Tagged: tobacco farmers

Last November, a new documentary about raising dark-fired tobacco titled “Farming in the Black Patch" debuted in Murray. The film starts its first run on KET at 8 p.m. Central tonight, with shows scheduled through March on both KET and KET KY. The name Black Patch comes from the dark leaves of the kind of tobacco that's smoke-cured in barns and used for pipe blends, chewing, and snuff. Kate Lochte has more with the filmmaker and writer. 

For burley tobacco farmers in Kentucky and Tennessee, an average crop being forecast is a big relief. A few weeks ago, the crop was on the brink of ruin from extreme heat and drought.Now, tobacco specialists say much of the burley has gone through a growth spurt, thanks to recent rains.Farmers are just beginning to harvest tobacco.University of Kentucky agricultural economist Will Snell says that with a decent curing season, this year's burley crop could fetch higher prices than a year ago.