The "Amish harvesting of air-cured tobacco" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Riding around the farmland of Lancaster County, PA watching all the activity in the fields around what is known as the "Garden Spot of America."  Field after field of corn, soybeans, hay, wheat, potatoes, oats, marijuana ...... yep, marijuana is the #5 Pennsylvania cash crop, but I didn't see any in conservative Lancaster County.  But, the main reason for my ride is to take some photos of another big cash crop, tobacco.  Tobacco has always been a big crop on farm after farm throughout Lancaster County, since there are still many, many smokers in our country.  And, many of those that grow the crop are Amish farmers.  Just so interesting to watch when you find a field of tobacco being harvested by a group of Amish workers which usually included a few females working next to the male workers.  And age doesn't seem to matter one bit.  Young children to older adults work together as they harvest the crop.  I have taken some photos to give you an idea how the Amish community in Lancaster County harvests tobacco with primarily manual labor and tools.  Almost all of the local tobacco is air-cured by hanging in well-ventilated barns and allowed to dry for a few months.  Air-cured tobacco gives the tobacco smoke a light, sweet flavor, but with a high nicotine content.  Also is low in sugar.  So follow along with my photos and you will get an idea as to how tobacco is harvested in our area.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - I have chosen to not include photos of the Amish in my photos.  Any photos that do have Amish in them will probably not show their faces, since their religion prohibits graven images be taken of them, which would include a photograph.  I also should tell you that I sat and talked with a young Amish man who helped me understand the procedure that is used on the farm where he lived.  Also, remember to click on the photos to enlarge them.

Tobacco begins as a seed and is planted in seed beds.   After the plants have reached a certain height, they are transplanted into tobacco fields.  When the plants mature, they produce a flower that needs to be "topped" or cut off.  This photo shows a young plant that is still very green and has not produced a flower.  

Eventually the tobacco begins to yellow and is ready for harvesting.  Some farmers choose different coloring and ages to determine when they will harvest their crop.  Remember to click on any photo to enlarge it.

This field shows tobacco that has been cut at the bottom of the plant using a knife.   Some farmers chose to allow the leaves to lay in the field overnight or longer to allow them to lose some of their fluid content making them easier to lift.  

It is then time to use the tobacco spear.  The spear is placed over a tobacco stick that is usually hickory wood and perhaps three to five feet in length.  The stick and spear are held between your legs and you take a stalk of tobacco and place it over the spear, pushing the spear through the stalk so the tobacco stalk goes down the stick.  After several stalks of tobacco are on the stick you can load it on the wagon. The spear is then removed and used on another tobacco stick.  

This farmer is lifting one of the tobacco sticks onto the frame of the wagon.  When the wagon is full it will be transported by the mules to the tobacco barn.

This tobacco barn shows the tobacco sticks strung inside for curing or drying.  Notice the slats on the side of the barn have been opened for better ventilation.  

Here in one more tobacco barn loaded with tobacco.  At the end of the driveway to the right sits another tobacco wagon waited to be unloaded into the barn.  The farm's buggy sits to the left.