Troubled Times For New England Tobacco Farmers

They're among the lucky few, John, Fred and Dave Arnold. There's a good supply of crisp broadleaf tobacco drying in their 14 curing sheds and over the next couple of weeks they'll be pulling it down, bundling it up and selling it for the best price they can get.

[Mazed]

It might be interesting to have comparisons to crops other than pumpkins.

The government subsidies that built up dependence of so many farmers on tobacco (while the industry swore there was nothing wrong with tobacco use) need to be mirrored in order to get the farmers back into legitimate life-supporting crops.

[just candid]

Maryland used much of its tobacco settelement to buy out tobacco farmers. Now some of the lucky farmers are 'growing' acres of ticky tacky McMancions on the land.;~( The rest of them seem to have gone on to corn & soybeans.

[just candid]

NcMansions

[just candid]

we won't even try a third time:~]

[Mazed]

just candid wrote:

Maryland used much of its tobacco settelement to buy out tobacco farmers. Now some of the lucky farmers are 'growing' acres of ticky tacky McMancions on the land.;~( The rest of them seem to have gone on to corn & soybeans.

Not sure I understand the "buyout" concept. Does this mean the state is now doing the tobacco farming or what?

[just candid]

Mazed wrote:

<quoted text>
Not sure I understand the "buyout" concept. Does this mean the state is now doing the tobacco farming or what?

Maryland had a crop allotment. You could only grow and sell a certain amount of tobacco. The state used some of its tobacco settlement to buy out, or buy back? the tobacco growing allotment. From what I understand it was a pretty good deal for most tobacco farmers. While I'm all for the concept. it has really changed the look of farms in southern MD. Many beautiful old tobacco barns are now being torn down, or just left to rot away. Good part is Amish craftsman often use old lumber & timber. PS/ Amish still grow tobacco and tell me they need to do so to keep their land, feed themselves and their horses. One does what one has to do.:~[