"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...


Down near the front of our little country road, we have a farmer who has
what I can only describe as a muffler-less diesel tractor (or maybe just
a defective muffler) with which he tows a very substantial mower. The
noise is breathtaking.

Guy grows two acres of tobacco in the spring and summer, then hangs it
in a traditional dingy red barn. I had thought the raising of tobacco
had been restricted in Maryland, but there must be loopholes. In any
event, the plant itself looks quite nice when it is fully grown, and has
some interesting flowers. After the tobacco is cleared, he grows
turnips, kale and several other very traditional southern leaf crops for
his table.

He's got a pretty little farm, and the hope is it stays in his family as
a farm, and isn't turned over to a "developer."

The plant is in the same family as Nicotiana, a very popular spring annual
that people buy by the millions each year.

As far as why he's growing tobacco, he may be selling it to boutique cigar
makers who've set up shop since people began to think cigars looked and
smelled good. Sort of like the hundreds of coffee and chocolate boutiques we
now have.