Submitted News
Labor Day and tobacco cutting and housing seem to go together like apple pie and ice cream. For generations of Southern Ohio farm families, the arrival of late summer signaled that it was time to begin one of the busiest seasons of the tobacco year.
In mid-July, the Ohio Tobacco Museum’s small demonstration crop reached the topping stage. Topping tobacco involves breaking or cutting out the flowering portion, or bud, of the plant. This stops the plant’s upward growth and prevents it from putting its energy into seed production. Instead, the remaining leaves continue to grow larger and thicker.
Topping also affects the distribution of nicotine within the plant. Nicotine, which serves as a natural insect repellent, is stored primarily in the roots. When the plant is topped and senses the injury, nicotine moves upward into the leaves as the plant continues its development.
The museum will host a tobacco cutting and housing demonstration on Saturday, September 5 at 11 a.m. The public is invited to attend and participate in this hands-on demonstration of a traditional Southern Ohio tobacco practice. In the event of inclement weather, updates will be posted on the Ohio Tobacco Museum’s Facebook page.
The museum also recently participated in the Brown County America 250 celebration, where its display provided information about the history of the Ohio Tobacco Museum, the Ohio tobacco market and the important role tobacco once played in the local economy. The display included photographs from both past and recent tobacco production, tobacco sales and the Ohio Tobacco Festival.
Many of these photographs are available for visitors to view and copy in the museum’s public resource room, thanks to the volunteers who have worked to organize and preserve this collection.
Although uncertain weather kept attendance relatively small at the museum’s recent tobacco topping demonstration, the event generated considerable interest online. The museum received numerous memories and comments in response to its Facebook post. These shared stories are an important part of preserving the area’s tobacco heritage, and museum volunteers enjoy hearing and reading the recollections of those who remember tobacco farming firsthand.
The importance of collecting and preserving these stories has been a recurring topic for the museum in recent months. Volunteers continue to work to preserve personal accounts and memories as they are submitted in printed form. Museum representatives were recently guests on radio station C103’s “Friday With Phipps,” where the importance of preserving these stories was discussed.
The museum is also planning a story-sharing day in the coming months. The event will provide an opportunity for people to share their memories and experiences of tobacco farming, tobacco time and life around the tobacco barn.
The museum’s book, “Tales From Behind the Tobacco Barn,” contains stories from Ohio tobacco farmers and is available by visiting the museum.
Work also continues on the museum’s outbuildings. Volunteers are rehabilitating the structures so that some of the larger tobacco-farming equipment can be safely displayed and made accessible to visitors. Updates on this ongoing project will be shared at the museum and on its Facebook page.
As the outbuildings are reorganized, some items that are not related to tobacco will be offered for auction through Towler’s Auction in Ripley. Proceeds from the sale will go entirely toward supporting the Ohio Tobacco Museum.
Looking ahead to the fall and winter months, the museum plans to host demonstrations on traditional tobacco stripping. The museum will also participate in the Ripley River Village Christmas House Tour and host an Open House.
The Ohio Tobacco Museum continues to welcome volunteers and community members who would like to share specialized skills, become members or provide financial support. Those interested may contact the museum through Facebook Messenger or by email at ohi-otobaccomuseum@yahoo.com. Donations may also be mailed to:
Ohio Tobacco Museum, Inc. P.O. Box 61 Ripley, Ohio 45167
Supporters may also contribute through the museum’s Amazon Wish List.
The Ohio Tobacco Museum remains open to the public free of charge and operates largely through the dedication of volunteers and the generosity of the community. Through its exhibits, demonstrations, photographs, stories and preservation efforts, the museum continues its mission of protecting and sharing Southern Ohio’s rich tobacco heritage for generations to come.