The Tobacco Barn

The Tobacco Barn. A Relic of Local Agriculture and Architecture. This tobacco barn is similar to those that were used by farmers in Shiloh from around 1890 to around 1960. Like many other barns of its time, this barn was built by hand using axe hewn logs, mud and mortar. , During this time, tobacco harvesting was an extremely manual process. Entire families and communities would come together to gather tobacco from the fields, process it, and get it to market. , The photos on this board provide an overview of the process. , The Barn and the Tobacco Curing Process , 1. Starting in late July and early August, tobacco was harvested a few leaves at a time from the bottom of the plant. Farmers inspected their crops frequently to protect again hornworms and other parasites that could damage or destroy their crops. , 2. Women and children helped in the fields, and worked diligently to prime and loop tobacco. This process included gathering a handful of leaves, and carefully twisting a string around them, and at the same time twisting the bundle around a long stick. , 3. Once the tobacco was on sticks, the sticks were hoisted into the barn and lined up between the beams. Most barns had four or five sections with four or more tiers each. When a barn was full, a fire or furnace was lit to start the curing process. , 4. Curing tobacco took three to ten days, depending on the type of tobacco and the type of heating system in the barn. Many farmers left their tobacco in the barn for several months after curing to allow it to age, and develop a sweet flavor. , 5. Once removed from the barn and transferred to processing centers, tobacco was graded on the quality of its leaves, color, and texture. Sorted tobacco was shipped to auction warehouses for sale from September to November. , [Box] Tobacco barns were designed with posts and cross beams to hold the tobacco sticks, as well as gabled roofs and ventilation systems to control heat. Right after the tobacco was hung, the vents were closed while the barn temperature was carefully raised. Once the tobacco had cured, the vents (as well as the barn doors) were opened to allow the tobacco to absorb the natural humidity.