaragua, dominican republic, etc, the end product looks actually pretty gross in this video.

[@maliziosoeperverso1697]

How's tobacco gonna get a job now?!?!??!

[@sikismeker]

Great video.😊

[@patfromamboy]

A guy was saying that they don’t want too much of a chemical from burning the fires under the tobacco because it is a carcinogen. Do they consider tobacco to be a carcinogen?

[@surfrat8884]

Unfortunately we all will die of something. The fact is genetics will mostly determine when.

[@freeman6147]

Pesticides, chemicals, chemicals, chemicals. Hardly a health imparting process. The simple solution is to reduce the yield to improve quality. Increasing the cost of production is a drop in the ocean compared to end consumer costs.

[@BigElectricCat]

Duhbacuh

[@misterfifteen1422]

Can I do this with out giving that BBQ smell?

[@sasjapruimpje9197]

Yeah pvc system....and so you get plastics in your body already😢

[@917439]

thats a lot of chemicals and fungicides on something that you ingest in your lungs

[@dba4292]

I think most of this is going into chew and dip tobacco, and I would think they wash off their plants a little before they make their products.

[@charlesklass4209]

All that effort just for it to be turned into kayak 🤮

[@The6698Clown]

"plastic is totally clean" microplastics would like to have a word with you

[@MikeGreenwood51]

So how many years have they got to do that to sound like a real hillybilly?

[@ziggyc4474]

All dudes are Cubans

[@wizardofoz1390]

Putrid

[@Taydrum]

dirtiest tobacco ive ever seen

[@trollmcclure1884]

very chemical

[@MrMG43]

you're made of chemicals

[@Mr.Gizzmo]

Fuck the environmental shit just get it done fast and efficient

[@thecandyman0999]

Nice

[@FB-gm6el]

i sure wouldn't want to smoke plants that have been chemically treated all along the way. pass.