Priming Tobacco

As I drive through the countryside these warm days and see the corn growing at a fast pace I think of the days when I worked in the tobacco fields. I went to summer school for more years than I wish to upgrade my qualifications  in Education.Money was in short supply and every year I would try to make some extra cash to pay for this summer ritual.

While attending Western University I would complete the six weeks school and work in the tobacco fields. One summer I never attended summer school and went to Simco to get a job. I met up with a few Maritimers and we were hired by a Hungarian tobacco farmer to prime tobacco. He asked if we were experienced and we all said yes. I never up until then saw a tobacco plant.

We were taken to the bunk house and my friends who worked there before took me out after dark and showed me what to do. It seemed easy but proved to be very difficult. Next morning at 4 am the whistle blew and we were summoned to a kiln. This kiln was where the tobacco was dried. It took seven days. Every tobacco farm had at least seven kilns. Our job was to empty the kiln before breakfast. 1350 sticks loaded with 100 hands of tobacco had to be removed carefully under the watchful eye of the field boss.

This being completed we went to the summer kitchen and feasted on the best food you could imagine and all you could eat. We were loaded on the back of a half ton and driven to the field to be picked this day. The sun was just peeking above the trees when we were instructed on the days work. This day we were working on sand leaves. The lowest leaves on the plant and the hardest to pick. The plants were dripping wet and after half a row we were totally drenched. Even though it was summer we froze.

Because I was familiar with horses I was given the horse row. The tobacco had to be picked, three leaves at a time and tucked under your arm and carefully placed in the boat. This was a narrow box on sled like runners and pulled by a horse between the rows of tobacco. Being new the boss walked along side of me and watched every move. I left a stub on one of the leaves and he reminded me that was money for the farm, Don't do that again. After two rows were completed without a word the boss left us and said we were a good crew and he would see us at lunch.

My back was sore, I was soaked and I had this horse nibbling at my back and I was supposed to be grateful to have this job. The sun got hotter and I was tempted to take off my shirt but was reminder about tobacco poisoning. I left it on and suffered. Lunch was a break but I had to feed the horse and make sure he had plenty of water. Being late for lunch was a good thing as the horse man received two dollars more and fresh , hot food. By 1.30 we were finished priming as we had our kiln filled. The rest of the crew went to lay down but I volunteered to sucker and top some acres of tobacco for extra cash.

I made $13 for the priming and $12 for the other. This was huge as this was 1958. I worked every day I was there, even Sunday and after 17 days I received $425 in cash and a $25 bonus. Steve also invited me back for the years to come . I did go back and developed a good relationship with he and his family. Summer school was easier knowing I had a job to pay for the schooling.

I often think that every time I required help in paying for my education a door was opened for me. I always walked through that door and loved every minute of the difficult, sometimes dirty jobs that I was given. I counted these interventions  as part of my education and they truly were.