Michibacy 2014 Grow Log

[Michibacy]

Indeed Bruck, I say this lightly because I'm about to post some issues I'm having (I have yet to get pictures sorry), but it does grow quite well in Michigan. In my personal garden my tobacco is growing fantastic, I have a plant reaching almost 8' high (PA Red).

But! my YTB stopped growing. And it's short, I mean real short. 2' at the most, even is flowering...not sure what happened but I guess that's a low producer this year. On the other hand my Xanthi Yaka produced amazingly.

 

[deluxestogie]

...I have a plant reaching almost 8' high (PA Red).

PA Red is a short to medium height variety. Eight feet sounds like a mistaken identity. Can you post a pic of it?

Bob

 

[Michibacy]

the PA red is the picture I posted this morning. Unless it (the seed) was in the incorrect packaging (which I received from an FTT member, not my own stock) then I say it's a genetic mishap. It resembles identically the other PA red plants I have growing 40 miles away just a bit taller. I can try and upload some close ups tomorrow if you'd like.

 

[deluxestogie]

I can't tell much about the tobacco from the dark, back-lit photo, but the proximity of the fence (its shade) may cause the tobacco to grow unusually tall. Mislabeling of seed (or inadvertent mixing) is another strong possibility. Or, a stray seed when sprinkling seed into adjacent seed starting cups/areas. It only takes one stray seed to result in growing something other than what you had planned.

Bob

 

[Michibacy]

Hasn't considered the shade aspect. As for seed crossing I guess anythings possible, when I did select sprouts I selected from the middle of the bunch. I'll grab some up close pictures for you IDing pros.

 

[Michibacy]

Here's some pictures Bob the last 2 are measurements from a plant that has been topped, which grew to about 2.5.3 feet tall and has a little bit more sun than the large plant.

 

[deluxestogie]

Compare the auricle conformation (the ruffle at the leaf origin and its descent along the stalk) of the tall one to the short ones. If they are substantially different, then they are different varieties. If they are similar, then it doesn't mean much.

Bob

 

[Michibacy]

Oops: 2.5-3 feet tall*
Naturally, the pictures I didn't get....I'll get those THIS evening...Thanks Bob!

 

[Michibacy]

Tall plant first, shorter one second

 

[Michibacy]

Dear oh dear I've been busy, I'm in the process of moving, harvesting tobacco, working over time (60 hours a week) and managing general life issues. I haven't got any pictures to update ya'll on the tobacco but I do have an aerial shot of the new farm if anyone is interested.

Tobacco is harvesting well, the cold nights here are making it a little difficult to cure though. I am about 1/2 harvested as we sit right now.

Hopefully you can read the wording on the photo below. After harvest we are having the grounds squared up which will give us some tobacco growing area, some barley/wheat growing area and some range for the dog to run.



Upon looking, it's pretty hard to read. so I am going to number them.
1. Two Track to woods, about 700 yards south
2. Garage/shop
3. Chicken Coop
4. Tobacco Shed/Granary
5. Live stock barn

 

[deluxestogie]

Very nice. That looks like a big old farmhouse, the kind to hold 7 kids.

Bob

 

[Michibacy]

Referring to goats or humans? If goats, yes, next spring, if humans, Ha...I don't make that much money. Thank you though

New siding, roof, wood furnace, propane furnace, electrical, plumbing. We are taking down old wall paper, repainting almost everyroom, redoing the bathroom.

I'll get more inside pictures to show you (maybe even tonight when we get home). It'll be a work in progress...

 

[Michibacy]

Dining room with new paint and light fixture

Garage, needs some new paint and roof sealer

Chicken coop

Living room with old wall paper (s) taken off, rough looking I know

Behold, new dry wall mud, still need to sand and paint

Kitchen is taking first priority right now. Everything was that chocolate milk brown that the cupboards are painted in

Granary/tobacco barn/goat shed


The humble abode

 

[Rickey60]

Nice place. I think you will be very happy in your new home, and I love all the other buildings.

 

[Brown Thumb]

I like it! The Buildings still look in Good shape. Take your time And enjoy doing it. It only took me 10 yrs to build my house.

 

[deluxestogie]

Outstanding. I love the original woodwork at the windows. For the garage, seal the roof, skip the paint.

Is part of the porch enclosed?

Bob

 

[Michibacy]

The woodwork was hand carved planed and stained by my great great grandfather (Jeremiah Parker aka Jeremy, hence my name), This fall I plan to seal the garage roof and lay OSB on the interior walls to help keep the rain out, next spring will be repainting all of the out buildings to help preserve them. Anything wood at this house was cut from the property over 100 years ago. (The house was built in 1895 on what was then open land, good for the grabbing from the Michigan government). I have some plot maps on order dating back to 1870 that show the progression from wooded land to farmable land.

Wonderful eye Bob, part of the porch is in fact enclosed with screen/timber framing. It has a access to the dining room (with the original door knobs/functioning locks) as well as access near the rear door. Coming up in the next few weekends I need to reconstruct the stringers for both the back and front porch steps as they have began to retain moisture and rot.

Also, the fence you can see between my truck and the house will be leaving us shortly, we have to have a new septic installed shortly which will be right near the fence. (the fence is a nightmare to mow around but still in good condition, I will be using it to build up the pasture for the goats come spring)

 

[Michibacy]

Got the kitchen done (except for a couple little trim pieces) and the living room all plastered! wait for it to dry up, sand it down and paint it, then onto re-squaring the chickencoop and goat barn and building a work bench in the shop (with a fire retardant corner for welding/grinding/playing with fire)

here are some pictures of the kitchen.



As for tobacco, The cold weather is taking it's toll. It is extremely difficult to get the stuff to cure correctly. My first PA red harvest and KB harvest is browning nicely though, and is getting that classic tobacco smell already (is that normal this early on?)

 

[Michibacy]

Alas, we have tobacco pictures, this is the final harvest of 2014. Took 5 hours to harvest completely and another hour to get it situated in the barn correctly. In the next few days I am hoping to get an outdoor structure built (away from the barns and house) that is a small lean to with a black roof to help use the last bit of summer heat we have, I will also have a heating element at the base of it to keep it warm during the night, let the sun do the rest during the day *crossing fingers*

Disregard the loose leaves on the ground, they were unworthy of being saved, too small, bugs etc.

Oh.... you wanted to see the tobacco, not the empty plot.... didn't you?

 

[Mad Oshea]

Very nice! Mad-