I am considering

[Tom_in_TN]

Some of us ought to make a field trip to BigBonner's Tabacco School and learn how to do things like tie some hands of tobacco. Some of the low cost cameras, like the one I have, would do video good enough to post on you tube or some other place. The lighting would need to be done right and I have some professional lighting equipment.

 

[Chicken]

i used all of a hand that big-bonner sent me last night,,,,

when untying the wrapping leaf,,, i was amazed too see how tight the thing was wrapped around the hand,,,

i must say big-bonners hands are truly impressive to look at

 

[Jitterbugdude]

i must say big-bonners hands are truly impressive to look at

You think that's something, You should see his feet!

 

[BarG]

I aint tying nothin unless somebody wants to have a contest...???? It would be fun to watch all our attempts.

 

[Chicken]

im tying all my hands like that,,,

wanna have a contest<<??

 

[johnlee1933]

im tying all my hands like that,,,

wanna have a contest<<??

I'm up for it ! Now all I have to do is grow some to tie.

Don, If we do this will you offer prizes?

Chicken, You DO NOT get a prize for first entry.

Oh Yeah -- BigBonner is to be the judge and therefore is DISQUALIFIED.

John

 

[deluxestogie]

Some thoughts on a hand tying contest:

How will it be judged? Perhaps it should all be shipped to a single location, say to BigBonner's Academy of Tobacco Tying, with the winner receiving all the properly labeled hands of tobacco as a prize. You would pay to ship two hands to BigBonner, along with a $1 bill and your email address. You can use tobacco that you have grown, or tobacco that you have purchased. (Maybe divided into two prize categories, depending on the number of entries.) After the contest, the included $1 bills are used by BB to pay the shipping to the
winner(s). Contestants spend their time and tobacco and $1. BB spends his time, and now has your email address for notifying you of specials on his numerous varieties of cured tobacco. Don gets to sit back and smile.

Bob

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I must be missing something here. I don't see what the big deal is about tying a hand of tobacco. Easy as pie!.. Maybe I'm just a natural born tobacco hand tie-er upper? So this begs the question: For those of you that are having problems tying a hand, what exactly are you having troubles with?... Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[deluxestogie]

Every skill is easy as pie, once you have mastered it. But county fairs as well as 4H clubs have sponsored tobacco tying competitions, so some tied hands must be better than others. Leaf selection, neatness, visual appeal--it all went into the marketing of a hogshead of tobacco by the use of a few tied hands that were presented as "representative" of the lot.

Bob

 

[johnlee1933]

OMG ! I awakened a monster.

John

 

[workhorse_01]

Can my mom enter the hand tying contest ? When she was young my grandfather was in and out of the hosp. so all week during season in South Carolina she graded and tyed hands. she says they must be tight ,tyed with a nice leaf and NO fuzzy tops ! My dad is going to teach me to string tobacco on sticks for curing. Needles to say i will video both if anyone is interested.

 

[Grundle]

I would love to see that.

 

[indianjoe]

That sounds like it would be very interesting to see.

 

[leverhead]

Put me on the list too!

 

[BarG]

Can my mom enter the hand tying contest ? When she was young my grandfather was in and out of the hosp. so all week during season in South Carolina she graded and tyed hands. she says they must be tight ,tyed with a nice leaf and NO fuzzy tops ! My dad is going to teach me to string tobacco on sticks for curing. Needles to say i will video both if anyone is interested.

Absolutely, Why not, We could all stand to learn something new. If its anything like skinnin a cat? Theres got to be a lot of different ways but only a few that are presentable or impressive. I didn't realize you had tobacco in the blood so to speak.

 

[workhorse_01]

Skinnin a cat has to be done properly you must choose the correct tree or there's no fun in it, always look for a good austrailian pine they are the best !

 

[BarG]

Some thoughts on a hand tying contest:

How will it be judged? Perhaps it should all be shipped to a single location, say to BigBonner's Academy of Tobacco Tying, with the winner receiving all the properly labeled hands of tobacco as a prize. You would pay to ship two hands to BigBonner, along with a $1 bill and your email address. You can use tobacco that you have grown, or tobacco that you have purchased. (Maybe divided into two prize categories, depending on the number of entries.) After the contest, the included $1 bills are used by BB to pay the shipping to the
winner(s). Contestants spend their time and tobacco and $1. BB spends his time, and now has your email address for notifying you of specials on his numerous varieties of cured tobacco. Don gets to sit back and smile.

Bob

I'm game. Any other suckers out there willing to have some fun.

 

[BigBonner]

Some thoughts on a hand tying contest:

How will it be judged? Perhaps it should all be shipped to a single location, say to BigBonner's Academy of Tobacco Tying, with the winner receiving all the properly labeled hands of tobacco as a prize. You would pay to ship two hands to BigBonner, along with a $1 bill and your email address. You can use tobacco that you have grown, or tobacco that you have purchased. (Maybe divided into two prize categories, depending on the number of entries.) After the contest, the included $1 bills are used by BB to pay the shipping to the
winner(s). Contestants spend their time and tobacco and $1. BB spends his time, and now has your email address for notifying you of specials on his numerous varieties of cured tobacco. Don gets to sit back and smile.

Bob

I didn't catch up on this thread until now . I was busy setting tobacco .

I would gladly be the judge

I could see two maybe three catagories . 1 The best hand tie . 2 Quality. 3 Best for smoking .

 

[BigBonner]

Every skill is easy as pie, once you have mastered it. But county fairs as well as 4H clubs have sponsored tobacco tying competitions, so some tied hands must be better than others. Leaf selection, neatness, visual appeal--it all went into the marketing of a hogshead of tobacco by the use of a few tied hands that were presented as "representative" of the lot.

Bob

Talking about neatness .Older farmers were very picky about the looks of their crop and the way we handeled the tobacco .

I remember when hand tied tobacco was taken to the markets and when the big change came around . Farmers started useing the new bale system for tobacco . Tobacco farmers were makng the bales so neat . They looked like you trimmed them with a knife .Later farmers found out that neatness didn't make them any extra money . So they started throwing tobacco in the bale boxes by the arm loads .
Big tobacco wanted farmers to go totally away from hand tieing to the bales . Bales were 80 to 100 lbs at first , then big tobacco allowed farmers to go to the 800 lb bales . I still make the 100 lb bales . I can not afford the big ballers at $3500 to $5000 .

 

[workhorse_01]

I'm in