Stored Tobacco

[ThrottleJockey]

Okay, I have about 15lbs of tobacco and a few corncob pipes stored for emergency use or barter if need be. It is pipe cut and in sealed bags, the way it came from the store. Last winter when work slowed down we cut into a bag and finished it off this summer. Well, work is slow again so we cut into another bag (way cheaper than buying cigarettes) and much to my surprise, GRAIN MOTHS! Of all the products we store, tobacco is the last one I expected to find these buggers in! Two years ago we suffered from a really bad infestation that nothing seemed to work on until we found these 1 gallon glass jars. Now we microwave or freeze everything and put it in the jars and so far the moths are at bay except in the tobacco apparently! Looks like we need to get more jars but I'll be damned if I'm going to pay for them. We have about 100 so far and they all came from bars and restaurants, the type pickles and olives come in. They cost around $3-4 each with lids at $1 each but are free from those that normally discard them Anyways, has anyone else ever experienced infestations in tobacco and what other things should I be prepared for in storing it?

 

[~gd]

Okay, I have about 15lbs of tobacco and a few corncob pipes stored for emergency use or barter if need be. It is pipe cut and in sealed bags, the way it came from the store. Last winter when work slowed down we cut into a bag and finished it off this summer. Well, work is slow again so we cut into another bag (way cheaper than buying cigarettes) and much to my surprise, GRAIN MOTHS! Of all the products we store, tobacco is the last one I expected to find these buggers in! Two years ago we suffered from a really bad infestation that nothing seemed to work on until we found these 1 gallon glass jars. Now we microwave or freeze everything and put it in the jars and so far the moths are at bay except in the tobacco apparently! Looks like we need to get more jars but I'll be damned if I'm going to pay for them. We have about 100 so far and they all came from bars and restaurants, the type pickles and olives come in. They cost around $3-4 each with lids at $1 each but are free from those that normally discard them Anyways, has anyone else ever experienced infestations in tobacco and what other things should I be prepared for in storing it?

Yep infestions are fairly common in tobacco. Flea bettles are so common that the plants are almost always started in green houses. Never heard of grain moths though. anything passing by could leave eggs to hatch after the tobacco is cured and packaged. At auction the leaf is inspected and anything with visable insect activity is left for the low biders [usually pipe tobacco producers]
The type of cure used has a effect with air cured [long exposure to air while it cures]being the worst for insects and smole cured [short time in nasty smoke] being mostly free of insects. Frankly I have no advise that would help once it is packaged. Tobacco does keep fairly well, I used to get cigarettes packed in 1945 For the military aboard ship until 1963 when they finally ran out!
The other thing to look out for is mold. tobacco needs some humidity to retain flavor [humidors] but if too high mold spores will hatch.
BTW great idea for a trade good! ~gd