HAHIRA, Ga. (WTXL)-- Hahira, a small city just north of Valdosta, is known for its location on the railroad and its unique history of honeybees. But its claim to fame is being one of the oldest tobacco markets in Georgia.
One of the few local tobacco farmers left in the area. He explained how the market used to be an experience within itself.
"For years and years buyers would come from all over, not just in the United States but international interest in the tobacco fluke ear crops. You'd see Japanese and Chinese and Malaysians and Germans. You'd see all these companies from all over all over the world all over the globe being represented buying our tobacco," said Fred Wetherington.
The tobacco is stored in warehouses after it is picked from the fields. The warehouse can hold hundreds of thousands of plants at any given time waiting to be sold.
Wetherington explained, "The main thing with tobacco is they want it clean they're always going to be checking to make sure whether its weed or excess sand or your regular non tobacco related material like gum wrappers or cups or gloves or Styrofoam or anything that might be around the farm not getting in there."
It takes about 2 or 3 years before a tobacco plant is ready to be sold and even though the process is long farmers say it's very tedious because the plants require a lot of attention.
"We do a lot. We have to watch for pests. We fertilize normally 2 or 3 times. You have to spray fungicides. When you have a lot of wet weather you'll have fungicides and such that might grow on it. You have to look for soil diseases like black shank," said Wetherington.
One tobacco field can have over 300,000 plants. Modern technology has allowed for some advancement in the harvesting process, but what the machines miss the farmers have to pick by hand.
