FROM SEED TO BARN

The duration from seed planting to harvesting is 17 weeks for shade grown or wrapper leaf plants and 16 weeks for sun-grown or filler and binder leaves. Fields are planted at different times to spread the burden of crop caring.

Animal traction is still carefully used for field ploughing so as to properly loosen and aerate the soil.

Shade grown, or, wrapper leaf plants demand extraordinary labor as these are entirely covered by muslin cloth canopies and individually strung to the frame.

The plants are ready for harvesting 40 days into the process and one plant can take up to 30 days to harvest, as only two to three leaves can be picked at one time.