Tobacco in Elgin County

Baling

Sorting the leaves in the strip room, 1953
Pictured: Henry Vandierendonck and daughter-in-law Augusta
St. Thomas Times-Journal fonds, C8 Sh2 B2 F5 1

After harvest and extends into winter months

The tobacco is first hung in a steam room where it is exposed to a controlled stream of warm moist air. The tobacco is then taken to the strip room and removed from the slats to be sorted. Each kiln's worth of tobacco is done separately to maintain uniformity of leaf in each bale. Any dead or diseased leaves are removed, along with any missed suckers and the leaves are sorted into groups by colour (usually bright, dark, double dark, light green, dark green and red) and baled separately. The colour of the leaves and the kiln number are marked on the side of the bale and the tobacco is ready to be sold or auctioned.