new member from Northern IL

[Smokin Harley]

Good morning, nice to find a forum for the home (cigar)tobacco grower .Myself ,47 y/o male,married (1 yr anniversary in about 2 weeks),live about 40 miles south of Chicago. I actually have a degree in horticulture . I grew tobacco many years ago as a trial and i just didnt know how to properly or what to do with it afterwards, it was a Burley 33 and had a small crop enough to roll a few very putrid 'gars. I didnt know Burley wasnt really a cigar tobacco. I didn't cure them or age them correctly so you can imagine what the result was. Anyway , I'm actually thinking of growing a crop next year now that I have done a lot of homework and research on what to do with the crop.Hoping to talk with another midwesterner who grows their own. I have some favorite store bought hand rolleds(Cigar Int'l) I like that Id like to try to recreate. I do like Connecticut wrappers,but I'm not stuck on them. I go for a medium/mild to full. My fav's include Perdomo, A.Fuente, RyJ, Nub, and CAO. There is a blend from CI's Blend lab (RT-654) that I order on a regular basis as it is very consistent . Don't particularly care for the spice notes some of the full flavors impart. I do also smoke a pipe so I'd like to find a nice cigar/pipe (Cavendish)tobacco.

 

[istanbulin]

Welcome to the forum. There's a lot of information here so I'm sure you'll graduate soon as a cigar tobacco grower. Don't forget to read FAQs above.
BTW, I imagined the taste of an unaged Burley puro and it may be my nightmare tonight.

 

[FmGrowit]

Welcome to the forum.

Burley is actually a very versatile tobacco type. Many different characteristics can be found in a single variety. It all depends on the stalk position, degree of maturity or ripeness and the manner in which it's cured. There are also several different processes Burley can be undergo which also increase it's versatility.

 

[POGreen]

Welcome to Fair Trade Tobacco and I hope you like your stay here with us.

 

[deluxestogie]

Welcome to the forum. If you'll add your location to your profile, it will appear alongside each of your posts, and be helpful to members reading your questions and experiences. Check out the grower's FAQ (link at the top of each page). It includes numerous sources of seed. Now is the time to plan for a 2015 crop.

I would recommend you have a look at http://northwoodseeds.com/Seed List2.htm, a tobacco seed site operated by (and all seed produced by) our member skychaser.

Suggested cigar varieties:

• Little Dutch - filler
• PA Red - filler
• Long Red - filler
• Swarr-Hibshman - filler
• Dominican Olor - filler
• Vuelta Abajo - filler
• Glessnor - binder
• Comstock Spanish - binder
• FL Sumatra - wrapper (excellent sun-grown)
• CT Shade - wrapper (will require a shade structure)

Bob

 

[Mad Oshea]

I would include, Reams 158 flue, Havana K-1 Binder, Scantic wrapper and maybe some ShireyTA#109. I use Burley's in My sticks and use it for different Cavendishes. You will need to build a kiln befor harvest. I can imagine the tast of You smokes, not cured. GrgFinney is in Your area of grow, He grows for cigarettes, but the same way to grow.

 

[MarcL]

Welcome to Fair Trade Tobacco.

 

[Briar Spirit]

Nice to meet you and welcome to FTT.

 

[leverhead]

Welcome!

 

[webmost]

Tell us more about the RT-654. Searching the CI site all I find is singles. I have invariably found CI ingredient lists and flavor descriptions insufficient. With a better list of ingredients or an accurate description, I'm betting these green thumbs can recommend which seeds you want to plant. Or better yet, we can steer you to which of Don's leaves you want to order.

Have you tried the Nat Shermans? Mild, woody, CT wrapped. Ping me your address via PM and I'll hook you up with a couple Nats, along with a couple of La Perla del Mar, similarly smooth CT wrapped gems.

Who here rolls mild CT wrapped cigars Harley might like? I should try rolling some.

 

[Smokin Harley]

webmost, you need to go into their Blend Lab ( usually the bottom of the drop down cigar list)and look around , no brand names ,just letter and number codes with description. I have no clue who grows,rolls them but this RT654 is a 6 x 54 I dont know if the RT would be any kind of indication or initials of a parent brand name .I try to keep at least 5 rt's on hand , its kind of my celebration stick. Very consistent , good burn , sometimes I get one with a little harder draw but the flavors to me make me go "ah". I think I've smoked at least 40 of them in the last two years. My store bought favs include - A Fuente(Hemingway short story), Perdomo 10th aniv champagne ,CAO Sol, RyJ reserve 1884 in the brown tube ,and Nubs any of them but the Habanos and Conn are my favs of that brand. My wife and I got married on the Negril Jamaican beach last year and I had a week of smoking Cohibas I swear were as fresh and real as can be,they spoiled me. No Nat's and as for the offer, would love to try some. I'll try to figure out how to PM. Thank you

 

[Smokin Harley]

I already have a list I want to order, Cuban Criollo 98, Little Dutch ,Havana 608, Ct Broadleaf and Long Red. Check me if I need a "smoother outer" variety ,I might have listed too many flavor varieties and nothing to calm them down.all from sustainable seed co. looking at 200 seeds of each variety and total cost of just over $15.

 

[Mad Oshea]

Burley has a kick. I like a kick. But to get a good robust stick is a long worked art, that never stops. I even put Izmir, and Black Mammoth for a Kick and calmer in My sticks HA HA, Now if You wan't to try an open range- Go with, Macchu- Picchu, CT broad Leaf and Dixie shade on a wrapper. Then on a binder go with, Havana 142 (Lonnies) or 608, Vesta 64 or any Burley. Use the fillers to Your likeing. Swarr is nice and Fl Sumatra is a hit. I try not to imitate a stick from a factory. No fun in it for Me. Mad- We can get a Good real Cuban cigar, We own Guantanamo Bay with family working there LOL.

 

[deluxestogie]

My first grow of Little Dutch was 6 plants. Year by year, that number goes up. This year, I planted 24. Kilned Little Dutch is smooth, with moderate nicotine, but the tastes and aromas are deep and dark and wonderful. And you just can't get it unless you grow it. PA Red is similar. No matter how many of either I plant, they're always the first filler varieties to run out. Vuelta Abajo is my next favorite filler.

Bob

 

[indianjoe]

Welcome to FTT forum.

 

[POGreen]

Welcome to Fair Trade Tobacco Smokin Harley !

 

[Rickey60]

Welcome!

 

[Smokin Harley]

My first grow of Little Dutch was 6 plants. Year by year, that number goes up. This year, I planted 24. Kilned Little Dutch is smooth, with moderate nicotine, but the tastes and aromas are deep and dark and wonderful. And you just can't get it unless you grow it. PA Red is similar. No matter how many of either I plant, they're always the first filler varieties to run out. Vuelta Abajo is my next favorite filler.

Bob

Thanks for that Bob . At least I have a good "blending mind" when it came to picking out my varieties....lets hope anyway , right? My wife is amazed at my veg garden , tells everyone about it ,that I can "grow anything" , I try anyway , usually with good to excellent results, but theres been times I cant grow the simplest things, like spinach and green beans . Of course our wild rabbit populations arent of any help. lol.