02-English-POLYCULTURE – TOBACCO GROWING

The local sandy soil, enriched by the addition of manure and fertilizers, is favourable for many crops, especially tobacco. In the past this was done in parallel with vegetable farming, in particular asparagus.

Tobacco growing began in March each year when the seeds were sown. The plants were then transplanted in the field in mid-May, during the asparagus season. The flowering began at the beginning of summer, when the plant reached a height of about 1.80 m.

The flowers were then cut to allow the leaves to develop to their fullest size. The harvest took place from July to september, starting with the lower leaves to those that stand above the stem.

The leaves were threaded onto long strings to form garlands that were then hung in a tobacco drying shed.

Tobacco growing was subject to strict regulations: the number of plants was controlled by SEITA (Société d’exploitation industrielle des tabacs et des allumettes), the French state’s tobacco monopoly at that time.

Hoerdt had 392 tobacco growers in 1940; there were only 11 in 1991… and nowadays there are none left at all.

Collecting the tobacco

Tobacco was collected until the 1960s in the centre of the village, then later at the tobacco market – the Düwàkhàll – which
was owned by SEITA and located next to the current Cultural Centre.

In the morning, the SEITA buyers would value the leaves that they paid to the farmers in the same afternoon, with a 50% fixed price and a 50% variable price depending on the quality.

Plantations were limited in quantity per producer. During the tobacco delivery period, the bakers in Hoerdt used to make special Düwàkwecke, brioche rolls that the farmers then bought for their families, mainly on the day of the collection.