Do you know this flower? If you are from North Carolina I'm sure you know what this is.
This was the first paying job I ever had. I started working in tobacco when I was about 10 years old. I handed the leaf off a "tobacco truck" to another person who tied it onto the stick. Those sticks of tobacco were put into a large tobacco barn and heat was used to cure the tobacco to the pretty golden color needed for cigarettes.
17 comments:
My BIL faced that question several years back and quit growing it. His son now grows blueberries, 16 acres of them. ec
In view of the damage smoking does to health, & the costs of caring for smoking related illness, I think it is disgusting that the Government still has it's dirty paws in the coffers of the profits, from tobacco.
I believe it is a world wide scandal & shame.
I've never seen a tobacco plant - what pretty flowers. Why are they taken off?
Interesting that the government who puts the health signs on the cigarette packages is the same government who also collects the luxury taxes from the tobacco...so go ahead and smoke though it might kill you but while you do we'll keep collecting the money - yep that makes sense...
I knew what it was immediately! I can feel that gum on my hands just looking at the picture.
Also wanted to say my Daddy would have literally killed me if I ever smoked, but we were forced to work in it every summer! A real double standard.
Oh Ann, I posted about "puttin' in tobacco a few months ago. I was hander and then a stringer and went up in my Grand Daddy's barns to hang it...he farmed tobacco as long as he lived and we actually loved working with my grandparents each summer. I topped many a tobacco plant! I loved this post!!
hugs
Sandi
I have never seen tobacco flowers, or growing tobacco plants, for that matter. Pretty flowers!
I guess the smokers still need their tobacco. But I think those who took the government buyout shouldn't be growing tobacco. Is that what you are talking about? PS... I did NOT recognize the flower. ha ha
hello sweet friend,just stopped in to say hi.have spent all my latest time with my wounded Marine son and other children.I AM SO GLAD TO HAVE THEM ALL BACK SAFE AND ALIVE.come visite.
I had never seen a tobacco plant before and certainly had never heard that it has flowers. How deceiving. Such beauty among what causes so many deaths and other problems. My Dad smoked, he said from the time he was five years old. He smoked until he had a heart attack when he was 58 years old.
It seems wrong to pay people not to grow a crop and then they get paid not to and they still do anyway. Things in this world are not right. connie from Texas
WOW. I've never seen plants in the green, just afar and on fire.
:)
If the government is paying for health care bills of smoker's with cancer, unfortunately buyouts do more than make *ME* sick. It's very warped and no, not right.
Dear Ann ~~ Thank you so much for your comments and kind words about my blog That was so nice of you. Also for the mention of Olive, the oldest blogger. Her friend Mike used to type it and do all that and make videos of Olive singing and talking. But it was based on her life and memories. She will be missed. I don't think I woud like to go 108. She was a character.
Take care, Love, Merle.
It's me again Ann and I want you to run over here to my place please. I have something for you, and I think you'll like it.
Sandi
Looks like many of the fields around here. It was a much bigger crop years ago and most people my husband's age will tell you of working in the fields as a kid. Now they bring workers up north here from one of the islands and they earn all they can to send home. I like the way it looks when it's first planted and the white netting is over it waving in the breeze. Too bad the end product is so bad for people.
Hiya, thanks for stopping by mine!
Wasn't that lovely to receive the award from Sandi? She's a top lady.
When I looked at the flower plant - I thought "Nicotania" - so wasn't far off! I spend way too much time dead-heading my deliciously scented bushes (nothing like you would think a tobacco plant would smell!) to not recognise those shrivelled flowers!!!
Ann,
If the government pays out, the farmers who took the bait should not plant.
However, this is a sticky situation. I think the government should keep their nose and legislation out of the tobacco business. No one forces people to smoke, if they want to smoke it's their business.
I don't see the government trying to pay off the breweries to stop making beer and whiskey. No one forces people to drink, if they want to drink it's their own business.
Now, a lot of folks say smoking should be banned because of the health risks. Very true. But the same argument can be made concerning alcohol. Alcohol is probably the worse of the two - it not only destroys the one who abuses it, but oftentimes, entire families - and innocents on the road.
But alcohol will never be made illegal again - it is definately societies chosen drink. The prohibition of alcohol failed and if tobacco is prohibited, that will also fail.
Neither do I see non smokers, big oil, car dealers or buyers ready to give up their automobiles. Car exhaust contains the same toxins as cigarettes.
So anyone who sits in heavy traffic or enjoys driving their vehicle is breathing the same toxins.
The Fire Department agrees.
Ann,
Southern Ontario used to be one of the largest, if not the largest, tobacco industry in Canada. Here the government put a ceiling on how much the tobacco farmers could grow. Many went out of business. Where there used to be tobacco fields we now see ginseng and other crops.
I agree with Deborah. We have free will. I've never seen smoking break up a family, but have seen and felt the abuse that is inflicted on others through alcohol. Non smokers are often drinkers and many times (I've seen this personally) their families suffer because of their drinking. I would say the lesser of the two evils is smoking. Yes, it can hurt other's health but smoking can be done outside the home and not be allowed inside. Not many drinkers will drink on the front porch and stay there until they are done drinking. Even if they do the meaness and hurtful words come into the house with them, as does the physical and mental abuse. If I had my druthers, it would be smoker over a drinker. Like Deborah, I believe the government has their nose in too much of our business.
Now, off my soapbox to wish you a lovely Sunday. ;-)
Blessings,
Mary
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