A replica of a historic tobacco barn stands in a clearing next to a traditional split rail fence, in early spring. Located in rural Tennessee, in the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, the barn is part of the 1850s Homeplace Working Farm. The farm paints a portrait of farm life in rural Tennessee and Kentucky, in the 1800’s.
Tobacco was a valuable cash crops in this region, beginning in the 1806’s. Dark-fired tobacco, the type grown in this region, derives its name from the curing process. Over a 13-month period, the tobacco is grown, fired, and cured. The firing and curing process is done by building smoldering fires in trenches built into the floor of the barn, and tobacco is hung on racks above it, similar to the process for smoking meat.
