ShiniKoroshi Grow Blog 2025

[ShiniKoroshi]

Row 1 has been bagged, Row 2 is fresh out of the kiln and drying. Little Dutch is in the left box and Little Yellow in the right. Leaves are separated, above mid-stalk and below.

I stack them on edge so they will dry evenly without having to separate the entire stack. After having been jarred in the kiln for 2 months its very stinky for the first couple days. It all goes into a bag after the stink is gone and its in low case. A month from now Ill air it out again, then its ready to smoke.

 

[ShiniKoroshi]

Over the winter I need to procure proper farmer attire, tractor and banjo.


In the interim, please enjoy some pickin'-n-grinnin'.

 

[ShiniKoroshi]

.......I need to target 65 RH in the afternoon so it doesn't shoot up to 90 RH like it did last night.

Bad plan!

Sitting out here watching tobacco cure, thinking about this and then I remembered what I read in those many 19th century tobacco guides. The correct answer is to add heat and I did with a space heater (outside of the enclosure). Kept the temp between 65-75°F and humidity hovered around 70 RH. Tobacco seems to be curing nicely!

 

[StoneCarver]

Fun fact about the banjo: it originated in Africa. In fact, the word and instrument are still in use in some west African countries. Much of the traditional fiddle/banjo repertoire was composed by African slaves. For example: Shortnin Bread, Old Joe Clark, Cluck Old Hen, The Master's Gone Away.

"Jimmy crack corn and I don't care" x3
"The master's gone away"

Turned out that white guys liked the banjo too and learned how to play it. If you decide to do so, study the clawhammer technique. Avoid the Earl Scruggs fingerpicking technique. To my ears, the clawhammer technique has a prettier sound to it, besides it being the older traditional way of playing the instrument.

 

[ShiniKoroshi]

 

[ShiniKoroshi]

Before their discovery they had no written language, had not invented a wheel nor had they mastery over fire.

Meanwhile in Europe over a thousand years ago.

 

[StoneCarver]

Also, if you do get a banjo, get an open back type. Don't get the resonator type. Those pictures are unclear but the guy in the top picture appears to have an open back type. The bottom picture clearly has resonator types. Traditionally, you'd make your own banjo. Carve out a hoop, stretch a woodchuck skin over it; woodchuck hides were said to be the best. Attach a neck, carve out some tuning pegs and a bridge. Use whatever for strings. Frets? Who needs frets? Originally, banjos did not have frets. yes, I've seen and jammed with banjo pickers who had instruments like this. These homemade instruments have a soft, mellow sound.

 

[deluxestogie]

Ah...Uses of the Past. Sigh.

Avoid the Earl Scruggs fingerpicking technique.

Simply hearing Foggy Mountain Breakdown for the first time caused me to sit in my living room with my banjo, while repeatedly lifting the needle of my record player, going back—measure by measure—to learn to play the entire thing. When I would perform it among friends or in live venues, it would get people stomping to the rhythm. While they would enjoy my claw-hammer pieces, their mood was always more subdued.

Bob

 

[ShiniKoroshi]

Thank you. Im quite familiar with the banjo. I grew up around Bluegrass musicians. My grandmother was the only one to make any success in music though and that was back in the late 40's. She was part of West Virginia Wheeling Jamboree.
She is in the photo below.

 

[StoneCarver]

Admittedly, I was posting the above with a bit tongue in cheek.
One of my relatives became very famous for playing the mountain dulcimer. My dad used to say that she wrote the very first book ever written on how to play the mountain dulcimer- which is true. Her name was Jean Ritchie. Very few people in the old time music scene don't know her name. Spoiler alert: I'm not famous. But I do play fiddle. I don't do bluegrass fiddle. I play old traditional fiddle tunes; I used to know a lot more tunes than I do now after my hand got smashed. We used to call bluegrass "that modern new fangled sound".
Jean has a place in the Smithsonian: https://womenshistory.si.edu/blog/mother-folk-jean-ritchie-was-born-100-years-ago-today

And please don't think I'm bragging about any of this; I'm just stating facts. My ability to play fiddle is an embarrassment particularly after my hand got smashed by an angle grinder.

 

[ShiniKoroshi]

Admittedly, I was posting the above with a bit tongue in cheek.
One of my relatives became very famous for playing the mountain dulcimer. My dad used to say that she wrote the very first book ever written on how to play the mountain dulcimer- which is true. Her name was Jean Ritchie. Very few people in the old time music scene don't know her name. Spoiler alert: I'm not famous. But I do play fiddle. I don't do bluegrass fiddle. I play old traditional fiddle tunes; I used to know a lot more tunes than I do now after my hand got smashed. We used to call bluegrass "that modern new fangled sound".
Jean has a place in the Smithsonian: https://womenshistory.si.edu/blog/mother-folk-jean-ritchie-was-born-100-years-ago-today

And please don't think I'm bragging about any of this; I'm just stating facts. My ability to play fiddle is an embarrassment particularly after my hand got smashed by an angle grinder.

Oh I know, hence the meme. lol

I do appreciate you sharing and I think its awesome to have kin folk who did something worth remembering. So get back on that fiddle and keep her memory alive!