Workhorse's 2012 Grow Log
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BarG
Founding Member
What are you planning to use the barrel for Chicken,storage or pressing,or both. I would be hesitant to use plastic barrel for long term IMHO because of transference of plastic odor and possibly sweating if not cased and sealed properly. One uninformed newbie to another[Not counting best grow log pics and plants]. I think like most things stored in traditional oak barrels the wood enhances and contributes to the end product. Now if you could find some good used tennessee whiskey barreels to store your baccy in you could save on your baccy and alcohol expenditures.
workhorse_01
Well-Known Member
It was me who needed the barrell us smokless tobac. says after curing they put the cured baccy in hogs head barrells to sleep for 2-3 yrs. I thought why not . My plastic barrells are already in use as fermenters hehehe so i dont think i want peach and apple and corn taste in my snuff. LOL
BarG
Founding Member
LOL, sometimes you be reading or makin a post and go back and find one slipped in on you unnoticed. Apple baccy might be good.
I don't know about today but whiskey aging barrels used to be available at the lumber store, either cut in half or whole. Folks used them as planters. You might inquire. I think they come from the big distilleries in KY.
We used to disassemble them, scrape the charcoal off the head, foot and staves and reassemble then for brining pork. We'd number the staves and slats, pull the brads and knock off the hoops. Cleaning was a dirty job. Reassemble was just a jig saw puzzle with all the pieces numbered. After reassembly just soak it in water and keep driving the hoops. As soon as it is water tight, fill it with pork and brine and you were off and running.
John
BarG
Founding Member
That sounds like work to me John.
I read about preserving meat without a freezer, but can't find no one around with any experience at it to learn from. Best I can find is soaking in brine,packing with a ton of salt and lard. Workhorse if your preserving barrels full you need to pass on those techniques before theys lost ..
I'm afraid that hogshead barrels vanished with the invention of corrugated boxes. Hogsheads were the standard shipping container for non-liquid goods.
[As I sit on my porch, typing this post, a baby bunny munches on the grass. A robin lands nearby. The baby bunny, being fairly new to the world, freaks out. It bounds straight up into the air three times in rapid succession, then scurries a few feet away. This scares the crap out of the robin, who flutters away in a panic, then circles and returns. Discovering that neither was about to eat the other, they now continue their respective dinners, side-by-side.]
And back to our story...I doubt that anyone still manufactures them.
Bob
[As I sit on my porch, typing this post, a baby bunny munches on the grass. A robin lands nearby. The baby bunny, being fairly new to the world, freaks out. It bounds straight up into the air three times in rapid succession, then scurries a few feet away. This scares the crap out of the robin, who flutters away in a panic, then circles and returns. Discovering that neither was about to eat the other, they now continue their respective dinners, side-by-side.]
And back to our story...I doubt that anyone still manufactures them.
Bob
BarG
Founding Member
I'ts a good thing my Adopted cat chopper [chop chop for short -She adopted me] wasn't around. Shes a perpetual hunter. I found a full grown cottontail half eaten she managed to ambush and she continualy is in the pounce mode. She was eating grasshoppers while I was picking hornworms and I threw one down for her and never seen her gag before till then. I love nature and shes just part of it. On a lighter note I love spring time, and what new life it brings.
Tim
Workhorse_01 weren't we supposed to be talkin about all them 1 suckers you got growing[AKA spinach]
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workhorse_01
Well-Known Member
Today's pics.
workhorse_01
Well-Known Member
The second photo is the big gem plants i got from big bonner they are doing great! I hope the Tropical storm doesnt wash them away we been getting bands of rain all day. They say it'll make land fall 65mi. from us . So yall pray for less rain for my dabacca and a bunch of A/C units to tear up !
BarG
Founding Member
Man I love these grow logs to see other peoples efforts. Yours looks realy good Workhorse. I hope you get just the right amount of rain from the storm. You got high rows so you shouldn't have to worry about flooding in your field I hope. I never get any thing torrential this time of year.
that was the big-gem seed i sent bigbonner,
you'll like that strain,,, it's a mild filler,,,, good to mix other baccy's with,
i mix big-gem,,burley,,and turkish,,for my smokes,
im running out of bright-leaf..... { insert sad face }
you'll like that strain,,, it's a mild filler,,,, good to mix other baccy's with,
i mix big-gem,,burley,,and turkish,,for my smokes,
im running out of bright-leaf..... { insert sad face }
BarG
Founding Member
I got a couple unopened bags of bright leaf from FmGrowit chicken,lower to middle leaves. you need some I' ll send . I found a good mix this morning with the bright leaf flue cured ,2010 burley, maryland 609 and tn90.Its the best this month.
BarG
Founding Member
Workhorse, My first plants in the ground [home grown]will be Big Bonners bursa and ottoman and chickens big gem. Then ct. broadleaf from deluxe and havana 425 from tom_tennesse . all other varietys will follow suit.
I Googled "used whiskey barrels" and a place in Kentucky came up that has all kinds.
www.kentuckybarrels.com is the one I chose.
I am pretty sure "used" barrels were what we used because Aunt Mary, who was a teetotaler , complained how they stunk. Uncle Lew said they smelled just fine and the battle lines were drawn. ):< ))
They, like everything else are a little pricey but you are not that far from KY so the shipping will be less. Maybe you could work out something with out with our KY brothers on that. If you don't want the whiskey flavor in your bacc'y you can get them new but they are really pricey.
John
That sounds like work to me John.
Tim, These skills are not lost. Books like the Foxfire Series (readily available) have techniques and recipes. "Salted" meat was a common staple for old time sailing sailors. Botulism is the biggest concern but with modern nitrites and nitrates it is not a worry. Any place that sells sausage making supplies has them. These same suppliers have loads of recipes for salted smoked meats. I use them when making jerky. Because of the modern sensivity to sodium and modern freezing they are rarely used. I was very young so have no memory of the brining solution used on the farm but I do remember it was pork that was being preserved mostly hams, shoulders, ribs and bacon. Once cured they were put in the smoke house and smoked. Then all year long the smoke fire was lit briefly about once a week. I believe this was to maintain the preservation. An empty or near empty smoke house was a cause for concern and altered menu planning (and a lot of bitching from my Uncle.)
Yeah, it is a lot of work. Most of the meat had to be boiled because of the salt and that restricted menus but if you have never had pancakes and "fixin's" (a combination of salt ham and soft fried eggs) you ain't lived. For you Rebels, it is the Yankee version ham,eggs, grits and sausage gravy. (There are times I wish I was a Rebel. ;<)) )
John
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