MTnTime 2021 grow
- Thread starter MTnTime
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Not if temps are above 122F. I use an inexpensive digital controller that shuts the crock pot off at 128F, the controller turns the crock pot back on at 123F.
Awesome, thanks Knucklehead. I've got my controller set to shut off at 128F and come back on at 125F, currently. I've moved some things around and have been seeing the humidity spike into the mid 80s only when it's running, then it drops back into the 70s when it's off.
I think we all do that. No complaints.
Its a different story with flue curing but that is because different varieties rarely yellow at the same rate, so ramping up the heat becomes a hit or miss proposition with varying end results.
Hi all. I pulled some Virginia's out of the kiln yesterday. Virginia bright on the left and hickory Pryor on the right. I had it in the kiln for 2 weeks and I can't believe the transformation. The aromas of raisins and figs are strong, though the VBL seems more fragrant than the HP. Can't say I've ever had a tobacco that smelled so good. Looking forward to getting my hands on some WLT perique then getting some plugs in the press!
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Hi all, I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the holiday season. I've shut down the kiln and am happier than hell with the results. The leaf is beautiful and smells incredible. I've done a little processing so far and have pressed a straight virginia plug, made 3 small batches of cavendish 1 from Virginia's, 1 from Orientals and 1 from burley. I've got so much darn burley I made a plug out of all burley, but to mix things up I toasted some of it and made the plug from a mix of plain ol' burley, burley cavendish and toasted burley. I've got some half cocked plans to roll some rustic stogies out of some of my pennsylvania red, ahus and brown leaf. Still need to get an order over to WLT for some latakia and bright leaf so I can get some English mixtures in the works. This whole process has been a ton of fun and I really appreciate all the support and info you all gave throughout the process. As I'm getting all my leaf cleaned up and ready for storage, I'm wondering if you all strip the stems prior to storage, or wait until you're about to use it for something to do that?
Alpine
Moderator
I’m too lazy to strip the stems from ALL my leaves all at once. I prefer to stem the couple of pounds I shred when needed. But for sure doing it would save some space in storage. Someone uses stems to make insecticide, but my laziness doesn’t allow me to do it lol
pier
pier
Thanks for the reply, Pier. I only have about 2 or 3 pounds I would guess. Might be a good way to pass the next few dark evenings after work. I might try to make some snuff from some of the dark air cured stems, the rest will probably go in the compost heap.
Congratulations on your successful grow and blending experiments.
Since stems are more hygroscopic than lamina, the presence of the stem provides something of a humidity buffer for the leaf in storage. If you store leaf in a manner that is secure from accidental compression (Oops! Now my season's grow is a pile of dust!), then the choice of leaving or removing the stem won't matter. If you do stem the leaf, I prefer only frog-legging it, simply for ease of handling later.
Bob
Since stems are more hygroscopic than lamina, the presence of the stem provides something of a humidity buffer for the leaf in storage. If you store leaf in a manner that is secure from accidental compression (Oops! Now my season's grow is a pile of dust!), then the choice of leaving or removing the stem won't matter. If you do stem the leaf, I prefer only frog-legging it, simply for ease of handling later.
Bob
Thanks, Bob. That makes a lot of sense. Knowing how things go around here, it does seem likely that it will get banged around some before its all used.
Hi all. Been awhile since I've stopped by. Just pulled out my attempt at homemade perique. I made 3 batches. 1 from burley, 1 from Penn. Red and 1 from Virginia. I just pressed them in canning jars under a light pressure for about 2 months. I think it came out ok. The initial aroma from the jars was quite pleasant. Kind of a combination of fermenting mead and cider. Got a little funkier after that, but nothing too bad. Never got any mold on it. The smell seems to be mellowing as it dries. A few months back I got a pound of bright Virginia and a pound of latakia from WLT. Fantastic service and fantastic products. I used them to mix up some blends out of Bob's book. Thanks Bob for that. Very helpful as a first time blender to have some guidance. I haven't tried any of them yet, letting them meld a bit first. Anyhow, I hope all is well. Thanks again to all you guys for putting this wealth of knowledge out there!
Hey guys. I've noticed some crystals that formed on some of the leaves. I first noticed it a while back, and I'm seeing it show up on the perique as it dries which reminded me to ask you all about it. I tasted a bit of the crystals and it seemed to confirm that's it's some sort of a salt. Would this be from heavy fertilizer application?
Photo?
I've noticed on my own home-made Perique, that after months of storage, I sometimes see scattered, small, round colonies of yeast. These are the same yeast that convert the tobacco into Perique. Then, once fully dried, there may or may not be some fine crystallization from the laden liquid that has evaporated.
Bob
Bob