Leverhead's Flue Cure experiment

[Chicken]

that bagged leaf looks really good,

just like some VIRGINIA BRIGHT LEAF look's,

 

[leverhead]

Last run for the year! I am actually using the windows this time. I'm not completely ignoring the wet bulb, about an 11 degree split, I'm writing it off to not enough distance between it and the air inlet. Near the tips, the edges are starting to curl and dry. I went over each leaf from the previous run, I had allot of green and scalding. I only found a little bit of sponging, so I'm letting it run dryer and longer. I should be past the scald temperatures tomorrow night and be able to rest a little easier. Stem drying is no sweat, It's either good or junk by then.

 

[Tom_in_TN]

You learned a lot with all your runs and I believe you deserve a special "Thank-You" for the effort, the knowledge you added to the flue curing process and with some good results. I nominated your post for Special Consideration and others might jump in too.

 

[leverhead]

You learned a lot with all your runs and I believe you deserve a special "Thank-You" for the effort, the knowledge you added to the flue curing process and with some good results. I nominated your post for Special Consideration and others might jump in too.

Thank you! Deluxestoggie has a point to remember, it doesn't have to be high tech, if you want to call it that. This run I'm taking his queue, I'm watching the leaves and letting them tell me what's going on. Another thing to watch (smell) is the odor! It's not fruity, but it's definitely a sweet vegetable smell. At first I thought it was cucumber, but it's not that either. It's kind of like some flowers smell.

 

[leverhead]

Well, it's done! It came out pretty good this time! A whole lot less trash, I'm going to hang it out overnight and then sort it. Excuse the shop lights, they're terrible for taking pictures, but you'll get the idea of it.



I'm going to give it a break for a bit, then start planing for next year.

 

[Tom_in_TN]

Seems to me that I've read other places where people have described the odor as 'cucumber'. What is it about the 'smell' that is important? I guess I missed that part. Anyway, the leaf looks pretty good and hope you can give us an update later on how it smoked. I suppose you're going to blend it with.....what?

 

[BarG]

Well, it's done! It came out pretty good this time! A whole lot less trash, I'm going to hang it out overnight and then sort it. Excuse the shop lights, they're terrible for taking pictures, but you'll get the idea of it.

View attachment 1651

I'm going to give it a break for a bit, then start planing for next year.

That leaf has an excellent color to it, in my opinion.

 

[leverhead]

Seems to me that I've read other places where people have described the odor as 'cucumber'. What is it about the 'smell' that is important? I guess I missed that part. Anyway, the leaf looks pretty good and hope you can give us an update later on how it smoked. I suppose you're going to blend it with.....what?

Fresh cut, there's not much that's remarkable. Once it's been yellowing for 20-30 hours, enough starch has been converted to sugars along with the vents being open quite a bit, it fills the shop with a wonderful smell. I've read about watching the color, but nobody's said anything about the smell. The way it changes as time goes by, there's got to be a way to use it to tell what's going on. By the middle of stem drying it takes on a darker smell that goes away within a few hours of being brought back to order. By a week later it smells kind of like raisins, such a wild swing in a short period of time.

I've been sampling some of what I've already done, the earliest stuff is pretty bland. Last weeks run still needs more time but the taste is better, this run I don't think I can let it go a week without giving it a try. I also grew some Samson, Ottoman and Catterton, Keller Marylands, those will be a while before they are ready. My blend is a still varying mix of mostly Burley and smaller amounts of Dark air Cured and BigBonner's Maryland at about 20%, less than 10% of FM's Turkish and the balance Flue-Cured. It's a little stout fresh cut but it smooths out in a day or two.

This year I didn't know Dick about anything and I still have allot of things to figure out. Next year it's going to be all about uniformity, from transplants up. This year about wore my ass out! Next year not everything will be so new and should be better/easier to handle. I didn't get everything I wanted, I wanted a years supply of Flue-Cured, I'll have to settle for a supply. In the end I'm pretty pleased, some R&R and I'll be ready to go at it again.

 

[leverhead]

That leaf has an excellent color to it, in my opinion.

Thank's! It's better than the picture! Now I've got to figure out why. Next time you come to town, let me know ahead if you can.

 

[Tom_in_TN]

"In the end I'm pretty pleased, some R&R and I'll be ready to go at it again."

Thanks, great post and you'll be like the rest of us, ready to go and ready to overdo. Looking back on the season and what you accomplished with the flue curing and shredder was a big accomplishment and a good contribution to the process. I think we will get to the point were each of us does what we do best and pass it on to the rest.

 

[leverhead]

I think we will get to the point were each of us does what we do best and pass it on to the rest.

That's what made America great! I hope it comes back into fashion.

 

[BarG]

Leverheads flue cured using homegrown technique.

 

[johnlee1933]

Looks good. How's it taste?

J

 

[BarG]

It tastes great, not bitter or to rough.

 

[leverhead]

I think it's getting better sitting in medium case. It's a thin leaf, when cut it makes a light weight cigarette, under 3/4 g for a king size with a 20 mm filter. I hope next year is a big year for this.

 

[BarG]

Leverhead and deluxestogie, do you think my crockpot ref. kiln would flue cure? The water heater thermostat goes from 90-150 degrees. Before the thermostat was installed it hit 150 deg. in a couple hours on high.

Theres always next year to find out.

 

[leverhead]

It probably would, you'd have to keep the air moving. Keep your eye open for a metal box 3'x3'x6', weather proof or that can be made so. Maybe build one up like a closet/smoke house and line it with thin aluminum. I think it should do 200 plants. We can do some brain squalling next time we get together.

 

[deluxestogie]

Leverhead and deluxestogie, do you think my crockpot ref. kiln would flue cure? The water heater thermostat goes from 90-150 degrees. Before the thermostat was installed it hit 150 deg. in a couple hours on high.

If you've already had the refrigerator up to 150, without anything melting, you might try an empty run to see if it can reach 165ºF by bypassing the thermostat. If nothing melts, then you could always purchase a high-temp water heater thermostat for using while flue curing. Maybe mount both, with a switch to go between them, for both the low and the high.

(During my first high temp trial--empty--the Tygon tubing used to shield the power cord from the raw edge of the drilled hole in the can gave off a stinky plastic smell, which cleared away and never returned.)

Bob

 

[BarG]

I would have to run it empty next year as per suggestion. I did that this year up to 150 degree and it stunk also. It has not since. I could line with roll flashing along sides and top if need be. I thought I would post the thought because next season is a long ways off And I might forget.

 

[leverhead]

BigBonner was right! Horn-worms cure black.