Everett Griner talks about how tobacco used to be a big money crop. Everett also lets us know what happened to it in today’s Agri View.
Tobacco-the Forgotten Money Crop
Tobacco. Once known as the money crop from Virginia to Florida. Tobacco is now a mere shadow of what is was before its use became a major health issue.
It was the first crop harvested. It was sold at auction. The first sale was a real big event for farmers and their families. In fact, it was a big event for any town in which there was an auction sale. Almost every town, or city, in the entire tobacco belt had its big warehouses where farmers brought their crop. Lined it up on the warehouse floors. The auctioneer sold each each individual bundle to company buyers. They put the first money of the year in farmers pockets. That was a big event.
There is still a small amount grown. The auction is no longer there, as it did back then.
That’s Agri View for today. I’m Everett Griner…